Betrayed By The Billionaire

65

Xavier turned his head and caught the sight of Chloe’s radiant, triumphant smile. Her almond-shaped eyes were shimmering with a liquid brilliance he hadn't seen before.

Yes, he had lost.

Worse, he had lost while she managed to damage two of his most prized supercars in a single move. Financially and strategically, this race had been a massive deficit for the Grayson estate.

Xavier’s gaze lingered on her sparkling eyes for a heartbeat longer than necessary before he tore his eyes away. He glanced coldly at the rearview mirror, seeing the crowd of professional scouts beginning to swarm the track. He didn't hesitate; he slammed his foot on the gas and roared out of the circuit.

Chloe saw the people running toward her, waving frantically. Realizing the danger of being recognized, she quickly rolled up her tinted windows and followed Xavier’s lead. Their identities were too high-profile for a post-race interview.

Within seconds, the silver and red streaks vanished into the night, leaving a group of stunned professional racers standing in a cloud of tire smoke, their phones filled with footage that would likely break the local internet by morning.

The Price of Victory

"Vince, I won!"

Chloe boasted like a child showing off a trophy. The thrill of beating the "Demon CEO" was so intoxicating that it momentarily erased every ounce of the stifling oppression she had felt all week.

Vince remained as stoic as ever, though his voice held a hint of dry caution. "Yes, Madam. You did indeed defeat Master Xavier. However, you also managed to wreck two of his cars in the process."

Chloe’s smile froze. "Uh..."

The Bugatti. She had completely forgotten. She was driving a limited-edition masterpiece—the only one in River City—and it belonged to Xavier. And then there was his Lamborghini.

Chloe felt her heart start to bleed for her bank account. "I... I will personally see that they are repaired. I'll make sure they look like they were never even touched."

"That," Vince replied smoothly, "is something Madam should probably explain to Master Xavier face-to-face."

Chloe felt like a knife had been twisted in her chest. She began mentally calculating the repair costs for two vehicles worth tens of millions, and her triumph turned into an urge to weep.

Why did I have to challenge him? Why did I have to be so stubborn about winning?

Now, not only was she in debt to him for the repairs, but she had likely bruised the massive, "Alpha" ego of a man who didn't know how to lose. Xavier Grayson was not the type to take a loss lying down; he was the type to settle the score tenfold.

Chloe Bishop, you are such a fool!

She had planned to treat Vince to a late-night snack to celebrate, but now she slunk back into the Bishop estate, feeling like a wilted flower.

The Midnight Summons

She had just finished cleaning up and changing into her pajamas when her phone shrieked.

Looking at the name on the screen, Chloe’s expression turned grimmer than a funeral. Xavier. He had clearly climbed out of his "wounded pride" swamp and was ready to collect his debt.

She didn't want to answer. She really, truly didn't. But Xavier was uncharacteristically patient tonight, calling back again and again. He was going to haunt her until she picked up.

Resigned to her fate, she swiped the screen. "Xavier?"

"Why didn't you answer?" Even through the speaker, his voice carried an intimidating, predatory weight that made the hair on her arms stand up.

Chloe scrambled for a lie. "I just got out of the shower. Did... did you need something?"

"Come back."

"What?"

"Liam Jr. is having an episode."

Before Xavier could finish the sentence, a violent crash echoed through the line—the sound of something heavy being smashed against a wall.

Chloe’s brow furrowed in instant concern. She remembered the sheer intensity of the little boy's last meltdown and the risk of him hurting himself. "I'm on my way," she said firmly.

She hung up, threw off her pajamas, and gave a frantic explanation to her mother before racing back toward the Grayson mansion. The board meeting was only hours away, but right now, the only thing that mattered was the silent boy waiting in the dark.