Betrayed By The Billionaire

269

The tension in the banquet hall was a physical weight, but Xavier Grayson had reached his limit. Just as he stood to offer a cold, final departure without a word of goodbye, a small, trembling hand clamped around his wrist.

"Come upstairs with me for a moment," Chloe Bishop whispered.

Xavier looked down. Chloe’s face was ghostly, her eyes wide and swimming with a silent, desperate plea. She knew he was on the verge of walking out—and taking the Bishop family’s last shred of dignity with him.

Every logical instinct in Xavier’s mind screamed at him to shake her off. Her heart wasn't with him; why should he care about her family’s "face"? Yet, tethered by an impulse he couldn't name, he found his feet moving in sync with hers. He allowed her to lead him away from the prying eyes of the elite.

Downstairs, Aunt Sarah let out a tittering laugh, covering her mouth with a manicured hand. "My, look at those two. So inseparable."

Old Mrs. Grayson beamed, turning to Old Mrs. Tang with a triumphant glint in her eyes. "At this rate of 'affection,' I’ll be holding another great-grandchild in no time."

Old Mrs. Tang let out a low, disgruntled "Hmph." Was this old woman trying to provoke her to death? Beside her, Donovan Tang remained perfectly composed, a faint, chilling smile playing on his lips. But beneath the surface, his eyes burned with a bloodthirsty light that made the air around him turn cold.

The Cutting Edge

Inside the master suite, the heavy mahogany door clicked shut, sealing out the noise of the feast. Chloe moved with frantic grace, retrieving a heavy medical kit from the closet. When she turned back, Xavier was sitting motionless on the chaise longue, his predatory gaze tracking her every move.

"Take off your clothes," she said, her voice a forced calm.

Xavier didn't move. "My arm is injured. I can't."

Chloe’s brow twitched. You had enough strength to nearly bruise my chin earlier, but now you can't unbutton a shirt? She didn't argue. She stepped into his personal space, her fingers trembling as she began to undo the buttons of his bespoke suit jacket, one by one.

As the fabric parted, their breaths mingled in the narrow space between them. The scent of expensive cologne mixed with the sharp, metallic tang of fresh blood. The atmosphere shifted, turning from hostile to uncomfortably intimate.

"How did this happen?" Chloe asked, desperate to shatter the suffocating tension.

Xavier’s lips curved into a mirthless smile. "It seems someone didn't want me attending this celebration. They staged a 'coincidental' car accident."

Chloe paused. In all of Haicheng, who would dare cross Xavier Grayson? And over a mere full moon feast with zero economic stakes? Who would go to such lengths? She assumed he was being hyperbolic. "Did you call the police? If you’re hurt, why didn't you go to the hospital?"

She glanced at her watch. Only twenty minutes had passed between her call and his arrival. If he had been in a crash, how did he get here so fast? Was his office truly that close to the Bishop Manor?

Xavier ignored her questions, posing one of his own. "Aren't you curious who I think is behind it?"

The Shadow of the Commander

Chloe’s hands went still against his chest. "You... you suspect me?"

Xavier’s expression went blank. "..."

"It wasn't me," Chloe explained with deadly seriousness. "I would never do something like that."

Xavier stared at her, his eyes narrowing. "..."

What is wrong with this woman’s IQ? did he ever once imply it was her? "Even if I gave you ten times the courage, Chloe Bishop, you wouldn't dare."

Chloe lowered her head, carefully peeling the blood-soaked jacket away from his shoulder. "Then it was likely just a simple accident."

Xavier let out a sharp, frigid laugh. "A simple accident? Have you already forgotten what happened to Vince's car the other night? Or were you too drunk to notice? You were so far gone you wouldn't have known if you were being violated."

Chloe’s face went white. She bit her lip, falling into a pained silence.

Xavier watched her—the way her skin looked almost transparent under the vanity lights, her vulnerability making her look like a piece of fine porcelain ready to shatter. He reached out, his fingers hooking under her jaw and forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Now," he hissed, his grip firm. "Do you know who it was?"

Xavier has all but named Donovan Tang as the culprit behind the "accidents" plaguing the Graysons. As Chloe looks into his eyes, torn between her trust for her "Big Brother" and the bleeding reality in front of her, will she defend Donovan—or will she realize that the war between these two men is far deadlier than she imagined?