Betrayed By The Billionaire

30

A voice as cold as a mountain spring vibrated from above.

Marcus, teeth gritted in agony, forced himself up. His body swayed precariously before he threw himself over the balcony railing. The moment he hit the ground, a spray of dark blood erupted from his mouth, staining the garden stone.

Chloe stared at the broad back of the man standing before her. In this moment, Xavier didn't just look like a man; he looked like a god who had descended from the heavens to save her. He was devastatingly handsome, and his presence was overwhelming.

"Xavier... thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with genuine gratitude.

If he hadn't appeared exactly when he did, she would have been...

The image of that man’s scarred, grotesque face flashed in her mind, sending a fresh wave of nausea through her. To be defiled by someone like that—she would have preferred to bite off her own tongue and end it all.

Xavier turned around. His tall shadow draped over her, creating an invisible cage of pressure that made her breath hitch. Chloe couldn't see his expression clearly in the dim light, but his authority felt like a physical weight.

"How... when did you get in?" she stammered.

She truly hadn't expected him. When she had called for help, he had hung up on her. Had Nanny White reached him? Or had he been watching the whole time?

Outside, the sounds of chaos had faded. The "drunk" mob had clearly been neutralized. From the nursery next door, the faint, sharp cry of a baby drifted through the air. Hearing Lily, Chloe felt a rush of relief so intense it left her lightheaded.

If Xavier hadn't come, she didn't want to imagine what the "end" of the Bishop family would have looked like tonight.

Xavier didn't answer her. His phone buzzed, cutting through the silence. As he brought it to his ear, his thick brows knitted together in a sharp, displeased line.

"What is it?" Chloe asked. She could feel his gaze turning hostile, as if the news on the other end was somehow her fault.

Xavier hit the speakerphone. Immediately, the quiet room was filled with the sounds of crashing porcelain and the frantic, hushed cooing of several women.

Chloe’s heart skipped a beat. She knew those sounds. "Is that... is Liam Jr. breaking things?"

"He can’t find you," Xavier said, his voice dropping to sub-zero temperatures. "He’s throwing a tantrum."

He didn't wait for her to process that. He simply delivered a cold, imperial command. "You have ten minutes to pack. You’re coming back to the Grayson mansion with me tonight."

"Now?"

"Do you have an objection?"

"No... no." She swallowed hard. How could she object? He had just saved her entire household. His word was law.

Xavier swept a dismissive glance around her bedroom before turning and walking out the door.

The moment he left, the tension left Chloe’s body so fast she nearly collapsed. She moved to get off the bed, only then realizing her state of dress—or lack thereof. In the struggle with Marcus, her silk nightgown had ridden up past her hips, leaving her long, pale legs completely exposed.

The thought of Xavier standing over her for so long while she looked like that sent a hot, vivid flush creeping up her neck.

She scrambled into a fresh set of clothes and ran into the hallway, shouting that the danger was over and everyone could come out.

The door to her mother’s suite creaked open, and the terrified maids peeked out. Chloe grabbed the nearest one. "I’m going to be staying away for a while. Pack a suitcase for me—you have five minutes. I need to leave immediately."

The maid nodded frantically and rushed into Chloe's room.

Chloe stepped into her mother's suite to say goodbye. Mrs. Bishop clutched her daughter's hands, tears streaming down her face. She was heartbroken to see Chloe go, but she didn't say a word to stop her. She knew that behind that stone-faced man downstairs lay the only safety the Bishops had left.

How is Chloe feeling about this sudden move to the Grayson mansion?