Betrayed By The Billionaire

93

God knew how much strength it had taken for Liam Martin to suppress his cravings every time Chloe Bishop drew near. He had spent years pushing her away, forcing a cold distance between them even when his heart beat for her. Even when they kissed, he had forbidden himself from surrendering to the sensation, terrified that if he crossed that line, he would be betraying Sara.

Now, Liam realized the true depth of his idiocy.

She had put on a wedding dress for him. She had been seconds away from becoming his bride, but he had heartlessly discarded her, turning her into the laughingstock of the entire city. Once, she had clung to him every single day; now, she had scrubbed every trace of him from her existence.

It was he who had hand-delivered her into the arms of another man. This was a bitter fruit of his own planting, a pain he had to swallow in silence, for he had no right to complain. That night, Liam sat in the darkness, staring at Chloe’s phone until the first rays of dawn broke through the shutters.

The Negotiator

The next morning at the Grayson Mansion, Chloe stirred the moment she heard Xavier moving. Shaking off the heavy fog of sleep, she dragged herself out of bed and rushed to the kitchen. By the time Xavier emerged, a steaming bowl of noodles was waiting for him on the table.

Chloe sat opposite him, her chin resting on her hands, her pale, beautiful face bright with an expectant smile. Xavier sat down and spared her a cool, sideways glance—a look that clearly said: Unusual kindness hides a hidden motive.

"Xavier," Chloe began, her smile widening slightly. "Let me go to work with you today."

"Give me a reason," he replied, his tone flat.

"I can brew your tea, make your coffee... if you’re tired, I can even give you a massage."

"I have a secretary for that." Xavier didn't even look up as he delivered the rejection.

Chloe wasn't ready to retreat. "Actually, I want to learn business management from you. I promise I’ll be quiet. I won’t disturb your work at all."

Xavier finally looked at her, a flash of a memory crossing his mind—Chloe reading a book for thirty minutes only to fall into a two-hour nap. "You certainly were 'quiet' yesterday," he noted dryly.

Chloe’s eyes lit up. "So you agree?"

She thought her "house arrest" was finally over. But Xavier simply leaned back. "In your dreams."

The corners of Chloe’s mouth drooped instantly. She looked at him with pouting, aggrieved eyes. "Xavier, what do I have to do for you to lift this grounding?"

Looking into those clear, almond-shaped eyes, Xavier decided to give her a chance. "If you want to go out, fine. Give me a reason that is actually persuasive."

A persuasive reason?

"I need to go back to the Bishop estate to look after my parents and my sister," she tried.

"Take care of yourself first," Xavier countered. "You didn't even know how you got home last night. You're in no position to look after anyone."

Chloe flushed with embarrassment at the reminder of her blackout. Desperate, she decided to use Liam Jr. as a shield. "I noticed that the little guy really likes my baby sister, Maya."

Xavier remained silent, his expression screaming: I’m just going to sit here and watch you lie to my face.

"It’s true! Liam Jr. was actually looking after her last night. I think this could be a breakthrough for his condition!"

A deep furrow appeared between Xavier’s brows. "Chloe Bishop, your sister is a fifteen-day-old infant. Do you honestly think she’s going to help my son start speaking?"

Chloe wanted to shout "Yes!", but under Xavier’s piercing gaze, she couldn't bring herself to nod.

"Then... I’ll take Liam Jr. out to his classes?"

Xavier’s voice turned bone-chilling. "Stop using my son as an excuse."

Chloe felt like crying, but she knew tears would be useless against a man like him. She racked her brain as Xavier finished half his bowl of noodles. "What if... I take those two luxury cars to the shop? It was my fault they were wrecked, after all."

This time, Xavier didn't even bother to look up. "The cars have already been towed. Don't worry your head about it."

Chloe is running out of options. Every "reason" she gives is being dismantled by Xavier’s cold logic. Will she find a way to escape her gilded cage, or will Xavier keep her locked away until the scandal of the racing track blows over?

Nora is still unreachable. Should Chloe try to sneak out while Xavier is in his morning meeting?