Betrayed By The Billionaire

221

At the Vance Villa, the morning sun began to creep through the heavy velvet curtains, but the atmosphere inside the master suite remained thick with a complex, unspoken tension. Arthur Vance was radiant. Sarah’s admission—the fact that she had staged a near-fatal accident just to lure him home—had acted as the ultimate nourishment for his ego. For years, he had been the one chasing her, the one offering his heart on a silver platter while she remained the stoic, military-bred fortress. Now, finally, he felt he had tasted the power of making her desperate for him.

Sarah could feel his excitement, a vibrant energy radiating from him that only deepened the hollow chill in her chest. As Arthur leaned in, his intent clear, the bedroom door creaked open.

"Daddy! I want to sleep with you and Mommy!"

Bella scrambled into the room, her small feet pattering against the hardwood. The spell was broken instantly. Arthur’s desire hit a wall of fatherly instinct, and he shifted away from Sarah to make room for their daughter.

In that moment, Sarah felt a wave of profound relief wash over her.

Bella, sensing the truce between her parents, climbed between them and snuggled into Arthur’s chest. Her voice was small and tentative as she looked up at him. "Daddy, can you promise Bella something? Can you please stop fighting with Mommy?"

Arthur’s heart softened as he looked at the miniature version of the woman he both loved and resented.

"You said Bella and Mommy are your most precious treasures," the little girl continued, her voice gaining confidence. "You’re a big, strong man, Daddy. Even if Mommy is being difficult sometimes, can’t you just be the bigger person and let her have her way?"

Arthur let out a laugh, half-amused and half-smug. "Alright, I’ll listen to my sweet girl."

"Good Daddy!" Bella chirped, kissing his cheek before turning to Sarah. "Mommy, you have to promise too. Stop losing your temper at Daddy, okay?"

Listening to her daughter’s innocent mediation, Sarah felt a pang of sharp, visceral heartache. Unlike Arthur, who felt validated, Sarah only felt the weight of the lie they were living. "Okay, Bella. Mommy promises."

"Good Mommy!"

Bella hugged both their arms, her face glowing with a pure, uncomplicated joy. "This is perfect. If you don't fight, we can stay together forever."

Perhaps touched by the child’s plea, Arthur reached out his long arm, pulling both Sarah and Bella into a tight embrace. As he held them, a single, silent tear traced a path down Sarah’s temple and disappeared into the pillow.

The Morning Light of the Graysons

In the Grayson Estate, the morning light was less forgiving. It spilled across the silk sheets of the master bed, illuminating the woman sleeping there. Chloe’s dark hair was spread across the pillow like wild seaweed, her nightgown slipping slightly to reveal a glimpse of a porcelain shoulder. In the soft dawn glow, her skin looked translucent, nearly edible in its stillness.

Xavier Grayson opened his eyes to this vision. His gaze lingered on the elegant curve of her collarbone before traveling up to her face—the long, dark lashes casting shadows on her cheeks, the soft pink of her lips.

For a few heartbeats, the "Demon CEO" simply watched her. Then, as if recollecting himself, he withdrew his gaze, stood up, and disappeared into the bathroom to wash away the traces of the night.

Chloe woke shortly after, glancing at the empty side of the bed before heading to the kitchen to ensure breakfast was perfect. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Xavier standing before the full-length mirror, struggling with his silk tie. He seemed dissatisfied with the knot, his brow furrowed in a dark, impatient line.

"Let me help you," Chloe said, stepping forward before she could overthink it.

Xavier looked down at her, his hands dropping to his sides in a silent invitation. Chloe stepped into his personal space, her nimble fingers working the silk. "I might be out all day today," she said softly, focusing on the knot. "I won't be able to prepare lunch or dinner, so I've asked Vince to have the kitchen send meals to your office."

The gentle, domestic tone of her voice was pleasant, but the content was anything but. Xavier’s eyes darkened. "Where are you going?"

Chloe tightened the knot and smoothed his lapels, looking up. Only then did she realize how dangerously close they were. She was enveloped in his scent—cold rain and expensive sandalwood. She was so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest; if she tipped her toes, her lips would brush his.

His eyes, deep and obsidian, seemed to pull her in like a gravity well. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her gaze, stepping back to regain her composure. "I told you last night. I’m meeting Mr. and Mrs. Han. I’m taking them to the racing circuit today."

Xavier’s dissatisfaction was palpable. "Racing takes an entire day?"

"Of course not," Chloe replied, regaining her professional poise. "But I need to play the host. I’m taking them to my private shooting range afterward, and then we’ll enjoy some of Haicheng’s local delicacies for dinner."

In truth, she wanted to keep the evening free. It had been far too long since their inner circle—Sarah, Donovan Tang, and the others—had gathered. She needed the strength of her old friends to survive the winter of her new life.

Chloe is stepping back into her element—the world of high-speed cars and precision shooting—to secure the Han contract. But as she prepares to spend the day with international power players and old flames like Donovan Tang, Xavier’s possessiveness is reaching a boiling point.

Will Xavier allow his "contract wife" to spend the night out with her old friends, or will the Demon CEO find a way to crash the dinner party?