Betrayed By The Billionaire

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Xavier Grayson let out a dry, mocking chuckle, his dark eyes tracking Chloe Bishop as she adjusted his collar. "What’s this? Are you planning on playing businesswoman with them now?"

Chloe caught the sharp edge of ridicule in his voice, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she offered him a radiant, enigmatic smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It’s not an impossibility, is it? I’ll go see if Liam Jr. is awake."

The moment the bedroom door clicked shut behind her, Xavier’s expression plummeted into a frigid scowl. His fingers went to the tie she had just perfected, loosening it slightly as if her touch had left him stifled. It seemed his "contract wife" still hadn't learned the art of complete submission.

The Swift Circuit Ambition

Chloe’s morning was a whirlwind of adrenaline. After picking up Mr. and Mrs. Han from their luxury hotel, a fleet of high-end sports cars roared into the Swift Racing Circuit. For the next few hours, the world of high finance was replaced by the smell of scorched rubber and the scream of turbochargers.

By noon, the Hans were utterly enthralled. They didn't just enjoy the ride; they were so impressed by Chloe’s lethal precision on the track that they floated the idea of sponsoring the Swift team. They saw Chloe as the burgeoning star of the upcoming International Grand Prix—a marketing goldmine and a formidable athlete.

However, Chloe knew she couldn't sign a single paper without Xavier’s nod. As the secret boss behind Swift, Xavier had recently overhauled the team’s regulations, offering the best benefits in the industry while maintaining a cutthroat environment where only the elite survived. Current drivers like Mao Jun and Lu Yuanlang felt the crushing pressure of the new regime, while outside pros watched from the sidelines, waiting for a chance to join the Grayson-backed powerhouse.

An Unwelcome Encounter

For lunch, Chloe and Lyra took the Hans to a renowned Cantonese restaurant, seeking a refined atmosphere to discuss the day’s highlights. But as they entered the private dining area, Chloe’s heart sank.

Across the room sat Yvonne Blue and her sister, Bluebelle. They weren't alone. Xander Grayson—Xavier’s younger cousin—was there, flanked by two middle-aged couples. The formal arrangement suggested only one thing: a "meet the parents" luncheon.

Xander spotted Chloe, but after their last explosive confrontation at the lounge, he pointedly ignored her, turning his attention back to the table. Bluebelle, however, leaned into Xander’s arm, tossing Chloe a triumphant, arrogant smirk that practically screamed her victory.

Chloe couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Xander was a decent enough kid, but he was clearly blinded by a pair of pretty eyes and a manipulative heart.

An hour later, Chloe retreated to the powder room, only to be stopped by a woman with an air of practiced elegance—Guo Yuzhen.

"Chloe, dear! It’s so good to see you again," Yuzhen said, taking Chloe’s hand with an over-eager warmth. Chloe realized then that this was Xander’s mother—Xavier’s aunt by marriage.

Yuzhen insisted on exchanging numbers, hinting at a future "family gathering." Chloe was no fool; she knew Yuzhen wasn't flattering her—she was trying to build a bridge to the man at the top of the Grayson empire. Not knowing Xavier’s true stance on this branch of the family, Chloe remained politely non-committal.

The Poison in the Mirror

As Yuzhen exited, the door to a stall swung open and Bluebelle stepped out, her face twisted in a sneer. "My, my... already acting like the grand matriarch of the Grayson family, aren't we?"

Chloe glanced at her through the mirror, unbothered, and continued drying her hands.

Bluebelle stepped closer, her voice dripping with venomous glee. "I heard a delicious rumor, Chloe. Word is, after the Bishop family gala, someone got sick and was heartlessly dumped at the hospital by her own husband. How pathetic."

"Everyone thinks you’re so pampered in that mansion," Bluebelle continued, leaning against the vanity. "But you’re living so humbly, aren't you? Honestly, it’s a wonder you bothered to marry him at all."

Chloe tossed the used paper towel into the bin and finally turned to face her. "I see that the prospect of marrying into the family has given you a loud voice, Bluebelle. But you seem to be forgetting something: even if you do marry Xander, you’ll still have to call me 'Sister-in-Law.'"

Chloe took a step forward, her presence suddenly commanding. "And perhaps you aren't aware of how the Grayson hierarchy works. Xander is a junior. He doesn't hold a single share of the Grayson Group. If you two want to maintain your lifestyle, you’ll both have to work very, very hard to stay in his cousin's good graces."

Bluebelle’s face darkened for a split second before she regained her smirk. She leaned in close, whispering into Chloe’s ear. "Enjoy your little victory while it lasts, Chloe. You only got into that house because you charmed an old lady and a traumatized brat. But at the end of the day, you aren't Liam Jr.’s biological mother."

Bluebelle pulled back, her eyes dancing with malice. "To Xavier and that boy, you will always be an outsider. How long do you really think you can last in that house? I'd suggest you cherish every moment, because your time is running out."

The threat is no longer subtle. Bluebelle has struck at Chloe’s greatest insecurity: her status as a "replacement" mother and a contract wife. While Chloe has secured the Hans’ professional respect, her domestic life is being circled by vultures waiting for Xavier to tire of her.

Does Bluebelle know something about Liam Jr.’s biological mother that Chloe doesn't, or is she simply trying to rattle the cage of the Grayson marriage?