Betrayed By The Billionaire

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The disappointment on Chloe Bishop’s face was so transparent that Xavier Grayson couldn't help but savor it for a fleeting second. His eyes tracked the way her shoulders slumped, the light in her gaze flickering out like a dying candle.

"Who was it then?" she asked, her voice small. "Was it Liam Martin? Or Donovan Tang?"

Xavier leaned back, his expression unreadable as he watched her mental gears grind. "Who else?" he added, his voice dropping an octave.

Chloe’s eyes blinked rapidly. She replayed his words in her head, connecting his first denial with the follow-up question. Not me... who else? The realization hit her like a warm wave. He hadn't been denying his involvement; he had been mocking the idea that anyone else would even have the capability. A slow, genuine smile tugged at her lips, a stark contrast to the bruised atmosphere of the afternoon.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes softening.

Xavier let out an arrogant, dismissive cold snort. "Consider this a one-time courtesy. If you stir up this much trouble again, I’ll be the one to finish you off myself."

He emphasized the word "finish" with a dark, velvet intensity that sent a flush of crimson creeping up Chloe’s neck. She cleared her throat, her defensive instincts flaring even through her gratitude.

"It wasn't my fault! I was just lying there in a hospital bed. It’s that doctor’s lack of self-control. It’s a fact that I’m attractive—people can see that at a glance. I wasn't out there flaunting it. How am I supposed to 'prevent' being noticed? If anything, you men should be blamed for having no discipline. Right, Liam Jr.?"

She looked toward the little boy for support. After all, she had been wearing a shapeless hospital gown and hadn't even washed her face when the incident happened. If she still managed to attract "flies" in that state, it was a testament to her natural beauty, not her behavior.

Liam Jr. looked up with wide, bright eyes and nodded vigorously, his small head bobbing in total agreement.

Xavier glanced at the pair of them, his lip twitching. "You certainly have a thick skin."

Chloe laughed, a light, musical sound that seemed to chase away some of the mansion’s shadows. "It’s not vanity if it’s the truth. I’m simply naturally gifted."

The Pinky Swear

Later that evening, after Chloe helped Liam Jr. finish his bath, the little boy approached her with his drawing tablet. His expression was solemn, his tiny brow furrowed. He held up the screen, where he had carefully written a single line:

“Don’t tell Daddy you saw that drawing.”

Chloe had been waiting for him to open up. She knelt on the plush carpet, bringing herself level with his eyes. "Why, Liam? Can you tell me why it has to be a secret?"

The boy bit his lip, his eyes searching hers for a long moment before he shook his head. He wasn't ready to speak—or even write—the full truth.

Chloe decided to play a bit of a "guilt card" to nudge him. She sighed, looking downcast. "Liam doesn't trust me. That makes me very sad." She pointed subtly to the bandage on her wrist where he had bitten her.

The boy panicked. His eyes turned red, and he looked at her with such raw guilt that Chloe immediately felt a pang of regret for teasing him.

"Okay, okay," she said gently. "How about this? I’ll ask you two questions. You don’t have to speak. Just nod or shake your head."

Liam Jr. hesitated, then gave a small, jerky nod.

"First question: The three people in that drawing... were they you and your father and mother?"

The boy’s face went deathly pale, his small hands trembling as he gave a difficult, slow nod.

"Second question: Was the father in that drawing... was it Xavier?"

Liam Jr. shook his head so violently his hair flew. He grabbed his stylus and wrote frantically: “No! Daddy is good to me. He isn't like that.”

Chloe froze. The revelation sent a shockwave through her. Liam Jr. has two fathers. One was the "monster" who had burned him with cigarettes and beaten him with a belt, and the other was Xavier Grayson. If the man in the drawing wasn't Xavier, then who was Liam’s biological father? And if Xavier was his savior, why was the boy so terrified of his savior seeing the trauma of his past?

Before she could ask a third question, Liam Jr. held up the tablet again: “I answered your questions. Chloe must keep the secret.”

He held out his tiny pinky finger, his face set in a look of desperate pleading. Chloe sighed and hooked her finger with his. "I promise, Liam. I’ll keep it between us."

The Proposal

By the time she tucked the boy in and emerged from the nursery, she found Xavier sitting on the velvet sofa in the living area. He had changed into relaxed loungewear, looking uncharacteristically casual and dangerously handsome. It was clear he had been waiting for her.

Chloe knew why he was there—he wanted an update on Liam’s "episode." To keep the boy’s secret, she decided to strike first and steer the conversation away from the nursery.

She walked over and sat a safe distance away, her eyes tracing the elegant lines of his profile. "Liam is finally asleep. Tomorrow morning, I’ve invited Arthur and Sarah Vance to the racing circuit to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Han. Are you coming with us?"

She watched him closely. The Han partnership was vital, but she was also testing him. Would the Demon CEO step out into the sun for her, or would he retreat back into his icy solitude?

Chloe is now the guardian of a secret that could dismantle the Grayson family history. While she’s grateful to Xavier for his "protection" regarding the doctor, she realizes the man she married is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. As the Hans prepare for their final day in the city, Chloe is playing a dangerous game of balance between two worlds.

Will Xavier join the racing trip to secure the contract, or will he stay behind to dig into why his son is suddenly so attached to his "contract wife"?