Bought By The Billionaire

Chapter 6: The Cracks in the Glass

The morning started with a sound Maria had come to dread — the sharp tapping of Sarah’s heels on the marble floor. But today the sound was faster, almost rushed.

Maria sat in the breakfast nook, staring at a plate of eggs that looked too perfect to touch. She was wearing a silk robe that probably cost more than her father’s old truck, yet it felt heavy on her shoulders. She hadn’t slept all night after what happened with William in the study. His words kept repeating in her mind.

“You are a contract, Maria. Nothing more.”

The big doors suddenly swung open. Sarah walked in quickly, not even bothering to say excuse me. She went straight to the large television on the wall and switched it on.

“You need to see this,” Sarah said. Her face looked pale.

The screen lit up with a blurry photo from the press conference — Maria standing beside William. But the headline underneath made her heart drop.

“THE BILLIONAIRE’S BARGAIN: IS WILLIAM THORNE’S NEW BRIDE A DEBT-SETTLEMENT PRIZE?”

A blonde news anchor was speaking quickly.

“Sources close to the Thorne Group say this sudden engagement may not be a fairy tale after all. Many believe it’s actually a financial deal. Rumors say Maria Blackwell’s family was close to losing their home before this ‘love story’ began. So the big question is — is this really a marriage, or just a repayment?”

Maria felt like all the air had been knocked out of her chest. The toast in her hand suddenly felt heavy, and it slipped from her fingers.

“How… how did they find out?” she whispered.

“In this city, secrets don’t stay hidden for long,” a cold voice said.

Victoria Thorne walked in, holding a tablet in her hand like it was proof of something. She looked at the screen, then slowly at Maria. There was a strange satisfaction in her eyes.

“I warned William this would happen,” Victoria said. “You can dress a poor girl in diamonds, but you can’t hide where she comes from. And now the Thorne family name is being dragged through the mud because of your little life story.”

“I didn’t tell anyone!” Maria said quickly, standing up. “I haven’t even talked to my family!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Victoria replied sharply. “The media is already digging in. They’re outside your old neighborhood. They’re talking to your old employers too.”

She glanced at the tablet again.

“Mr. Henderson… and that flower shop owner.”

The Storm at the Door

Before Maria could say anything, her phone suddenly started vibrating hard on the table. It was a video call from Hazel.

Maria quickly picked it up, her hands shaking.

Hazel’s face appeared on the screen. She looked scared and angry at the same time. Behind her, Maria could see the hallway of the apartment. Through the big windows, there were many people outside with cameras and microphones.

“Maria! There are reporters everywhere!” Hazel shouted. “They keep ringing the intercom and yelling questions! They’re asking if Dad sold you just to pay the house loan! Leo is locked in the bathroom crying because he thinks the police are here!”

Maria felt her chest tighten.

“Hazel, listen to me,” she said, trying to stay calm even though her voice was shaking. “Don’t open the door. Don’t talk to anyone. Where’s Mom?”

“She’s with Leo,” Hazel said, her voice softer now. “She’s trying to calm him down.”

Hazel paused for a second.

“And Dad… Maria, Dad is really angry. He keeps saying he wants to go downstairs and shout at those reporters. He thinks all of this is his fault. He thinks he ruined your life.”

“Hazel, please… put Dad on the phone,” Maria said quickly.

The camera moved, and a moment later David appeared on the screen.

He was sitting on the edge of a big velvet sofa that didn’t seem to suit him at all. His face looked tired and pale. His hands were gripping his cane tightly.

“Maria,” he said quietly. “Tell me the truth. Are people really saying that I traded my daughter just to save the house?”

His voice cracked a little.

“I would rather live on the streets, Maria. I would rather lose everything than let people think I sold my own daughter.”

“Dad, no!” Maria cried, tears finally rolling down her face. “It’s not true. People are just making stories. They’re jealous. Please, just stay inside. William will fix this. He said he would.”

David’s expression hardened.

“William Thorne doesn’t care about our family name, Maria,” he said bitterly. “He only cares about protecting his own.”

Suddenly there was a loud bang from the apartment door on Hazel’s side of the call.

The screen went black.

Maria slowly lowered the phone, staring at it in shock, feeling like everything around her was falling apart.

The Silent King’s Wrath

“Get out.”

The voice was loud and sharp.

Maria turned around quickly. William was standing at the entrance of the breakfast room.

He didn’t look like the tired man she had seen the night before. His posture was straight, his dark suit perfectly in place, and his expression was cold and controlled. His eyes looked hard, almost angry.

But he wasn’t looking at Maria.

He was staring at his mother.

“William, we need to release a statement right now,” Victoria said, refusing to move. “The company needs to distance itself from her family’s situation. Maybe we should even consider a quiet annulment—”

“I said get out, Mother,” William cut in. His voice was low, but it carried a clear warning. “And take Sarah with you.”

Victoria opened her mouth like she was about to argue. But when she saw the look in William’s eyes, she stopped.

She let out an annoyed breath, fixed her jacket, and walked out of the room. Sarah hurried after her.

The room suddenly became quiet. The only sound left was the news anchor still talking on the TV.

William walked over and switched the television off.

Then he turned to Maria.

“Did you talk to the press?” he asked.

“No! I swear I didn’t!” Maria said quickly, wiping tears from her face with her sleeve. “My family is being harassed, William! Reporters are outside their apartment! Leo is terrified! My dad thinks everyone believes he sold me!”

William stepped closer to her.

“They do believe it,” he said calmly.

He stopped only a few inches away from her.

“Because it sounds believable. People don’t believe in fairy tales, Maria. They believe in money and power.”

“Then do something!” Maria shouted, suddenly hitting his chest with her fists. “You said you would protect them! You said you’re the man who always wins! So win! Make this stop!”

William didn’t react.

He just stood there and let her hit him. His face stayed calm and unreadable.

After a moment, Maria ran out of strength. Her hands dropped, and she leaned forward, exhausted.

William didn’t hug her. He didn’t move at all. The distance between them still felt real and cold.

“I already sent a security team to your family’s apartment,” he said after a moment. “They’re being moved somewhere safe right now. Somewhere private. No reporters. No cameras.”

Maria looked up at him.

“Where?”

“One of my private houses in the countryside,” William replied. “They’ll be safe there.”

Maria rested her forehead against his chest, her voice soft.

“I want to go with them.”

“No,” William said immediately.

His voice was firm.

“If you leave now, people will think the rumors are true. It will only make things worse.”

Maria slowly looked up at him.

“We have a gala tonight,” he continued. “The biggest one of the year. Every important reporter in the country will be there.”

He paused.

“And you’re going to walk in there with me… and make every single one of them regret doubting us.”