Bought By The Billionaire

Chapter 5: The Rules of the Robot

The first morning in the Thorne mansion felt strange to Maria.

It wasn’t like the mornings she was used to. There was no sound of her old alarm clock rattling on the table, and no smell of her mother’s slightly burnt toast drifting in from the kitchen. Instead, there was only silence. The kind of silence that felt too big and too quiet.

Maria slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying in a bed so big that for a moment she felt small in it, like she didn’t belong there. The sheets were soft and smooth, nothing like the thin blankets she used to sleep with.

For a few seconds, she forgot where she was.

Her hand moved out of habit, expecting to touch the cold wall of her old room. She almost expected to hear Hazel in the next room complaining about the water not heating up again. But none of that was there.

All she could hear was the soft sound of the heating system and smell a light lavender scent in the room.

Then there was a gentle knock on the door.

Maria sat up quickly.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and Sarah walked in. She was William’s assistant—always calm, always serious.

Sarah placed a neat black folder at the end of the bed.

“Mr. Thorne is waiting for you in the study. You have fifteen minutes,” she said in a flat, professional tone.

She glanced toward the chair near the bed.

“And please wear the cream suit. It’s on the chair.”

The Cold Manifesto

Maria found William in his study.

The room was huge and lined with shelves full of books from floor to ceiling. There were so many of them that it almost looked like a library. But for some reason, the books felt more like decoration than something anyone had actually read.

William was standing behind a large wooden desk, looking out through the tall window at the wide gardens outside.

When he turned around, his face didn’t show any emotion. It was calm… almost too calm.

“Sit, Maria,” he said.

No good morning. No asking how she slept. Just that.

Maria quietly sat down and held the black folder in her hands.

“Is this about the press conference?” she asked.

“The press conference is at noon,” William replied. Then he pointed at the folder. “This is about the next 365 days. These are my rules. If you want your family to keep living in that luxury apartment and if you want your father to have his surgery next week, you will follow every one of them.”

Maria slowly opened the folder.

It wasn’t just a few rules.

It felt more like a cage.

Rule Number 1: No Physical Contact

Unless we are in public, you will not touch me. I will not touch you.

Rule Number 2: No Personal Questions

My business and my past are not your concern.

Rule Number 3: The Third Floor is Private

My bedroom and my private gym are off limits.

Rule Number 4: Scheduled Communication

Every evening at 8:00 PM you will meet me to discuss the next day’s social plans.

Rule Number 5: No Unapproved Visitors

Your family will stay in the apartment. You are not allowed to bring them here unless I give permission.

Maria felt her throat tighten.

“Rule number five?” she said softly. “William… I haven’t even talked to them since yesterday. I just want to know if Leo liked the new place. Or if Sia got her art supplies.”

“They’re fine,” William said in a cold voice. “I sent a chef and a private nurse for your father. And your mother, Elena, has already called my office four times this morning. Sarah handled it.”

Maria looked up at him.

“You are here to be a Thorne, Maria,” William continued. “And you cannot be a Thorne if you keep running back to the slums.”

“It’s not the slums! It’s my home!” Maria snapped, her eyes burning.

William slowly walked around the desk and stopped in front of her.

He leaned slightly closer, his tall figure casting a shadow over her.

“This is your home now,” he said quietly. “And it’s a cold house, Maria. If you’re looking for warmth… you chose the wrong man.”

He straightened up again.

“Now go get ready,” he added. “The world is waiting to meet the girl who ‘stole’ my heart.”

The Echo of Loneliness

The afternoon passed so quickly that Maria could barely keep track of it.

There were cameras everywhere at the press conference. Flashing lights. Reporters asking questions. People were whispering and watching her every move.

William stood beside her the whole time. At one point, he held her hand for the cameras. His grip was firm, almost too firm—like it was part of a deal rather than something real.

He told everyone a simple story. That they had met through a mutual friend. That they had fallen in love right away.

Everyone seemed to believe it.

Maria did exactly what she was supposed to do. She smiled again and again until her cheeks started to hurt. The bright camera flashes made her eyes sting.

But inside, she felt like she was screaming.

By the time they returned to the mansion, the sun was already setting. The sky outside had turned orange and purple.

William didn’t say anything when they came in. He simply walked straight to his private office and shut the door.

Maria was left standing alone in the huge hallway.

After a while, she slowly walked toward the kitchen. Maybe she could find something to eat… or at least see another person. The silence in the house felt heavy.

She missed the noise of home.

She missed Hazel arguing about whose turn it was to wash the dishes.

She missed David giving calm advice when things got messy.

When Maria finally reached the kitchen, it was empty.

The chefs had already finished their work and left. The counters were spotless, shining under the lights. Everything looked perfect… and strangely lifeless.

Maria pulled out a chair and sat down. She rested her head on the cold marble table.

“You look like a ghost from an old movie,” a voice suddenly said from the doorway.

Maria looked up.

Julian was standing there, wearing a loose T-shirt and holding a bag of chips. He walked in casually and jumped onto the counter, letting his legs swing back and forth.

“So,” he said while tossing a chip into his mouth, “where’s the King?”

“Working,” Maria replied quietly.

“Wow. I’m shocked,” Julian said with a small smirk. “He’s probably calculating the cost of the wedding cake or something.”

Maria didn’t laugh.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Julian noticed immediately. His smile faded. He hopped down from the counter and walked over to the table.

He sat in the chair next to her. He didn’t try to hug her or anything—people in this family didn’t seem to do that—but he stayed close.

“Hey… it’s not that terrible,” he said, his voice gentler now. “You’re living in a giant mansion.”

Maria shook her head.

“It’s not a mansion, Julian. It’s more like a museum,” she said softly while wiping her eyes. “I can’t see my family. I can’t even ask your brother how his day was. I feel like… like I disappeared.”

Julian stayed quiet for a moment.

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“Here,” he said, sliding it across the table.

Maria looked at it. “What is it?”

“I drove to the new apartment where your family is staying today,” Julian said, looking a little awkward. “I made a few videos. I thought you might want to see them.”

Maria quickly grabbed the phone.

The first video started playing.

There was Leo, jumping happily on a huge soft sofa, laughing loudly.

The next clip showed Sia sitting by a big window with a brand-new sketchbook, drawing carefully with colored pencils.

And then there was David, relaxing in a comfortable chair while watching a huge TV. His face looked calm… more relaxed than Maria had seen in years.

“They’re okay,” Maria whispered, her chest finally feeling lighter.

“Yeah,” Julian said with a small laugh. “But your sister Hazel? She’s intense. She tried to question me like a detective about where you were.”

Maria smiled a little.

“I told her you were busy being a princess,” Julian continued. “She told me to tell you that if you forget to call her, she’ll come here and kick William’s teeth in.”

Maria let out a soft laugh through her tears.

“That definitely sounds like Hazel.”

Julian stood up and grabbed his bag of chips again.

“See? You’re still you, Maria,” he said. “Even if my brother tries to turn you into a statue.”

He started walking toward the door.

“If the silence here ever drives you crazy, come to the basement,” he added. “I’ve got a gaming setup down there that’s loud enough to block out my mother’s constant disappointment. You’re welcome anytime.”

Maria smiled at him.

“Thanks, Julian. Really.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said casually. “Seriously. If Will finds out I’m being nice, he might think I’m sick.”

The Midnight Encounter

Maria couldn’t sleep that night.

Every time she closed her eyes, the videos Julian had shown her kept replaying in her mind. Leo jumping on the sofa. Sia was quietly drawing by the window. David finally looked relaxed.

She felt relieved… but also guilty.

Her family was happy and safe now. But she was the one living in this huge, silent house that felt colder every hour.

After tossing and turning for a while, Maria finally sat up in bed.

Maybe reading something would help her fall asleep.

She quietly left her room and walked down the hallway toward the library. The mansion was dark and silent. Her bare feet made almost no sound on the soft carpet.

As she passed William’s study, she noticed a thin line of light under the door.

Maria frowned.

It was 2:00 AM.

The door wasn’t fully closed. It was slightly open.

She hesitated for a moment… then slowly peeked inside.

William wasn’t working.

He was sitting in his chair behind the desk with a glass of dark drink in his hand. There was no laptop open, no papers around him.

Instead, he was staring at a small framed photo.

For the first time since she had met him, he didn’t look cold or in control. His shoulders were slightly bent forward, and his face looked tired.

For a moment… he looked human.

Then he looked up and saw her.

The moment disappeared.

His back straightened instantly, and his face became hard again.

“What are you doing?” he asked sharply.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Maria said, stepping into the room. “I was looking for a book.”

Her eyes moved toward the photo on his desk.

William quickly turned it face down.

“Go back to bed, Maria,” he said. “We have a charity gala tomorrow. You need to look rested.”

Maria didn’t move.

“Why are you still awake, William?” she asked quietly. “Another billion-dollar deal?”

“That’s none of your concern,” he replied coldly. “Rule number two.”

Maria slowly walked closer to the desk.

“You say you don’t believe in hearts,” she said. “But you’re sitting here in the dark staring at a photo like it’s the most important thing in the world. Who is she?”

William’s jaw tightened.

He stood up quickly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“You think, because I bought your house and paid for your father’s surgery, can you ask me?” he said sharply. “You are a contract, Maria. Nothing more.”

Maria didn’t step back.

“Then why did you look at me like that in the garden that day?” she shot back. “Why did you stop the guards from hurting me? If I’m just a contract, why do you care if I’m standing in the sun?”

William moved suddenly.

In a second, he was standing right in front of her.

He didn’t touch her—Rule number one—but he was so close she could feel the warmth in his body.

“I care about my investments,” he said in a low voice. “If you faint, the press asks questions. If you look miserable, my mother wins. And I don’t like losing.”

Maria looked straight into his eyes.

“You’re lying,” she whispered. “You’re just as lonely as I am.”

For a brief moment, the air between them felt tense and strange.

William’s eyes slowly dropped to her lips.

Maria’s heart started beating faster. For a second, she thought he might break his own rule.

But he didn’t.

He stepped back.

The cold expression returned to his face.

“Get out,” he said quietly, but his voice was sharp.

Maria stood frozen.

“And Maria,” he added, “if you ever come into this room without permission again, the papers for that apartment your family lives in will be destroyed. Do you understand?”

His words felt like a slap.

Maria didn’t reply.

She turned around and hurried out of the room, almost running back to her bedroom.

The mansion felt even colder than before.

She climbed back into the huge bed and pulled off the surrounding blanket.

And she cried.

Not because she missed her family.

But because the man sitting alone in that study looked like someone who had locked his own heart away… and thrown away the key.

The Shadow at the Window

Late that night, the moon was shining over the Thorne estate.

Inside the mansion, Maria had finally fallen asleep. It wasn’t a peaceful sleep—she kept turning in bed, her mind still full of everything that had happened that day.

But she had no idea what was happening outside.

Far away from the mansion, near the edge of the woods beyond the security gates, a black car was parked in the shadows.

Inside the car, a man sat quietly in the driver’s seat. The only light came from the tip of the cigarette in his hand.

Smoke slowly filled the surrounding air.

He was holding a newspaper.

On the front page was Maria’s picture. She was standing beside William, smiling for the cameras.

Above the photo was a big headline:

“THE BILLIONAIRE’S MYSTERY BRIDE.”

The man stared at her face for a long moment.

Then he flicked the cigarette ash out of the window.

A slow, crooked smile appeared on his face.

“Found you, Maria,” he muttered softly.

His eyes stayed on the photo.

“Looks like life’s been good to you,” he said. “Living with a billionaire now, huh?”

He leaned back in the seat, still smiling in a way that felt wrong.

“Well… that just means it’s time for me to get my share.”

He started the car.

The engine hummed quietly as the black car slowly drove away into the darkness.

Within seconds, it disappeared down the empty road, leaving only the faint smell of smoke behind.

And with it… a danger that was quietly moving closer to Maria’s new life.