The Billionaire’s Secret Empire

ChapteEight

Taylor woke up before the alarm went off. She picked up her phone. No missed calls. No messages from her dad. Nothing. She opened their chat and stared at the last message he’d sent her two days ago. Dad, please ring me when you can. Taylor swallowed. She typed another message: I just need to hear your voice. Her thumb hovered over the send button. Finally, she pressed it and then set the phone down beside her. After everything she’d lost, her father was the only person she still wanted to believe would be there for her. But lately, even he seemed to be fading from her life. Taylor sat up and quickly wiped the corner of her eye; she wasn’t going to start the day in tears. She’d survived worse; she got dressed, grabbed her bag and left.

On her way to GIANNICORP, Taylor stopped at a small bakery. The smell of freshly baked bread hit her the moment she walked in. Her chest tightened. For a second, she was back home. Then smoke. Fire. Ashes. She realised the cashier was looking at her. “Sorry.” She bought a small loaf she didn’t even feel like eating and headed back out. Her mother had wanted her to take charge of the bakery, a wedding, a family and a home. It had all vanished in a matter of days, and somehow, the man responsible for the greatest pain of her life was now sitting in a billionaire’s office, waiting for her to bring him coffee. Taylor let out a bitter laugh. “Life really does have a sense of humour.”

When she arrived at GIANNICORP, Anna was already at her desk.

“You’re early.”

Taylor placed the bakery bag next to her computer. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Anna looked at the bag. “What’s that?”

“Breakfast.”

Anna smiled. “You’re sharing, aren’t you?”

Taylor laughed. “Right.”

They sat together for a few minutes, eating and chatting about everyday things.

Then Anna suddenly lowered her voice: “You know, Mr Gianni doesn’t usually arrive this early.”

Taylor looked towards the lift. “Really?”

No, unless something important is going on.

Taylor frowned. “Did he say anything?”

“No.” Anna hesitated. “But yesterday he was asking about you.”

“What did he ask?”

Anna shrugged. “Nothing serious. Just how long you’ve been working here and whether you have family in town.”

“Why would he ask that?”

“I don’t know.”

Anna gave him a curious look. “Perhaps he’s interested.”

Taylor nearly choked on her coffee. “In me?”

Anna laughed. “Don’t look so surprised.” He barely tolerates my existence, but believe me, Mr Gianni doesn’t flirt. And deep down, she remembered the way he’d looked at her and the way he’d called her Tay. Perhaps Anna wasn’t entirely wrong.

The morning was different: Theo didn’t ring her, didn’t criticise her work, barely spoke to her – and that annoyed Taylor even more.

At lunchtime, she found herself standing by the large windows overlooking the city. As her phone vibrated, she grabbed it straight away; her father’s name wasn’t there – it was a message from her bank. She opened it, and her account balance stared back at her, because the bakery had vanished, and so had her old life. And if she lost this job, she had no idea what she’d do next.

“Everything all right?” His voice.

Taylor turned round. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough.”

She forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because I am.”

His eyes remained fixed on her. “You’re not.” Something changed in his expression for a second; he looked almost hurt, and his voice was calm. Taylor looked at him. The words shouldn’t have affected her. But they did. Because she wasn’t supposed to say that; she was supposed to remember it. She wanted him to remember it, and she hated herself for wanting that.

Theo’s eyes remained fixed on hers, then his phone rang; he looked at the screen, something in his expression changed, and he stepped away to answer it. Taylor watched him and once again felt that familiar suspicion. There was something about Theo Gianni that didn’t add up, and she was going to find out what it was.

Later that afternoon, Theo left the building for a meeting. Taylor watched his car disappear through the glass doors. Her mind immediately returned to the same question. What was he hiding? She walked towards Theo’s office. Her heart was pounding as she opened the door. She knew she shouldn’t be there, but she needed answers.

She began to search. The third drawer was locked, so she looked around and noticed something under the desk. A small black box. Her pulse quickened. She crouched down and pulled it out. Inside was a watch and a folded piece of paper with a photograph. Taylor picked it up. It was Xavier, but he wasn’t alone. Standing next to him was another man who looked exactly like him. Two brothers. She turned it over; a date was written on the back. Four years ago.

Beneath it were three words: Brother. Blood. Betrayal. Taylor’s fingers trembled. What did that mean?

Then he heard footsteps. Someone was coming. He quickly put the photograph back in the box and pushed it back into the drawer. The office door opened and Theo stood there. His eyes immediately went to the open drawer. For a second, neither of them spoke.

Taylor’s heart began to race; Theo’s expression wasn’t one of anger but of something else, something she couldn’t understand. “Fear.” “Taylor.” She swallowed. “I can explain.” Her eyes drifted towards the desk. “You shouldn’t have been here.” “I found something.” “What did you find?” Taylor stared at him; she could have lied. Instead, she stepped closer.

“Your brother.”

And in that moment, Taylor knew she’d finally touched upon the one secret he didn’t want her anywhere near. She looked towards the hidden box. “Who is he?” Theo said nothing. Taylor’s heart was pounding. For the first time, she wasn’t looking at the man who’d broken her heart, but at a man harbouring a secret big enough to frighten him.

And whatever that secret was, Taylor was determined to find out.