I Chose The Ruthless Billionaire

Chapter 03: The First Test

Althea's Point View

My first morning in the Blackwood Residence began with a golden tray of black coffee, fresh fruit, and a tablet displaying the morning news.

The headlines were relentless.

"MYSTERIOUS FOREIGNER SNAGS THE ELDEST ZHAO HEIR"

"FROM CLASSROOM TO BILLIONAIRE’S FORTRESS: WHO IS ALTHEA SANCHE?"

"ZHAO XIAN OFF THE MARKET: THE SHOCKING UNIONS OF THE ZHAO DYNASTY"

I sipped my coffee, scanning the commentary. Pictures of me taken from my social media profiles had been splashed across major entertainment blogs, surrounded by wild speculation. Some accused me of being an opportunistic gold-digger; others claimed I had bewitched the old patriarch.

I set the tablet down and took a deep breath. Let them talk. Eleven months and twenty-nine days left.

By ten in the morning, a knock sounded at my room door. Master Lin stood outside, looking impeccably composed as always.

"Young Mistress, Elder Zhao has summoned you and Young Master Xian to the main compound for lunch," Master Lin informed me. "A private vehicle is waiting downstairs."

Althea's Point View

My first morning in the Blackwood Residence began with a golden tray of black coffee, fresh fruit, and a tablet displaying the morning news.

The headlines were relentless.

"MYSTERIOUS FOREIGNER SNAGS THE ELDEST ZHAO HEIR"

"FROM CLASSROOM TO BILLIONAIRE’S FORTRESS: WHO IS ALTHEA SANCHE?"

"ZHAO XIAN OFF THE MARKET: THE SHOCKING UNIONS OF THE ZHAO DYNASTY"

I sipped my coffee, scanning the commentary. Pictures of me taken from my social media profiles had been splashed across major entertainment blogs, surrounded by wild speculation. Some accused me of being an opportunistic gold-digger; others claimed I had bewitched the old patriarch.

I set the tablet down and took a deep breath. Let them talk. Eleven months and twenty-nine days left.

By ten in the morning, a knock sounded at my room door. Master Lin stood outside, looking impeccably composed as always.

"Young Mistress, Elder Zhao has summoned you and Young Master Xian to the main compound for lunch," Master Lin informed me. "A private vehicle is waiting downstairs."

"Is Xian coming with me?" I asked, smoothing down the simple maroon sheath dress I had chosen from my wardrobe.

"Young Master Xian left for the headquarters at dawn, but he will meet you at the family estate."

I nodded, steeling myself. The main compound meant facing the rest of the Zhao family—including Jin, Kai, and their legion of wives.

The main estate was buzzing with tension when I arrived. A footman guided me through the grand courtyard to an outdoor pavilion overlooking a pristine lotus pond. Sitting around a massive marble dining table were Kai, Jin, and three women clad in designer silk dresses, dripping in diamonds.

When I stepped into the pavilion, all conversation ceased.

"Ah, the brave heroine arrives," Kai drawled, leaning back with a crystal glass of whiskey in hand. His gaze trailed over my dress, a condescending smirk playing on his lips. "You dress quite humbly for someone who just hit the biggest lottery in Asia.

"I prefer comfort over showmanship, Kai," I replied calmly, taking a seat at the empty place prepared for me.

One of the women sitting beside Jin—a striking woman with sharp eyeliner and a bitter pout—scoffed softly. "Comfort? Or simply lacking the taste for true luxury? Jin told us you were just a schoolteacher. I wonder how long someone from your background can survive in a family like ours."

"Long enough to teach you some manners, if necessary," I said, meeting her eyes with a serene smile. "In my profession, I'm used to dealing with spoiled children."

Jin let out a soft laugh, resting a hand on his wife's shoulder to calm her, though his eyes remained calculating. "Careful, Althea. This family eats delicate things for breakfast. Without Xian here to shield you, you're standing on thin ice.

"She doesn't need to be delicate," a deep, quiet voice cut through the pavilion.

The air in the courtyard shifted instantly.

Zhao Xian walked into the pavilion, flanked by two personal bodyguards. He wore a sharp Charcoal grey three-piece suit, his coat unbuttoned, exuding an aura so heavy and cold that even Kai's smirk withered slightly.

Xian didn't look at his brothers. His dark eyes locked onto mine as he walked straight toward the table. Without a word, he pulled out the chair directly beside me and sat down, his broad shoulders instantly dominating the space between us.

"You're late, brother," Jin said, keeping his voice smooth, though his posture stiffened. "We were just getting to know your new bride."

"She isn't here for your entertainment, Jin," Xian said smoothly, signaling the servers to begin pouring tea. His voice was completely devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an absolute threat. "And if anyone in this family has a problem with her presence, they can bring it directly to my desk.

Silence fell over the pavilion. None of the wives dared to speak another word. Even Kai suddenly found his drink very interesting.

Underneath the table, I felt a subtle shift. Xian’s hand rested on his knee, mere inches from mine. He had barely looked at me since he arrived, treating me with the same distant demeanor as before, yet his presence alone had dismantled the wolves waiting to tear me apart.

When old Mr. Zhao finally joined us, the meal proceeded with formal, rigid politeness. Throughout the lunch, Xian barely spoke, focusing on his tea and occasional brief responses to his father. He didn't offer me fake affection or play the gushing groom. He treated me exactly as we had agreed—as a business partner.

Yet, every time Jin or Kai tried to direct a sharp remark toward me, Xian’s quiet, icy glance was enough to cut them off before the words could fully form.

He wasn't protecting me because he cared, I reminded myself. He was doing it because I carried his name now, and Zhao Xian did not allow anyone to mess with what belonged to him.

As lunch concluded and old Mr. Zhao retired for his afternoon rest, Xian stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.

"Master Lin will take you back to Blackwood," Xian said to me, his tone businesslike. "I have meetings until midnight."

"Thank you, Xian," I said quietly, standing up beside him.

He paused, his sharp eyes searching my face for a fraction of a second. "Did they bother you before I arrived?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," I replied honestly. "I'm tougher than I look" A faint, almost invisible trace of a smirk touched the corner of his lips before disappearing just as fast.

"Don't lower your guard," Xian murmured, leaning down slightly so only I could hear his deep voice. "They will try again. But as long as you wear that ring, remember what I told you in my study."

"Use your name to crush them?" I quoted softly.

"Exactly," Xian said. He turned on his heel and walked toward his waiting sedan, leaving behind a trail of cold strength that seemed to linger in the air long after he was gone.

I stood in the pavilion, watching his car disappear down the drive.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a strange heat blooming in my chest. I had chosen him because I thought he would ignore me—because I thought he was the safest, coldest option for my exit plan.

But as I touched the simple band on my finger, a terrifying thought crossed my mind.

Surviving the Zhao family wasn't going to be the hard part.

Surviving twelve months next to Zhao Xian without losing my heart was.

"Is Xian coming with me?" I asked, smoothing down the simple maroon sheath dress I had chosen from my wardrobe.

"Young Master Xian left for the headquarters at dawn, but he will meet you at the family estate."

I nodded, steeling myself. The main compound meant facing the rest of the Zhao family—including Jin, Kai, and their legion of wives.

The main estate was buzzing with tension when I arrived. A footman guided me through the grand courtyard to an outdoor pavilion overlooking a pristine lotus pond. Sitting around a massive marble dining table were Kai, Jin, and three women clad in designer silk dresses, dripping in diamonds.

When I stepped into the pavilion, all conversation ceased.

"Ah, the brave heroine arrives," Kai drawled, leaning back with a crystal glass of whiskey in hand. His gaze trailed over my dress, a condescending smirk playing on his lips. "You dress quite humbly for someone who just hit the biggest lottery in Asia.

"I prefer comfort over showmanship, Kai," I replied calmly, taking a seat at the empty place prepared for me.

One of the women sitting beside Jin—a striking woman with sharp eyeliner and a bitter pout—scoffed softly. "Comfort? Or simply lacking the taste for true luxury? Jin told us you were just a schoolteacher. I wonder how long someone from your background can survive in a family like ours."

"Long enough to teach you some manners, if necessary," I said, meeting her eyes with a serene smile. "In my profession, I'm used to dealing with spoiled children."

Jin let out a soft laugh, resting a hand on his wife's shoulder to calm her, though his eyes remained calculating. "Careful, Althea. This family eats delicate things for breakfast. Without Xian here to shield you, you're standing on thin ice.

"She doesn't need to be delicate," a deep, quiet voice cut through the pavilion.

The air in the courtyard shifted instantly.

Zhao Xian walked into the pavilion, flanked by two personal bodyguards. He wore a sharp Charcoal grey three-piece suit, his coat unbuttoned, exuding an aura so heavy and cold that even Kai's smirk withered slightly.

Xian didn't look at his brothers. His dark eyes locked onto mine as he walked straight toward the table. Without a word, he pulled out the chair directly beside me and sat down, his broad shoulders instantly dominating the space between us.

"You're late, brother," Jin said, keeping his voice smooth, though his posture stiffened. "We were just getting to know your new bride."

"She isn't here for your entertainment, Jin," Xian said smoothly, signaling the servers to begin pouring tea. His voice was completely devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an absolute threat. "And if anyone in this family has a problem with her presence, they can bring it directly to my desk.

Silence fell over the pavilion. None of the wives dared to speak another word. Even Kai suddenly found his drink very interesting.

Underneath the table, I felt a subtle shift. Xian’s hand rested on his knee, mere inches from mine. He had barely looked at me since he arrived, treating me with the same distant demeanor as before, yet his presence alone had dismantled the wolves waiting to tear me apart.

When old Mr. Zhao finally joined us, the meal proceeded with formal, rigid politeness. Throughout the lunch, Xian barely spoke, focusing on his tea and occasional brief responses to his father. He didn't offer me fake affection or play the gushing groom. He treated me exactly as we had agreed—as a business partner.

Yet, every time Jin or Kai tried to direct a sharp remark toward me, Xian’s quiet, icy glance was enough to cut them off before the words could fully form.

He wasn't protecting me because he cared, I reminded myself. He was doing it because I carried his name now, and Zhao Xian did not allow anyone to mess with what belonged to him.

As lunch concluded and old Mr. Zhao retired for his afternoon rest, Xian stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.

"Master Lin will take you back to Blackwood," Xian said to me, his tone businesslike. "I have meetings until midnight."

"Thank you, Xian," I said quietly, standing up beside him.

He paused, his sharp eyes searching my face for a fraction of a second. "Did they bother you before I arrived?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," I replied honestly. "I'm tougher than I look" A faint, almost invisible trace of a smirk touched the corner of his lips before disappearing just as fast.

"Don't lower your guard," Xian murmured, leaning down slightly so only I could hear his deep voice. "They will try again. But as long as you wear that ring, remember what I told you in my study."

"Use your name to crush them?" I quoted softly.

"Exactly," Xian said. He turned on his heel and walked toward his waiting sedan, leaving behind a trail of cold strength that seemed to linger in the air long after he was gone.

I stood in the pavilion, watching his car disappear down the drive.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a strange heat blooming in my chest. I had chosen him because I thought he would ignore me—because I thought he was the safest, coldest option for my exit plan.

But as I touched the simple band on my finger, a terrifying thought crossed my mind.

Surviving the Zhao family wasn't going to be the hard part.

Surviving twelve months next to Zhao Xian without losing my heart was.