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Chapter 32: Breaking the Chains
Last Updated:
2025-01-22 03:01:17
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A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 33: Unveiling the Truth
I paced in the dimly lit hallway outside Maximilian's study, my heart pounding in sync with the ticking clock on the wall. The phone call had unsettled him, though he masked it well behind his usual stoic facade. But I knew him better now—his clenched jaw, the subtle tremor in his hand, and the way he avoided looking at me spoke volumes. The door creaked open, and he stepped out, his eyes shadowed with something I couldn't quite place. “Maximilian,” I said softly, taking a tentative step toward him. “What happened? Who was on the phone?” He hesitated, his gaze flickering between me and the floor. “It was…someone I haven’t spoken to in years.” “Your father.” It wasn’t a question. The weight of the air between us confirmed it. He nodded, his expression hardening. “He wants to meet. Says it’s urgent.” I reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?” His laugh was bitter, cold. “Am I okay? Eliza, my father isn’t the kind of man you sit down with for tea and pleasa
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I stood in the corner of the living room, my fingers curling around the smooth edge of the mantelpiece. Maximilian paced in front of me, his jaw tight, every step heavier than the last. The air between us buzzed with tension, but I didn’t dare break it. The arrival of his father earlier had turned the house into a pressure cooker, and I was just trying to keep from boiling over. “Max,” I said softly, testing the waters. “You’ve been pacing for ten minutes.” He stopped abruptly, turning toward me with those icy gray eyes that always made my stomach twist. But this time, there was something different—something raw. “What am I supposed to do, Eliza?” His voice was sharp, almost cutting. “He wants me to just step into his shoes like the past twenty years didn’t happen. Like he didn’t abandon me when I needed him most.” I walked closer, hesitant but determined. “You don’t have to make a decision right now. You can take time to think about it.” Maximilian’s laugh was bitter, almos
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The cold draft of the study pressed against my skin, though it wasn’t the room that made me shiver. It was the silence—the kind that hung heavy in the air after a storm. Maximilian sat across from me, his shoulders rigid, his jaw clenched so tightly that the muscle ticked with every second of my waiting. The letter lay between us like a live grenade, its edges curling slightly under the weight of the truth it carried. “Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice barely rose above a whisper, but it carried every ounce of my disbelief, my anger, my hurt. His piercing gray eyes locked onto mine, void of the warmth I thought had begun to grow there. “Because it doesn’t concern you.” I flinched at his words. “Doesn’t concern me? Maximilian, I’m your wife—whether by contract or not. Do you honestly believe something this monumental wouldn’t affect me?” He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the hardwood floor. “You don’t understand, Eliza. This... this is bigger than you or me. It’s ab
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The anonymous message played on repeat in my mind like a haunting melody I couldn’t silence. “You don’t know everything about him.” Who sent it? And what did they know that I didn’t? I barely slept that night. My thoughts were a mess of questions and half-formed fears. As much as I wanted to confront Maximilian, I couldn’t bring myself to face him—not yet. My trust in him was fragile, hanging by a thread, and I wasn’t ready for another confrontation that might tear it apart completely.By morning, I decided to focus on what I could control. I texted the number back, though I knew it was a long shot. Who is this? What do you mean? Hours passed without a response. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart leaped, but it was always something trivial—a notification, a call from my mother’s nurse, or a reminder about bills. The weight of the silence was suffocating.It wasn’t until late afternoon that I saw Maximilian again. I was in the garden, absently tending to the roses, when his shad
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I can feel the weight of Maximilian’s presence even before I hear his footsteps. He’s standing there, near the door, but neither of us moves. It’s as if we’re both frozen, caught between the past and the possibility of something better, something different. The words my father spoke to me—his cold admission of orchestrating everything—are still ringing in my ears.“You never wanted me to have her, did you?” I had asked. His silence in return had been deafening.And now here I am, standing in the cold silence of Maximilian’s office, waiting for him to say something that will make this all make sense. I need him to explain—to make it right. I’m desperate to understand why he didn’t tell me about the hidden hand behind our marriage, why he kept it from me. And yet, part of me already knows the answer. I just don’t want to face it.“Maximilian,” I begin, my voice barely a whisper, “I need you to be honest with me. Please. About everything. No more lies, no more secrets. I can’t keep livin
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The car ride back to my mother’s house was silent except for the low hum of the engine. I stared out the window, my thoughts a tangled mess of fear and guilt. What had happened? Why had my mother sounded so frantic? And, selfishly, why did I feel as if my world had split in two the moment I left Maximilian standing in the doorway, his jaw clenched, his eyes unreadable? “Do you want me to come in with you?” Maximilian’s voice broke through my thoughts. I glanced at him, his hands gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing anchoring him. “No,” I said quietly. “I think it’s better if I go alone.” His jaw tightened. “Are you sure? I don’t mind—” “Max,” I interrupted, using the nickname he only allowed me to use in private. “This is my family. I need to handle this.” His eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to the road. “Alright,” he said after a pause. “But call me if you need anything.” “I will,” I lied. When we pulled up to the house, I hesitated, my han
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It was quiet, too quiet, as I stood by the window of our penthouse, watching the lights of the city flicker against the night sky. The weight of the past few weeks hung heavily on my shoulders, yet there was a strange sense of peace in the silence. The decision to stay with Maximilian—to choose him—wasn’t made lightly. It had been a battle between my head and my heart, but for once, I let my heart win. “Penny for your thoughts?” His voice startled me, low and smooth, as he approached. I turned to see him leaning against the doorway, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up. There was something different about him tonight—an openness in his expression, a vulnerability I wasn’t used to seeing. “I was just thinking about how far we’ve come,” I said softly. “It feels... unreal.” He crossed the room in a few long strides, stopping just inches away from me. “Unreal, or unbelievable?” I tilted my head, meeting his gaze. “Both, maybe.” For a moment, neither of us spoke. The sile
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The room was cold, though the fireplace flickered with embers. Maximilian’s face was a mask of control, but his eyes betrayed something darker. His phone lay forgotten on the coffee table, the call from moments ago still echoing in my mind. “Maximilian,” I said cautiously, my voice trembling. “What’s going on? Who was that?” He didn’t answer right away, his jaw tightening as he stared at the floor. When he finally looked up, his expression was unreadable, a fortress of emotions I couldn’t penetrate. “Eliza,” he began, his voice low and measured, “there’s something I need to tell you. Something I should’ve told you a long time ago.” My stomach twisted. “What is it?” “I thought I had everything under control,” he said, pacing now, his movements sharp and restless. “But there are... loose ends from my past. Things I thought I’d buried.” “What kind of things?” I pressed, fear creeping into my voice. He stopped pacing and faced me, his shoulders squared. “There’s a man—someon
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“I can’t believe we made it, Maximilian,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.He turns to face me, his deep gaze holding mine. There’s a softness in his eyes that I’ve never seen before—a warmth, a tenderness, that sends a flutter through my chest. It’s as if all the walls we’ve spent so many years building around us have finally crumbled.“We didn’t just make it, Eliza,” he says, his voice low and steady, but filled with conviction. “We built something.”I let out a breath, feeling the weight of the words settle in my heart. It wasn’t just about survival anymore. It was about thriving, growing, and loving each other in ways we never thought possible.“I didn’t know I could love you like this,” I confess, my voice barely more than a whisper.Maximilian’s lips curl into a faint smile, and his hand reaches out to gently cup my cheek. His thumb traces the line of my jaw as if memorizing the curve of my face.“You’ve always had that potential, Eliza. I just had to see it,” he murmurs.
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 99: Happily Ever After
"I still can't believe this is real," I say, my voice trembling slightly as I look at Maximilian, who is standing before me, his eyes full of warmth and love.He smiles, the kind of smile I never thought I'd see on his face—soft, genuine, and full of affection. “It’s real, Eliza. We’re real.”I swallow, trying to hold back the wave of emotion crashing over me. I can hardly believe how far we've come—how much we've grown, both as individuals and together. The walls Maximilian once built so carefully around himself have crumbled, and in their place is something I never imagined I could have: love. Real, true love."You know," Maximilian says, taking a step closer to me, "there was a time when I thought I couldn’t have this. When I thought I wasn’t capable of it."I reach out and touch his arm, the connection between us steady and comforting. "I never gave up on you, Maximilian. I knew you had the capacity for love. I just had to see it for myself."He looks at me for a long moment, his
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 98: A Love Reborn
Maximilian’s hand brushes against mine as we stand on the balcony overlooking the city. The night is alive with shimmering lights, but none compare to the warmth in his eyes when he glances at me.“You’ve been quiet,” he says, his voice soft, yet probing.I take a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze wrap around us. “Just thinking.”“About?”“Everything.” I turn to face him, searching for the right words. “Where we started, where we are now... and where we’re headed.”A flicker of emotion crosses his face, but he masks it quickly, the way he always does when he’s unsure of his own feelings.“You regret it?” he asks, his tone hesitant, as though the answer might undo everything we’ve built.“Regret marrying you?” I shake my head with a faint smile. “Not for a second.”Relief flashes in his eyes, and he cups my face gently. “Neither do I.”The weight of those words settles between us. For a man who once viewed marriage as a business deal and love as a weakness, his admission feels monum
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 97: Facing the Future
“We need a plan,” I said, my voice steady as I looked across the conference room table at Maximilian. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the tension in his sharp features. “Not just for the business but for us.”Maximilian leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes narrowing. “Are you suggesting I don’t already have a plan?”I shook my head, refusing to be intimidated by his commanding presence. “You always have a plan. But this time, I want to be part of it.”A flicker of surprise crossed his face, quickly masked by his usual stoicism. “You’re already part of it, Eliza. More than you realize.”“Then show me,” I challenged. “Let me be your partner, not just your wife in name only.”His jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken truths.“I don’t need protection from the business world, Maximilian,” I added, softening my tone. “I need to stand beside you, not behind you.”He exhaled sharply, running a hand
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 96: Rebuilding the Empire
“Maximilian, we need to talk,” I said, my voice steady despite the nerves clenching in my stomach.He didn’t look up from his desk, the blue glow from the multiple screens casting sharp shadows across his face. His jaw was set the sharp angles of his expression colder than usual. I knew that look—it was the face of a man ready to conquer the world, no matter the cost.“What is it?” he asked, fingers typing furiously on the keyboard.I clenched my fists, grounding myself. This wasn’t the time to cower. Not anymore. “If you keep trying to rebuild this empire on your own, you’re going to lose everything. And I’m not going to stand by and watch that happen.”His fingers stilled. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet mine, those piercing gray eyes assessing me like I was an anomaly he couldn’t quite solve. “What are you saying, Eliza?”“I’m saying you need help,” I said, my voice firmer now. “I’m saying I want to help you.”Maximilian let out a dry laugh, leaning back in his chair. “Help me?
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 95: A Chance at Redemption
“You didn’t even come after me,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The cold night air bit at my skin as I stood on the balcony of the hotel suite I’d rented after leaving Maximilian. The city lights below blurred through my tear-filled eyes.“I thought you wanted space,” Maximilian’s deep voice broke through the silence behind me. I stiffened, not expecting to hear him tonight.Turning slowly, I found him standing in the doorway, his usually composed expression shadowed by something raw—something close to regret.“You have a funny way of interpreting things, Maximilian,” I said bitterly. “Space doesn’t mean abandoning me when I’m breaking.”He took a tentative step forward. “I didn’t know what to say.”“Of course, you didn’t.” I crossed my arms, my heart thundering in my chest. “You always hide behind silence when things get hard.”“I’m here now.” His voice was rough.“That doesn’t fix anything.” I blinked back fresh tears. “I poured my heart out to you, and you stood there lik
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 94: The Breaking Point
“You’re late again.” My voice trembled, though I tried to keep it steady. Maximilian’s towering figure stood by the doorway, his expression blank. The suit jacket he wore was wrinkled, and his tie hung loosely around his neck. His eyes were devoid of the sharp intensity that usually defined him.“I had meetings.” His tone was clipped, dismissive. He loosened the knot of his tie, his gaze avoiding mine.“Meetings that run until two in the morning?” I crossed my arms, trying to hide the ache in my chest. “This has become a pattern, Maximilian.”He sighed heavily, tossing his tie onto the couch. “I don’t have time for this, Eliza.”“There it is again.” My voice cracked. “You never have time for me, do you? Or for us.”He finally met my gaze, his blue eyes cold. “I’m building an empire, Eliza. That doesn’t come without sacrifices.”“And I’m just one of those sacrifices, right?” My throat tightened. “Do you even realize how distant you've become? I can't keep pretending that this—whatever
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"Eliza, stop running from this conversation," Maximilian’s voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence in the room.I whirled around, my chest heaving. "I'm not running! I'm trying to breathe, Max. Is that too much to ask after what you just said?" My voice cracked despite my efforts to sound strong.Maximilian’s jaw clenched. "We can get through this together. Why can't you trust that?""Because you kept something from me!" I snapped, my words echoing off the walls. "Do you even understand how humiliating it was to hear about your past from someone else?"His eyes darkened. "I was trying to protect you.""No." I shook my head vehemently. "You were protecting yourself. There's a difference."He took a step toward me, his presence commanding as ever. "You're right. I was selfish. But that doesn't mean I don't care about you, Eliza. Everything I've done—every decision—was because I couldn't risk losing you."My heart twisted painfully at his confession. "Then why does it feel lik
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 92: Secrets in the Shadows
“You’ve been unusually quiet all morning,” Maximilian said, his tone sharp as he glanced at me from across the breakfast table.I clenched my fork tighter, pushing the scrambled eggs around my plate. “Just thinking.”His eyes narrowed. “About what?”I debated whether to answer or deflect. But the weight in my chest wouldn’t let me stay silent. “You.”Maximilian set down his coffee cup with a deliberate clink. “What about me?”I met his gaze, refusing to look away despite the unease tightening my stomach. “About what you’re hiding.”His expression hardened. “Eliza—”“You’ve always been a fortress, Maximilian,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “I’ve respected that. But there’s something different now. I can feel it.”He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “You’re imagining things.”I shook my head. “No, I’m not. You’ve been distant, even after everything we’ve been through. And then there’s that phone call last night—”His jaw tensed. “What phone call?”“The one you took in t
