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Chapter 40: The Final Choice
Last Updated:
2025-01-22 16:24:22
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A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 1: The Proposal
"Desperation can make even the sanest person agree to the unthinkable." I had always thought those words were an exaggeration, some poetic expression of human weakness. That is until I found myself seated in a leather chair so plush it felt like it was swallowing me, across from a man whose icy gaze seemed to pierce through my very soul. Maximilian Grey. I had heard his name whispered with both admiration and fear. A billionaire tech mogul, ruthless in business, and cold to anyone foolish enough to cross him. The man in front of me didn’t look like someone who would extend an olive branch to a drowning woman like me. No, he looked like someone who would hand me a contract and watch me sign away my soul with a smirk on his face. And that’s exactly what he was doing. “You’ll have everything you need,” he said, his tone devoid of warmth as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together. “Your family’s debts will disappear. Your mother will receive the best medical car
Last Updated : 2025-01-07A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 2: The Wedding
“I barely recognize myself in the mirror,” I muttered under my breath, the ivory fabric of the gown clinging to me like a foreign skin. The delicate lace sleeves felt suffocating, as though they were holding me together when I could barely breathe. My reflection stared back with wide, uncertain eyes, a far cry from the composed bride I was supposed to be. This wasn’t a wedding. Not really. It was a transaction, a merger of lives and assets. And yet, here I was, standing in a private room of a grand cathedral, draped in a designer gown that probably cost more than my family’s entire debt. The door creaked open, and my stomach churned as I turned to see him—Maximilian Grey. He entered with the air of a man who owned the world and everyone in it. His tailored tuxedo fit him perfectly, emphasizing his broad shoulders and cold, unyielding presence. His steel-gray eyes flicked over me, unreadable, and I felt like a specimen under a microscope. “You’re nervous,” he said flatly, steppin
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"Do not mistake this for anything more than it is," Maximilian’s voice echoed in my head as I sat at the edge of the oversized bed, my fingers twisting the edge of my dress. His words from earlier that day, as cold and cutting as the man himself, replayed like a broken record, reminding me of the stark reality of my new life. The room was suffocating in its opulence—golden drapes that swept the floor, a chandelier casting fractured light across the walls, and a bed so large it seemed to mock the emptiness I felt. I had always dreamed of luxury, of escaping the suffocating weight of poverty, but I had never imagined it would feel this hollow. Maximilian had retreated to his study shortly after we arrived at his penthouse, leaving me alone to acclimate to my gilded cage. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant hum of the city below. I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. Not here. Not where the walls seemed to watch, where every surface gleamed with the perfection he demande
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"Some things are better left unknown, Eliza." The words Maximilian had said to me a few nights ago echoed in my mind, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off—something deeper than the surface of our arranged marriage. It was as though shadows were lurking in the corners of his life, ones that he wasn’t ready to expose, no matter how much I longed to understand him. It had been nearly a week since the night I overheard Maximilian’s phone conversation. I couldn’t get the sharpness in his voice out of my head, or the raw emotion he had briefly revealed. I still wasn’t sure whether he was talking about me or someone else, but it gnawed at me—made me more curious about the man I was now bound to, for better or worse. Maximilian, for all his coldness, was a man of extremes. He made it clear that our marriage was about business and only business. Yet, the more time I spent under this roof, the more his contradictions became evident. The more I began to feel like a pawn
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“You have no idea what you’ve just gotten yourself into.”The words echoed in my mind long after I heard them. That stranger’s warning, sharp and cryptic, clung to me like an invisible thread, tugging at my thoughts every time Maximilian’s attention wandered from me. It had been a day like no other—beautiful, grand, and yet, strangely suffocating.Tonight, we were attending one of the most exclusive charity galas in the city, an event where the world’s most powerful figures mingled like puppets in a grandiose theater of wealth, influence, and secrets. Maximilian had told me nothing about it in advance—just that I needed to look presentable and play my part. I was expected to be nothing more than an accessory to his wealth, his image, and his control over this world.And yet, despite everything, there was something about it all that unsettled me.As Maximilian guided me through the venue, his hand resting possessively on my lower back, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The
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"The truth has a way of creeping up on you, even when you think you've buried it forever."I should have known that a night as perfect as the gala wouldn't last. I should have seen the signs—Maximilian's tense jawline, the way his gaze flickered to the mysterious man who spoke to me. But I didn’t. I was too caught up in the excitement of the evening, too wrapped in the moment of wearing that dress, my hand in his, feeling the weight of his world as we danced through the crowd.Now, I stood in the midst of that tension, the words of the man from the gala echoing in my mind. He had warned me—Maximilian was dangerous. He wasn’t the man I thought he was. I felt a chill crawl down my spine. Maximilian was supposed to be my ticket out, my way to fix everything, but now… now I was beginning to question it all. His grip on my wrist was tight, but not painful. It was possessive like he was afraid I might slip away from him. His voice was low, the words sharp. “Forget what he told you, Eliza.
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“I’ve made a grave mistake, Maximilian.”The words hang in the air like an echo that refuses to dissipate. I feel the tension in the room shift, the air thick with something far darker than I’ve ever felt between us. Maximilian’s face pales, his eyes narrowing as the figure from his past steps into the room. I don’t recognize the man, but there’s an undeniable weight to his presence, something about him that screams power—a dangerous kind of power that Maximilian must know all too well.The man looks at Maximilian like a predator sizing up its prey. And Maximilian? He stands motionless, his jaw clenched, his usually stoic demeanor cracking in the presence of this stranger.I take a step back, my pulse racing as I try to make sense of what’s happening. Who is this man? And why does Maximilian look like he’s seen a ghost?“Who is this?” I ask my voice barely a whisper. But Maximilian doesn’t answer. Instead, he keeps his gaze locked on the man, the walls of his emotional fortress instan
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“I can’t trust you, Maximilian,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper, as the weight of his confession bears down on me. The room feels smaller, the walls pressing in with every beat of my heart. “Then who are you?” I ask, my words trembling, unsure if I even want the answer. A part of me fears that the truth will shatter everything, that the man I thought I was beginning to understand is nothing like what I imagined.Maximilian’s eyes darken, and for a moment, I see the vulnerability he’s been hiding—something raw and unfamiliar. His lips tighten, and the silence between us feels suffocating as if the words hanging in the air are too dangerous to say. His gaze shifts to the floor, avoiding mine as if the very act of looking at me might expose him further.“You wouldn’t understand,” he finally says, his voice low and strained. “I’ve spent my entire life building walls—walls that kept me safe, protected me from a world that wanted to break me. I became someone you wouldn’t recogni
Last Updated : 2025-01-15
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A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 40: The Final Choice
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 39: A New Beginning
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 38: Torn Between Two Worlds
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 37: Rebuilding Trust
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 36: The Price of Secrets
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 35: Trust Shattered
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 34: The Weight of Inheritance
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
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
A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection Chapter 32: Breaking the Chains
The morning sunlight filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Maximilian’s penthouse, illuminating the remnants of the previous night's storm. The confrontation with the unexpected figure had left me shaken, yet resolute. For the first time, I felt more than just a pawn in Maximilian’s world—I felt like his partner, his equal. “Are you all right?” Maximilian’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He stood by the coffee machine, his usually crisp suit replaced with a black T-shirt and dark jeans that somehow made him look even more formidable. I nodded, though the tightness in my chest betrayed me. “I’m fine. Just... processing everything.” His steel-gray eyes locked on mine, softening for a fraction of a second. “You were incredible last night, Eliza. The way you stood up to him—it wasn’t easy, but you did it.” I swallowed hard, remembering the venom in our adversary’s words. “I didn’t feel brave. I just... I couldn’t let him win. Not when everything we’ve fought for wa
