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Chapter 10
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2025-04-14 13:13:37
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CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 11
Xeros’ POV:The bright lighting in the grand ballroom brightly lit up the smiling faces in this sea of elites– but all I could focus on were the vultures circling Charlotte.Aunt Talia, Dylan’s mother stepped into the circle with her usual arrogance, her fingers delicately wrapped around a wine glass. “Doing a painting might be asking too much. After all, we don’t even know if she painted those exhibition pieces herself.”My fingers curled slightly at my side when Dylan let out a dramatic gasp, pretending to be surprised. “Mom! What are you saying? That Xeros has fallen into a trap? I mean, my sister-in-law is so graceful and charming. I’m sure she’s a great artist too.”His tone was fully sarcastic, like he was setting a trap. “Please don’t mind him, dear!”Aunt Talia's claw-like hands gripped Charlotte’s shoulder as she pulled her into a hug, pressing an air kiss to her cheek. “My son is a bit of an idealist. He often believes things are exactly as they appear on the outside.”He
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 12
Xeros's POV The sharp ting of Dylan's fork hitting the crystal glass echoed through the conservatory. The bastard was swaying slightly, "Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, you are in for a treat! Miss Charlotte and Miss Claire will paint for my beloved grandfather!" He raised his glass, spilling most of his drink. "To Grandpa; may your next seventy years be as prosperous as the first!" Grandfather chuckled, patting Dylan's shoulder. "I'm genuinely delighted, what an honor it is. Since we are celebrating the passage of time from my birth to my 70th milestone… let your theme be 'Time.'" Of course, my grandpa would pick something that would challenge even the most seasoned of artists.Claire looked smugly confident, while Charlotte quietly lifted the brush. She began to mix the hues, but my gaze was caught on her. Her back was straight, curving gently at the base of her spine as her fair hand dipped the brush in different pigments. Her hands moved slowly… almost like she was medita
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 13
Xeros' POV:The crowd buzzed with low chuckles and thinly veiled sneers, as Charlotte’s canvas became the only focus of attention and mockery. “Is she even trying?""Looks like child's scribbles compared to Claire's work.""Poor thing. She should've quit when she had the chance!”“I mean, bless her heart, but it looks like a puddle of rainwater on gray cement.”I clenched my jaw and forced myself not to turn around. My eyes stayed fixed on Charlotte, but she pretended like she didn't hear a single word. Or maybe, she really wasn't listening to them. She was looking straight at the canvas, calmly… as if she was lost in a trance. However, the mocking comments only grew louder– more certain of the embarrassment that she would have to face soon enough. And then, Emma set down her brush. The murmurs died mid-sentence as she stepped back, revealing the canvas. “What the—?”“I thought it was just gray.”“Wait… was that always there?”The canvas on which there had been faint gray strok
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 14
Xeros' POVI sat in my office, elbows on the polished mahogany desk, fingers steepled as I stared at the faint reflection of myself on the dark screen of my laptop. The image of Charlotte revealing her painting yesterday refused to leave my mind. That tree. Those roots. The sprout. Every brushstroke had spoken to something deeper, something I hadn’t known resided in her. And the way she explained it… calm, assured, like she had carried that truth in her bones all along.I hadn’t expected to be stunned by her again. And yet.A sharp knock at the door broke the silence.“Enter,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.My assistant stepped inside, tablet in hand, his tie slightly askew like he’d rushed up the stairs. “Sir,” he said with a nod, “we found it. The orphanage the children were relocated to. They’ve been moved to a more remote facility in Newport.”I sat up straighter. “Good. Arrange for me to visit the director this weekend. I want to speak with them personally.”He hesitate
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 15
Emma’s POV:The phone buzzed just as I was reviewing the final mockups for the DreamNet proposal. I picked it up without checking the caller ID.“Hello?”“Good afternoon, Miss Miller.”Came the smooth voice of Mr. Yang, the assistant to DreamNet’s CEO. We had spoken several times over the past few weeks as I tried, persistently, to get my small design studio considered for their major design project.Almost a year ago, I had started a new design studio with a small team : ‘Nefelibata’, or the one who lives amongst the clouds. Our budget was small, but we had really given our heart and soul to even the smallest piece of work. We poured everything into our projects: sleepless nights, coffee-fueled edits, heated debates over shades and symmetry. But none of that would matter if we couldn’t land a project that got us seen.Our studio needed the contract of a large company to help us rise above, in this highly competitive field. And DreamNet was our shot.My heart hammered in my chest.“Y
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 16
Xeros' POV I leaned against the rusted swing set, arms crossed as I watched the children dart across the playground. The crisp autumn air carried their laughter, unlike the fake conversations of boardrooms that I had to witness day after day. I wondered if I would have come back sooner, if I knew about her visiting this place?Before I could examine that thought, movement caught my eye. A toddler, barely two years old, wobbled dangerously near a discarded toy car, his tiny arms flailing as he lost balance. My body moved before my brain registered the danger. I lunged forward just as a blur of yellow fabric shot from my peripheral vision. Charlotte. We collided mid-stride, nearly sandwiching the child between us in our haste. My hands found her waist instinctively, steadying us both as the scent of vanilla and citrus flooded my senses. For a breathless moment, time stilled—her body pressed against mine, her rapid heartbeat thudding through the thin fabric of her dress. "Joy! A
Last Updated : 2025-04-14CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 17
Xeros’s POV: The rain pelted down harder as we walked hurriedly while trying our best to avoid the puddles, as the winds picked up speed. I glanced at the woman walking beside me from the corner of my eye– her arms wrapped around Adam, taking careful steps. Had I judged Charlotte incorrectly? Before our wedding, I had dismissed every thought of getting to know her on the basis of what I already knew and had already seen about her. She was supposed to be an arrogant socialite who was supposed to care only about luxury, events, money, and the next opportunity to shine, right? And as someone who would go to any extent to chase the spotlight. That smile that had been flashing across the television screens– completely hollow and polished, was nowhere in sight. In my recent memory were flashes of her smiling freely with the children, grinning from ear to ear with happiness. She spoke to the children lovingly– not in a pitiful or overly sympathetic and condescending voice, but like she
Last Updated : 2025-04-15CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 18
Emma’s POV:Lying stiffly on the narrow bed, I stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling. My thoughts were kicking up a storm louder than the one that had trapped us here for the night.Was this really the same man who had coldly warned me to stay out of his affairs on our first day as a married couple? The one who treated me with such detached indifference, as if our marriage contract required a social distancing clause too! The one who treated me coldly and indifferently always, like he never wanted me to forget about the fact that it was an arranged marriage, with zero emotions involved. The same one who wanted to keep as little contact as possible… as if we couldn't even be polite to each other and make conversation, unless a third person was in the room, watching us. But today, he appeared out of nowhere at the orphanage. How did he even know I would be here?And how was I supposed to convince myself that it was Xeros, when I had always assumed that he would come with me to fi
Last Updated : 2025-04-15
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CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 20
Xeros's POVI came home early from the office, which isn't like I usually do. The mansion was quiet—too quiet. I came early because I wanted to see her. I don't know if this is something I can say to anyone but I was just too eager. I loosened my tie with one hand, my briefcase still in the other, and walked slowly into the main hallway. The faint scent of lemon cleaner lingered in the air, and the floors were spotless, shining like mirrors under the soft lights. Mille must have been here earlier.I glanced toward the living room. The lights were on. A book was resting open on the armrest of the couch, and a half-finished cup of coffee sat cold on the side table. But she wasn’t there.I looked around while trying so hard not to be obvious because I didn't want anyone to see me this way, yet I was still eager to see her. I set the briefcase down beside the couch, staring at the empty seat as a small frown formed on my face."Where is she?" I asked as Millie walked through the door, p
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 19
Emma's POV:The moment I stepped through the door of my room, I kicked off my shoes, and my hand immediately went to my bag to pull out my phone. Two days without signal in that remote location had been unexpectedly peaceful… but now it was time to come back to the reality of my life.The screen lit up with notifications: twenty-three missed calls, countless texts, and all of them from one person.Lily ! She's my best friend, my manager, PR consultant and life coach, rolled into one tiny package! She was the only person managing my studio when I wasn’t around, and the one of the main reasons why I could start it in the first place.I hit the call button, wondering if she might be busy– but she answered before the first ring even ended.“Where have you been?” Her voice exploded through the speaker. “You made me worry sick! You just disappeared on the weekend– even if you were planning a digital detox or something, you could have told me! I was about to file a missing person’s repor
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 18
Emma’s POV:Lying stiffly on the narrow bed, I stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling. My thoughts were kicking up a storm louder than the one that had trapped us here for the night.Was this really the same man who had coldly warned me to stay out of his affairs on our first day as a married couple? The one who treated me with such detached indifference, as if our marriage contract required a social distancing clause too! The one who treated me coldly and indifferently always, like he never wanted me to forget about the fact that it was an arranged marriage, with zero emotions involved. The same one who wanted to keep as little contact as possible… as if we couldn't even be polite to each other and make conversation, unless a third person was in the room, watching us. But today, he appeared out of nowhere at the orphanage. How did he even know I would be here?And how was I supposed to convince myself that it was Xeros, when I had always assumed that he would come with me to fi
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 17
Xeros’s POV: The rain pelted down harder as we walked hurriedly while trying our best to avoid the puddles, as the winds picked up speed. I glanced at the woman walking beside me from the corner of my eye– her arms wrapped around Adam, taking careful steps. Had I judged Charlotte incorrectly? Before our wedding, I had dismissed every thought of getting to know her on the basis of what I already knew and had already seen about her. She was supposed to be an arrogant socialite who was supposed to care only about luxury, events, money, and the next opportunity to shine, right? And as someone who would go to any extent to chase the spotlight. That smile that had been flashing across the television screens– completely hollow and polished, was nowhere in sight. In my recent memory were flashes of her smiling freely with the children, grinning from ear to ear with happiness. She spoke to the children lovingly– not in a pitiful or overly sympathetic and condescending voice, but like she
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 16
Xeros' POV I leaned against the rusted swing set, arms crossed as I watched the children dart across the playground. The crisp autumn air carried their laughter, unlike the fake conversations of boardrooms that I had to witness day after day. I wondered if I would have come back sooner, if I knew about her visiting this place?Before I could examine that thought, movement caught my eye. A toddler, barely two years old, wobbled dangerously near a discarded toy car, his tiny arms flailing as he lost balance. My body moved before my brain registered the danger. I lunged forward just as a blur of yellow fabric shot from my peripheral vision. Charlotte. We collided mid-stride, nearly sandwiching the child between us in our haste. My hands found her waist instinctively, steadying us both as the scent of vanilla and citrus flooded my senses. For a breathless moment, time stilled—her body pressed against mine, her rapid heartbeat thudding through the thin fabric of her dress. "Joy! A
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 15
Emma’s POV:The phone buzzed just as I was reviewing the final mockups for the DreamNet proposal. I picked it up without checking the caller ID.“Hello?”“Good afternoon, Miss Miller.”Came the smooth voice of Mr. Yang, the assistant to DreamNet’s CEO. We had spoken several times over the past few weeks as I tried, persistently, to get my small design studio considered for their major design project.Almost a year ago, I had started a new design studio with a small team : ‘Nefelibata’, or the one who lives amongst the clouds. Our budget was small, but we had really given our heart and soul to even the smallest piece of work. We poured everything into our projects: sleepless nights, coffee-fueled edits, heated debates over shades and symmetry. But none of that would matter if we couldn’t land a project that got us seen.Our studio needed the contract of a large company to help us rise above, in this highly competitive field. And DreamNet was our shot.My heart hammered in my chest.“Y
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 14
Xeros' POVI sat in my office, elbows on the polished mahogany desk, fingers steepled as I stared at the faint reflection of myself on the dark screen of my laptop. The image of Charlotte revealing her painting yesterday refused to leave my mind. That tree. Those roots. The sprout. Every brushstroke had spoken to something deeper, something I hadn’t known resided in her. And the way she explained it… calm, assured, like she had carried that truth in her bones all along.I hadn’t expected to be stunned by her again. And yet.A sharp knock at the door broke the silence.“Enter,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.My assistant stepped inside, tablet in hand, his tie slightly askew like he’d rushed up the stairs. “Sir,” he said with a nod, “we found it. The orphanage the children were relocated to. They’ve been moved to a more remote facility in Newport.”I sat up straighter. “Good. Arrange for me to visit the director this weekend. I want to speak with them personally.”He hesitate
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 13
Xeros' POV:The crowd buzzed with low chuckles and thinly veiled sneers, as Charlotte’s canvas became the only focus of attention and mockery. “Is she even trying?""Looks like child's scribbles compared to Claire's work.""Poor thing. She should've quit when she had the chance!”“I mean, bless her heart, but it looks like a puddle of rainwater on gray cement.”I clenched my jaw and forced myself not to turn around. My eyes stayed fixed on Charlotte, but she pretended like she didn't hear a single word. Or maybe, she really wasn't listening to them. She was looking straight at the canvas, calmly… as if she was lost in a trance. However, the mocking comments only grew louder– more certain of the embarrassment that she would have to face soon enough. And then, Emma set down her brush. The murmurs died mid-sentence as she stepped back, revealing the canvas. “What the—?”“I thought it was just gray.”“Wait… was that always there?”The canvas on which there had been faint gray strok
CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE Chapter 12
Xeros's POV The sharp ting of Dylan's fork hitting the crystal glass echoed through the conservatory. The bastard was swaying slightly, "Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, you are in for a treat! Miss Charlotte and Miss Claire will paint for my beloved grandfather!" He raised his glass, spilling most of his drink. "To Grandpa; may your next seventy years be as prosperous as the first!" Grandfather chuckled, patting Dylan's shoulder. "I'm genuinely delighted, what an honor it is. Since we are celebrating the passage of time from my birth to my 70th milestone… let your theme be 'Time.'" Of course, my grandpa would pick something that would challenge even the most seasoned of artists.Claire looked smugly confident, while Charlotte quietly lifted the brush. She began to mix the hues, but my gaze was caught on her. Her back was straight, curving gently at the base of her spine as her fair hand dipped the brush in different pigments. Her hands moved slowly… almost like she was medita
