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Chapter 9: The Growing Tension
Last Updated:
2025-01-06 22:26:56
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THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET LEGACY Chapter 10: The Unexpected Conversation
Something felt different tonight. I stumbled into the dark living room and came to a halt. Nicholas was sitting by the fireplace, shirt sleeves rolled up, tie undone, and a tumbler of whiskey in his hand.He appeared to be a man with too many ideas and nowhere to put them rather than the calculating billionaire I had grown to know. It was rather soothing to hear the rain hitting the penthouse windows. I was unable to fall asleep because it was late—past midnight—again.He glanced at me as his head turned slightly. "You are, too." His expression had an unguarded quality that I don't often see. For a moment, I considered leaving him to his thoughts. But instead, I moved over and slipped into the armchair across from him. The silence was filled with the crackle of the fire between us."Had trouble sleeping?" I took a chance. “No.” He twirled his glass of golden liquid. "I'm thinking about too much."I paused, not knowing if I should continue. Although Nicholas wasn't the kind to open u
Last Updated : 2025-01-07THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET LEGACY Chapter 11: A Sudden Moment of Intimacy
The hush that pervaded the art center accentuated every creak of the wooden floorboards and the rustle of the wind outside. Staring at the strewn-about papers and paints I hadn't had the energy to put away, I stood in the main gallery.It had been a cruel day. Our already precarious budget was in ruins due to a last-minute cancelation from a significant source. I had been pleading, arguing, and attempting to keep everything afloat over the phone for hours. I was emotionally spent by the time the day's doors had closed.But my thoughts weren't focused on the task, even as I stood surrounded by the ruins of a dream I wanted to preserve. It kept going back to the previous night's note.Industries Blackthorn.I had been plagued by the words all day. I hadn't dared to ask Nicholas about it. I wasn't certain if I would like to know or not. The front door opening jolted me out of my trance. My heart jumped, and I spun around as my palm instinctively went to my chest."Calm down. It's me.”N
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The rain drummed softly against the windows in the penthouse, filling the quiet between us. I absently traced designs on the soft fabric of the throw pillow in my lap while snuggling up on the couch's edge. Nicholas sat rigidly in his chair across from me, holding a tumbler of amber liquid.Tension had grown between us since the mysterious phone call the previous evening. We hadn't discussed it much, but Nicholas was preoccupied. His normally composed manner was unraveling like a thread tugged too tight.I was the first to break the stillness. "Will you tell me what's happening, Nicholas?"He took a moment to glance at me. Rather, he continued to stare out the window at the dusky skyline. With a last sigh, he placed the drink on the table. "There's a lot people don't understand about me," he said in a low voice that had a hint of edge that I couldn't quite place. I raised an eyebrow. "That alone is clear." His lips suddenly created a smile, but it never got to his eyes. He moved fo
Last Updated : 2025-01-08THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET LEGACY Chapter 13: The Shock of the Pregnancy Test
The large windows of the penthouse let in a lot of morning light, giving the space a subdued gold hue. Staring at the harmless white stick on the marble surface, I sat at the edge of the bathroom counter. Every beat of my heart reverberated in the quiet surrounding me as it pounded in my chest.Good.The word looked up from the test like an unwanted visitor, mocking me. I blinked, hoping the letters might reorganize into something less drastic. However, they didn't.This cannot be taking place.I grabbed the counter's edge for support since the air felt too thin. My thoughts were racing, going over the potential outcomes, the ramifications, and the sheer magnitude of what this meant.How?I knew how, anyway. I wasn't naïve. My mind returned to that one night of unexpected intimacy with Nicholas. It was a night that none of us wanted to talk about, acting as if it had never occurred. And now...My stomach rumbled.I wanted to cry, scream, or do something to let go of the enormous wave
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Silence dominated the days following Nicholas's discovery of the pregnancy test. He hadn't brought it up again as though the memory of the test had vanished. However, I was aware. Nicholas Scott remembered, and I could tell by his cool-headedness that he was waiting for me to bring up the big issue.I wasn't prepared for that discussion.Rather, I made a choice—one that was fueled by uncertainty and anxiety. However, I would not tell anyone about this for the time being.However, secrets consumed you and eroded you until the weight of what you chose not to disclose was all left.Like other mornings, it began with the bedroom curtains letting in the dim light of dawn. Another wave of nausea swept over me, and I sat at the edge of the bed, gripping my stomach. The subtle scent of Nicholas' coffee coming from the kitchen made it worse.I stumbled into the bathroom and retched before I could even close the door. I pressed myself against the counter and wished the feeling would go away as
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Between Nicholas and I, the quiet had thickened, strained like a thread about to break. Every second felt like a deliberate dance, in which I shifted to sidestep his inquiries, and he got closer to the truth.However, Nicholas Scott was not a man who remained in the dark for very long.I saw it in his eyes first. I could feel his gaze on me during breakfast as I pushed scrambled eggs around my plate in an attempt to divert my attention.His tone was surprisingly composed as he remarked, "You haven't even touched your food."I forced a grin as I looked up. "I simply don't feel particularly hungry this morning."His forehead creased, and I briefly believed he might relax. As he sat back in his seat and looked at me with such unflinching focus, I felt nauseous. He responded, "You've been saying this a lot lately. “I’m not hungry.”Weary. Agitated. “Cassie, is there anything you're not telling me?”"No," I hurriedly answered, my words coming out too rapidly.It was too quick for him to a
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For days, the storm had been building. Every look Nicholas gave me was more pointed than the last, and every word we spoke felt like a prelude to a conflict I wasn't prepared to face. However, I ought to have known. Nicholas Scott did not wait for things to get out of hand.It was sooner than I thought it would be.The penthouse walls had long, swaying shadows from the city lights in the late evening. In an attempt to calm the nausea that hadn't subsided throughout the day, I was in the kitchen clutching a glass of water like it was my lifeline.Before I saw him, I heard the heavy footfall. Nicholas entered the room with an expression of icy resolve etched on his face."We're conversing," he declared, his tone unaffected by disagreement.With my back to him, I froze. "How about?" My voice trembled as I asked."Whatever it is that you have been keeping from me."His comments were like lightning bolts; I had no time to evade or deflect them.I grabbed the counter for balance as I turned
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The penthouse was oppressively quiet. The uncomfortable silence that followed our confrontation seemed to magnify every creak of the floors and every muted sound of the city beyond. Now that we were strangers, Nicholas and I were cautious not to cross paths with one another.However, his remarks continued to weigh heavily on me."You broke my trust."When he said it, I couldn't help but notice the expression in his eyes—a mixture of betrayal and an unidentified emotion. Trust wasn't given lightly to someone like Nicholas Scott. And I had broken it.The days that followed were a blur of tense civility. We didn't talk unless we had to, and even then, the words were cold and cut. With his office door closing behind him and his brief, silent dinners as the only reminders of his presence in the penthouse, Nicholas lost himself in his work.Even though I pushed myself to prepare for the art center's next display, the guilt returned. I could feel the pain of my decisions every time I saw him
Last Updated : 2025-01-10
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