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CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE

Author: Joy Richards
last update Last Updated: 2024-12-20 01:15:39

Thalia's POV

After dinner, the others decided to play games—board games, dumb charades, the usual attempts to have a little fun. I sat on the sidelines, watching them, my mind a million miles away.

Andrei sat beside me, silent as ever, his presence as steady and immovable as stone, we didn't speak, but the quiet felt almost companionable, as if we were two people lost in our thoughts yet sharing the same room.

Eventually, we all headed to bed, and I slipped into a soft cotton pajamas, a loose shirt and a tee were all I needed to face the long hours of sleep. I climbed into bed, calling sleep to come, but it evaded me. I turned to one side, then the other, my mind restless, thoughts I'd been avoiding all day bubbling to the surface.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. With a soft groan, I slid out of bed, barefoot, and decided to wander, the manor was quiet at this hour, its grand halls dimly lit by small sconces on the walls, and there was nothing spooky about it—no shadows to jum
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  • The Billionaire's Damned Secret   CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

    Alexander's POV "I need the truth" I said, my gaze locking with his "And nothing but the truth" Father leaned back slightly, his brows furrowing "Alright, Alex" he said, his voice grave."Go on". I took a deep breath, steeling myself "We've had this conversation before, I trusted you when you told me not to believe the rumors" My tone turned colder. "But now they've come back, in a way we can no longer ignore, so tell me Father, did you or did you not have Jeremiah and his family killed?”The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Father physically recoiled as though I had spat acid in his face, his jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. His hand trembled briefly before he ran it through his hair. "Alexander..." His voice was a mixture of weariness and something I couldn't quite place. He shook his head, his movements almost phantom-like, and then nodded faintly as though deciding on the weight of his next words."I'm going to tel

  • The Billionaire's Damned Secret   CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

    Alexander's POV I stayed outside until my thoughts stopped circling around her and the thousand things I needed to do. If Thalia planned all of this as revenge, if she orchestrated this entire game to get back at my family for what we did to hers, I needed to know. I needed the truth. And there was only one person who could give me that. The burden of my decision settled like iron in my chest as I walked back into the room. Inside, Patrick and Liam were hunched over the laptop, their heads almost touching as Zach leaned over to show them something on the screen. Callum stood by the corner, carefully removing pins from the vision boards, while Nolan stacked papers into neat piles on the desk. As I stepped in, all their heads turned toward me, a collective pause stretching in the silence. I cleared my throat, directing my question to whoever had the answer."Which house is Father in?" Zach straightened, his brows furrowing slightly before he answered "He's back at the manor" I nod

  • The Billionaire's Damned Secret   CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

    Thalia's POVAndrei's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, his eyes sharp, assessing "Good" he said finally "Maybe this will help you." Before I could ask what he meant, his lips crashed against mine, catching me entirely off guard, the kiss was rough, almost desperate, and it consumed every rational thought I had. I froze, unsure of how to respond, but then, something deep inside me, something buried and starved, churned. I responded. My fingers found their way into his hair, pulling him closer, my heart raced, and my breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps as the world narrowed down to the heat between us. At some point, without realizing it, I moved to straddle his lap, my body pressing against his as if drawn by some invisible force. Andrei kissed me like he was starving, and God help me, I let myself sink into it, his hands were in my hair, his lips demanding yet purposeful, every move he made left me breathless, for one fleeting moment, the world outside of this kiss ceased

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