All Chapters of Beneath The Billionaire's Veil : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"Kelvin, for the last time, leave that fan alone!" As I saw my younger brother toil With the exposed wires of the ancient standing fan, I lost my temper and let it all out. A sneer twisted his lips as he jerked. "Calm down, Bella. I'm trying to fix it. Unless you're able to afford a replacement." The words formed but would not come out of my mouth, so I bit my lip. I obviously didn't have any money, neither for a fan nor for anything else. I whispered, "Just don't kill yourself trying," as I returned my attention to the soup pot that was boiling on the stove. The veggies floated in the thin soup, which had more water than flavor. Absently, my thoughts wandering, I stirred it. I had not pictured this as my life. Nights spent worrying over debts that would not go away, days spent stretching every naira. And the burden of being the oldest—the one who is supposed to improve things was always there in the back of my mind. "Do you think we’ll ever get out of this?" The silen

I ran through the quiet streets in the chilly morning air, my heart pounding more forcefully with each step.Soft pink and orange streaks painted the sky as the sun barely rose, but it made little difference. Marco was all I could think of.Why hadn't he informed me of his departure? Marco worked in the little shade by the park, which I spotted when I turned the corner. I saw the door slightly open, and my chest narrowed.In order to gather my breath, I slowed down and took a quick look inside. There he was, stuffing his paintbrushes into a shabby bag.Even though he hadn't seen me, I could sense the tension in the room. I said, "Marco," with a breaking voice.His shoulders hardened as he froze. He turned slowly toward me. Normally warm and alive, his eyes were now wary."Why didn’t you tell me?" As I entered, I inquired. With a sigh, Marco combed through his untidy hair. "Bella, what's the point? Now your path is clear.I don't need to ruin it for you." My eyes were watering, but I b

The night outside my window seemed darker than usual, and heavy clouds gathered the moon.I couldn't stop thinking about Alexander's message, which echoed with a sense of closure: * "I'm sorry I reached out to you in this way, but I think we should meet up. There are some things you should know before making a decision.I read it multiple times in an attempt to uncover any hidden messages. How could Alexander possibly persuade me? What else could there be that I didn't know about? My heart ached from uncertainty, yet I was damn curious.I felt a deep-seated emotion in response to his mysterious message, perhaps fear or the faint hope that this encounter would somehow bring order to an impossible disordered life.Is Alexander a reliable person? Or did I simply misinterpret this game move? I turned my phone over in my fingers, unsure whether or not to respond.I could still clearly picture Marco's face and hear his passionate voice when he asked if I was really going to marry Alexander.

The unease continued as Alexander arrived Prescott Café. The often vibrant boulevard felt muted, and the morning sun did little to calm the growing knot of cold in his stomach.As he walked into the café, he hardly noticed the smells of freshly brewed coffee and pastries. He scanned the room, searching for the message's sender.A woman sat in the corner, hiding her face with a wide-brimmed hat and large sunglasses. She raised a tiny hand to signal him over as their eyes met.Alexander hesitated for a second, then came over to her. When he sat down opposite her, she said, "Alexander Presley." Her voice carried intensity."And you are?" he asked in a soothing yet sharp voice.Across the table from him, she slid a manila folder and added, "That's not important." "What's inside will explain everything." Alexander glanced at the letter, then narrowed his gaze at her."Why the secrecy? What am I supposed to search for here?Simply, "Answers," she stated.This answers, nevertheless, may make

The room froze, and a heated silence stretched between the three of us like a taut wire. Marco stepped forward, his posture protective, his jaw set. He looked at Alexander, testing, measuring.You could sense the strain in Alexander's body even though he remained motionless."Marco," I said, trembling. "What are you doing here?" I got no response from him. Instead, he looked briefly at Alexander and then back at me.Then he said, "I have a right to be here," in a calm but powerful voice."This affects me just as much as it does to you."Alexander raised an eyebrow, his countenance had changed.He said quietly, "I don't know what you think this is about, Marco, but you're wrong if you think it's your concern."The pressure of the moment caused my chest to heave as I took a step forward."Stop," I whispered softly. Both of you, please. This isn't the right time or place. When Marco looked at me, his expression softened somewhat."Bella, I need to know. Are you really considering this?