Behind the Billionaire's Curtain

                 CHAPTER SEVEN 

       Behind the Billionaire’s Curtain

Annie’s POV

Grey’s words still hung in the air, thick and heavy:

“Dad, I’m not interested in becoming the new CEO.”

The room froze. Glasses stopped mid-air. A faint murmur ran through the crowd, quickly suppressed by curiosity and confusion. Diaman’s jaw tightened, his face twitching with disbelief, and something else I couldn’t yet name.

I squeezed Grey’s hand instinctively, feeling the calm pulse of certainty under his skin. He wasn’t rattled. Not one flicker of hesitation. Unlike Diaman, he wasn’t performing for approval—he owned this moment, this room, this life.

Diaman’s voice broke the silence, sharp as glass.

“So… what exactly have you been doing in London for three years, huh? Sitting on your laurels?”

Grey didn’t flinch. He released my hand just enough to adjust his cuff, posture immaculate, jawline sharp in the soft chandelier light.

“I’ve been building something,” he said casually, voice smooth, almost teasing. “Something worthwhile.”

“Worthwhile?” Diaman spat the word like venom. “Do you even realize what you’re walking away from? This company, this family, this empire?”

The heat in the room twisted my stomach. I wanted to reach out, stop the tension, but I couldn’t move. I didn’t need to. Grey was enough—more than enough.

The crowd around us began to shift, like a single organism responding to a new temperature in the room. Conversations slowed, then silenced, replaced by the soft rustle of expensive fabrics and the faint clinking of ice in forgotten glasses. People leaned subtly toward us, pretending not to stare, but failing miserably.

A few socialities exchanged quick, wide-eyes glances — the kind that screamed drama. Even the waiters froze for half a second.

This family wasn't just wealthy— they were a kingdom.

And right now, I was in the center of the throne room during a storm.

Before Grey could respond, a man approached from the side, holding a sleek tablet in his hands. His crisp blazer, the clipboard tucked under his arm, and the confidence in his stride told me he wasn’t a guest. He was in business.

“Sir, the shipment confirmation from ApexLux arrived this morning,” he announced, voice professional but polite. “Everything is ready for the Lucas wedding and the Forbes gala next week.”

The room stilled again. ApexLux. The name rolled over my tongue like a whisper of power I hadn’t fully understood until now.

Grey’s parents exchanged a look, subtle but unmistakable—suspicion flickering across their faces. Their brows furrowed. Even Diaman’s smug expression faltered.

“This,” Grey said smoothly, “is my assistant Dominic. He’s been managing ApexLux while I’ve been abroad. The shipments, the contracts, the clients—you’ve all been dealing with him. I’ve been… well, occupied.”

The pause was deafening.

Grey’s parents blinked, confusion mingling with dawning realization. Diaman’s mouth opened, closed, opened again.

“You… wait,” Diaman stammered. “All this time… all the materials we… I… you—”

Grey cut him off with calm precision. “Yes, brother. ApexLux is mine. I started it two years ago in London. Everything you’ve been ordering—every shipment, every premium set of chairs, every chandelier, every centerpiece—you’ve been buying from me.”

A ripple of gasps swept through the guests. Even from where I stood, I could see the shift — admiration, shock, and something like awe. ApexLux wasn’t just a random supplier. It was the supplier. The kind of company people in my field whispered about with envy.

And grey…

The quiet, gentlemanly brother…

Was the mastermind?

My fingers curled slightly against his arm. Pride bloomed in my chest — warm, unexpected, powerful.

He stood there like he had been born for this reveal.

No theatrics.

No gloating.

Just truth — heavy and clean.

“Two years,” Grey continued, voice measured. “I was building ApexLux from scratch. I worked while studying, while expanding. There’s a branch in London and another right here in the country. Dominic handled the local one while I oversaw the international side.”

Diaman’s lips pressed into a thin line. He looked around the room, seeking validation, but the whispers and glances were no longer in his favor. He was suddenly just a man in a suit, standing in the shadow of his elder brother’s empire.

I could barely breathe, my chest tight with a mix of pride, awe, and something more dangerous: vindication. Grey had been playing the long game. Calm. Quiet. Brilliant. And now, here he was—finally visible, finally recognized, finally in control.

His parents’ eyes shifted from Grey to me. I felt the weight of their curiosity and judgment. Every small detail—the way I adjusted my dress, the faint tremor in my hands, the confidence in my posture—was under scrutiny.

Grey's mother's eyes softened at first, like she was seeing her son for the first time. Then her gaze flicked to me — sharp, assessing, warm but curious. His father muttered something gruff and proud under his breath.

They were impressed.

Deeply.

And somehow… that included being impressed by me, the woman standing at Grey’s side.

But panic fluttered in my chest.

They thought we had been a couple for two years.

Two years of supposed secrets and closeness I didn’t actually have.

My palms went damp.

Grey’s mother leaned forward slightly, a sharp edge of curiosity in her gaze. “Annie… is this your first time discovering Grey is the owner of ApexLux?” she asked softly, though there was an unmistakable probe in her tone.

I forced a small, calm smile, steadying my racing pulse. I had to play along.

“Oh, no, ma’am. I’ve known him as the owner before now,” I said, keeping my tone casual — though in truth, this was the first time hearing he was the owner. Because my company also gets materials from ApexLux. My stomach fluttered with nerves, but I let it pass unnoticed.

Her eyes narrowed playfully. “First your girlfriend… now your company…”

She laughed softly. “Grey, you’ve been hiding a lot from us. Hope you’re not hiding anything else?”

Grey smiled lightly. “Nothing else, Mom.”

Grey’s father stepped closer, eyebrows raised. “You built this? All of this? My boy—" He shook his head, stunned. “I’m proud of you. Proud of both of you.”

He nodded toward Diaman.

“You’ve both made me proud. Prepare — we’re coming to your company to see it ourselves.”

Gasps rippled. I was even tense. ApexLux was now family business territory.

Dominic bowed slightly. “We’ll be ready, sir.”

The guests swarmed like moths to a flame— but this time, Grey was the flame.

Hands reached out for him. Compliments poured in. Proposals for partnerships, collaborations, sponsorships… Everyone wanted a piece of him now.

Flashes from discreet cameras popped like tiny stars.

Through the crowd, Grey guided me effortlessly. His hand brushed my waist, then slid down to hold mine.

A few women looked me up and down, trying to figure out how I fit into a world like this .

But Grey didn’t loosen his hold.

Not even when people called his name.

Not even when the room tilted toward him like he was the new gravitational center.

Grey’s parents moved to speak with guests, giving us space—

And that was when I felt it.

A presence.

A shadow.

The air thickened before I even turned, like the room sensed a different storm approaching — quieter, colder, more personal.

Grey was still smiling at someone when the chill ran up my spine.

If Grey was the calm revelation of the night…

Diaman was unraveling.

I felt it — the tension in the whispers, the subtle shift of attention. People weren’t looking at Grey anymore.

They were watching the man walking toward us.

And they knew something was coming.

I turned.

Diaman was walking toward us.

Slow. Controlled.

But his eyes…

His eyes were fixed on me.

Not angry.

Not yelling.

Just… in

tense.

Searching.

Almost accusing.

He stopped right in front of me, too close, his voice low—

“Annie… Can I talk to you?”