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Chapter 27
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2025-10-31 19:04:50
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THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 27
When I heard Rand was going back to the company, I didn’t need to read the news to believe it.I just knew.By the time I opened my phone, the headlines were everywhere.“Calloway Returns to Lead.”“Redemption or PR Move?”They always had to make it dramatic.I scrolled for maybe a minute before locking the screen. I didn’t need to read what strangers thought they knew about him.A few hours later, he texted me:> Don’t read the headlines. They’ll say anything.I smiled a little. Too late.> I already did. I’m fine. You okay?There was a long pause before he answered.> Trying to be.That was all. But it said enough.He called that night. His voice sounded like someone who’d been holding his breath all day.“They had a board meeting,” he said. “Same faces. Same fake smiles. My brother didn’t even look at me for half of it.”“What did you tell them?” I asked.“That I’m not coming back for control. I told them I just want to do something that matters.”I laughed softly. “Bet they loved
THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 26
I didn’t see Rand for two days after the interview.He said he needed time to settle things with his board, and I didn’t argue. I figured we’d both earned the right to breathe without each other for a bit.I filled the space with work. The art program was getting bigger — more kids showing up, more volunteers helping out. It was chaos in the best way. For the first time in a long time, I felt like what I was doing actually mattered.On Wednesday afternoon, I was helping one of the kids, a shy boy named Leo, paint the background for our new mural. He stopped halfway, looked up at me, and said,“Miss Elena, why do you smile when you paint?”It caught me off guard. I hadn’t even realised I was smiling.“Maybe because I forget everything else when I do,” I said.He nodded like that made sense. “My mom says that’s what peace feels like.”I just smiled at that. Kids always had a way of saying the truth without dressing it up.Later that day, while everyone was packing up, I checked my phone
THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 25
The weekend came faster than I expected.By Saturday morning, the article had already circulated widely. People shared it online, twisted a few lines, and turned it into something uglier. I wasn’t even part of that world, but somehow, it found its way to me.When I stopped by Rebuild & Rise that afternoon, I could feel the tension before I even saw him. The staff moved quietly, their voices low. I walked past the office glass wall and saw Rand standing near the desk, talking to someone on the phone. His tone was calm, but his shoulders looked heavy.I didn’t interrupt. I just waited.When he hung up, he finally noticed me. “Hey,” he said, like he was trying to sound casual but couldn’t quite pull it off.“Hey yourself,” I said, stepping closer. “Rough day?”He gave a tired smile. “You could say that. Half the investors want reassurance, the other half want explanations. I spent two hours telling people I’m not having a breakdown.”I frowned. “They actually said that?”“Not directly,”
THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 24
The days after the event felt lighter — not perfect, just… easier.Rand and I started seeing each other again, not every day, but enough to remember why we worked in the first place. Sometimes we’d meet at the community centre, sometimes he’d stop by my studio after work. There was no rush this time, no need to define everything. It was just us, slowly finding rhythm in the quiet.I spent my mornings painting with some of the kids from the art program. Rebuild & Rise had opened a small section for community projects — murals, donated art, and small workshops. It felt good to be part of something that wasn’t just mine.Rand would show up with coffee, pretending he wasn’t checking on the progress but always watching closely anyway. I’d catch him leaning against the doorway, half-smiling like he was seeing something he didn’t want to disturb.“You know you can sit,” I told him one afternoon, wiping paint off my hands.“I like the view from here,” he said, and I rolled my eyes.“You mean
THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 23
It had been nine days since the night at the gallery.Nine days since we decided to take a step back — not because we wanted distance, but because we needed it. The quiet wasn’t cruel; it was just strange. The kind of silence that sits in the corners of your apartment and reminds you that someone used to fill it.I started painting again. Not to escape — but to listen. Each brushstroke felt like a conversation I wasn’t ready to have aloud. The canvas showed a city skyline under dim light, not broken, just unfinished. That’s what I told myself we were — unfinished, not broken.I heard about Rebuild & Rise through Clara and the news. It was growing faster than even Rand expected. Volunteers were joining, investors were calling, and for the first time, he was building something that didn’t have his family’s name attached. Still, I couldn’t help wondering if he ever looked at his phone the way I did — thumb hovering over a name I couldn’t quite bring myself to call.It was a Thursday when
THE BILLIONAIRE BENEATH THE RAIN Chapter 22
The gallery smelled faintly of paint and champagne — an odd combination that somehow fit the night. People moved slowly through the space, murmuring in polite tones, glasses clinking. Light bounced off the white walls, illuminating my paintings. Each one hung with quiet confidence, a reflection of her journey — raw, imperfect, honest.I stood near the entrance, a soft smile on my lips, hands clasped to hide the nervous tremor. This was supposed to be her night. Her name was printed on every invitation, every small tag beside her work. But as soon as Rand walked in, heads turned.Cameras flashed. A few whispers rose above the polite hum of conversation.“That’s Rand Calloway, right?” someone murmured near the refreshments.“I thought he disappeared after that scandal.”“Looks like he’s back — and dating the artist.”She heard every word, though she tried to pretend she didn’t.Rand smiled as he approached, dressed simply — no tie, no expensive suit. Just a white shirt with the sleeves
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