THE BILLIONAIRE’S SECRET LEGACY のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

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

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

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

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

Nicholas proposed a journey to the Scott family estate in the morning following Sophia's unexpected arrival. Although he didn't elaborate much, it was obvious from the clipped tone of his voice that he didn't have much of an option.As we entered the expansive property's gates, Nicholas remarked, "They should hear the news from us." "If I'm there to... control the narrative, they'll react better."Even for someone like me who had spent enough time in Nicholas's world to feel its pain, the mansion's majesty was intimidating as it loomed ahead. There was a group of well-dressed people inside, including his mother, Lillian, who was ruling the room like a queen, and his siblings, who appeared to be the shadows of her disdain.As Nicholas introduced me, Lillian's sharp eyes went over me. "This is Cassie," she whispered, her voice as icy as the marble floors below.She did not await a response. Let's move forward, Nicholas. Why have you brought us all here at such short notice? What's so ur