A Billionaire’s Hidden Affection のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

The air in the penthouse was cold and still, despite the soft hum of the heater. I stood in the living room, my arms wrapped around myself, staring out at the city below. The glittering lights felt like a mockery of the darkness in my chest. Maximilian’s voice, low and deliberate, drifted from the office down the hall. He’d been on yet another call for hours, locked away behind that heavy oak door. For weeks now, he’d been consumed by the latest expansion of his empire. Meetings, calls, travel—it all blurred together into an endless cycle that left no room for us. Or me. “I need to speak with him now,” his voice growled sharply, breaking through the muffled walls. Even from here, I could hear the authority in his tone, the iron will that made people scramble to obey him. But for all his power, there was a growing distance between us. I turned away from the window, my gaze settling on the half-empty plate of food I’d left on the dining table. Dinner had been a quiet, one-sided

The moment Maximilian’s words from the night before replayed in my mind, I felt an ache that I couldn’t quite name. We’re stronger together, Eliza. I won’t let go. Will you? There was a sincerity in his tone that made my walls crumble, but it also brought something terrifying to the surface—trust. How could I trust someone who had spent so long controlling every detail of my life? And yet, his vulnerability in those words struck a chord I couldn’t ignore. I knew the man behind the cold facade, the one who had pain hidden in his soul like a tightly locked secret. I stood at the kitchen counter, absently stirring my coffee, staring at the phone in my hand. A call from my sister had come in earlier, her voice tight with worry. Another medical bill for Mom. Another reminder of why I had agreed to this arrangement in the first place. But this time, the weight didn’t feel as suffocating. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” Maximilian’s voice startled me. I turned to see him stand

I couldn’t ignore the storm brewing in Maximilian’s eyes. His usually composed face was taut with tension, his jaw clenched as he paced the length of his office. The room felt suffocating, the air heavy with unspoken words. I stood by the window, pretending to admire the cityscape, but my focus was entirely on him. “What happened?” I finally asked, my voice breaking the silence. He stopped mid-step, turning to face me. His dark eyes burned with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. “An old enemy. Someone who doesn’t know when to quit.” I swallowed hard. I wasn’t used to this side of Maximilian. His usual icy demeanor was replaced with a simmering rage, and it was unsettling. “Who is it?” I pressed, needing to understand what had shaken him so badly. “Victor Sinclair.” The name fell from his lips like a curse. I furrowed my brow. “Victor Sinclair? The tech tycoon? I thought you two were rivals, not enemies.” Maximilian’s laugh was humorless, a sharp sound that cu

"I can't believe this is happening," I muttered, pacing back and forth in the marble-tiled living room. The weight of everything I was learning pressed down on my chest. "You lied to me, Maximilian. You lied about everything. And now I’m the one left picking up the pieces of your mess."He stood there, his back against the doorframe, his posture stiff, but I could see the strain in his eyes, the way he clenched his fists at his sides. The once-cold businessman was now a man who appeared vulnerable, though it pained me to admit it."Eliza, please..." His voice was barely above a whisper, raw, almost pleading."Please?" I snapped, stopping in my tracks. "You don't get to beg me now, Maximilian. Not after everything. How many more lies are you hiding from me? How much more of my life are you going to control before you finally show me the truth?"He took a step forward, but I held my hand up, a silent command for him to stop. He hesitated, his eyes flicking to the floor as if he couldn't

I never thought this day would come—the day when Maximilian and I could finally see a future beyond the contracts, the coldness, and the responsibilities that once weighed us down. The day when we could finally breathe, together.As I stand in front of him now, his hand in mine, I feel the years of tension slipping away. The empire he built—the one I once felt trapped in—is no longer a shadow that looms over us. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel free.“Do you ever wonder, Eliza,” Maximilian says softly, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand, “what life would have been like if we had met under different circumstances?”I don’t hesitate to answer. “All the time.”I can see the flicker of sadness in his eyes, but it's different now—softer, more vulnerable. It’s not the cold, calculating look he used to wear when he thought about the past. It’s something else—something that makes me want to lean into him, to stay close and never let go.“We’re here now,” h