Semua Bab CINDERELLA'S FORCED MARRIAGE WITH SEXY BILLIONAIRE: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Xeros's POV The sharp ting of Dylan's fork hitting the crystal glass echoed through the conservatory. The bastard was swaying slightly, "Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight, you are in for a treat! Miss Charlotte and Miss Claire will paint for my beloved grandfather!" He raised his glass, spilling most of his drink. "To Grandpa; may your next seventy years be as prosperous as the first!" Grandfather chuckled, patting Dylan's shoulder. "I'm genuinely delighted, what an honor it is. Since we are celebrating the passage of time from my birth to my 70th milestone… let your theme be 'Time.'" Of course, my grandpa would pick something that would challenge even the most seasoned of artists.Claire looked smugly confident, while Charlotte quietly lifted the brush. She began to mix the hues, but my gaze was caught on her. Her back was straight, curving gently at the base of her spine as her fair hand dipped the brush in different pigments. Her hands moved slowly… almost like she was medita

Xeros' POVI sat in my office, elbows on the polished mahogany desk, fingers steepled as I stared at the faint reflection of myself on the dark screen of my laptop. The image of Charlotte revealing her painting yesterday refused to leave my mind. That tree. Those roots. The sprout. Every brushstroke had spoken to something deeper, something I hadn’t known resided in her. And the way she explained it… calm, assured, like she had carried that truth in her bones all along.I hadn’t expected to be stunned by her again. And yet.A sharp knock at the door broke the silence.“Enter,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.My assistant stepped inside, tablet in hand, his tie slightly askew like he’d rushed up the stairs. “Sir,” he said with a nod, “we found it. The orphanage the children were relocated to. They’ve been moved to a more remote facility in Newport.”I sat up straighter. “Good. Arrange for me to visit the director this weekend. I want to speak with them personally.”He hesitate

Xeros' POV I leaned against the rusted swing set, arms crossed as I watched the children dart across the playground. The crisp autumn air carried their laughter, unlike the fake conversations of boardrooms that I had to witness day after day. I wondered if I would have come back sooner, if I knew about her visiting this place?Before I could examine that thought, movement caught my eye. A toddler, barely two years old, wobbled dangerously near a discarded toy car, his tiny arms flailing as he lost balance. My body moved before my brain registered the danger. I lunged forward just as a blur of yellow fabric shot from my peripheral vision. Charlotte. We collided mid-stride, nearly sandwiching the child between us in our haste. My hands found her waist instinctively, steadying us both as the scent of vanilla and citrus flooded my senses. For a breathless moment, time stilled—her body pressed against mine, her rapid heartbeat thudding through the thin fabric of her dress. "Joy! A

Emma’s POV:Lying stiffly on the narrow bed, I stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling. My thoughts were kicking up a storm louder than the one that had trapped us here for the night.Was this really the same man who had coldly warned me to stay out of his affairs on our first day as a married couple? The one who treated me with such detached indifference, as if our marriage contract required a social distancing clause too! The one who treated me coldly and indifferently always, like he never wanted me to forget about the fact that it was an arranged marriage, with zero emotions involved. The same one who wanted to keep as little contact as possible… as if we couldn't even be polite to each other and make conversation, unless a third person was in the room, watching us. But today, he appeared out of nowhere at the orphanage. How did he even know I would be here?And how was I supposed to convince myself that it was Xeros, when I had always assumed that he would come with me to fi

Xeros's POVI came home early from the office, which isn't like I usually do. The mansion was quiet—too quiet. I came early because I wanted to see her. I don't know if this is something I can say to anyone but I was just too eager. I loosened my tie with one hand, my briefcase still in the other, and walked slowly into the main hallway. The faint scent of lemon cleaner lingered in the air, and the floors were spotless, shining like mirrors under the soft lights. Mille must have been here earlier.I glanced toward the living room. The lights were on. A book was resting open on the armrest of the couch, and a half-finished cup of coffee sat cold on the side table. But she wasn’t there.I looked around while trying so hard not to be obvious because I didn't want anyone to see me this way, yet I was still eager to see her. I set the briefcase down beside the couch, staring at the empty seat as a small frown formed on my face."Where is she?" I asked as Millie walked through the door, p