Lahat ng Kabanata ng BILLIONAIRE'S PLUS-SIZE OBSESSION : Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

I was paying attention more than ever. “My stepmother, for her own reasons, decided I’d be her doll." A cold dread slithered down my spine. "What do you mean?" "Dressed me in girls' clothes. Told my father I picked them out." His voice was eerily calm, but his knuckles whitened around the glass. "He wasn’t around enough to care. By the time I was six, I wanted to dress like my brothers, but she refused." My mouth fell slightly open, the words catching in my throat. Why would she force him to dress like a girl? Could it be that she wants a female child so badly? I asked in my head. Leo continued. “When my father finally noticed something was off, he asked his wife about it. And she said maybe I was born to be a feminine boy,” Leo said. “Instead of protecting me, he called it ridiculous. He was very religious and homophobic. He said I shouldn’t like girly things. That I was supposed to be his heir. His son.” “Oh my God...” I whispered. Leo’s voice grew darker, more strained.

I breathed in sharply. “How old were you when you left the seminary?” “Fourteen.” “Where did you go?” “Homeless shelter. Stayed there for almost two years. But I kept learning. Built a prototype that caught the attention of a small investor. Sold the idea. Bought my first house when I was nineteen.” I stared at him. No words. No thoughts. Just awe. He bought his first house at nineteen. At that age, I was depressed, obsessing over boys who didn’t like me. He didn’t have it easy, yet he kept hustling his way to the top. “However, it wasn’t so easy. I got male clients who wanted to sleep with me because they thought I made it that way. At such a young age, people pointed fingers, saying I was a pretty boy entangled with billionaires. At some point, I was framed. I don’t usually open up to anyone, so I fought through it. I hit the gym and got tattoos to appear more masculine. However, I was still judged by my facial features. As I grew older, I went to the gym more an

"I still want to know everything." His voice was firm. Everything. That word clung to my ribs like a weight. I swallowed hard and looked at the wine bottle again. I hesitated. The weight of his gaze was unbearable. "Fine," I muttered. "But only if you let me drink." His expression darkened, and he went completely still. "No." "Why not?" I challenged. “Charlotte…” His voice was soft, but there was a firmness underneath. “You said you weren’t going to drink tonight.” “It’s just one glass,” I said quickly—too quickly. “It’s not a big deal.” He shook his head. “It is to me. Because I care about you," he explained softly. And then, silence. That awful, heavy silence. I felt something snap. He reminded me of Jun controlling things I wear and do. "Oh," I said, laughing bitterly, "so now you’re controlling me?" The words flew out before I could stop them. His entire face changed. That gentle smile he always wore, that quiet light behind his eyes—it disappeared. Just like that.

"I like you," she whispered, her fingers fisting weakly in my shirt. "But I'm scared." My pulse kicked hard, heat sparking low in my stomach. "Why are you afraid of me?" My voice was low, almost a growl without meaning to be. I brushed a loose curl behind her ear. She tilted her head, her curls brushing my cheek as she studied me. "Well… look at you," she breathed, her smile dazed. My eyes widened, and a low chuckle escaped me. "What about me?" "You’re—" She hiccuped, her thumbs tracing my jaw. "You’re so… you." Her fingers—small, warm, and trembling—lifted to cup my face again, her thumbs brushing the corners of my mouth. Something in my chest tightened. God, she doesn’t even realize how much she’s undoing me right now. I swallowed hard, my gaze dropping to her lips. "You’re… so stupidly handsome," she mumbled, another hiccup punctuating her words. "If I saw an attractive woman talking to you, I’d be dead worried." I couldn’t help it—I chuckled, the sound rumbling in my chest.

By the time we reached her room, her protests had faded into drowsy mumbles. I nudged the door open with my foot and set her down gently on the bed. She immediately flopped backward, arms splayed out like a starfish. “This bed is my best friend now.” “Glad you two are getting along.” I gently pulled her up to sit on the edge of the bed. I knelt to unclip her heels, and she watched me like I was performing magic. “Your hands are so big,” she whispered, watching me with a sleepy grin. “You’re really good at this whole caretaker thing,” she said again. “Well, I have my moments.” “Mmm.” She reached out, poking my nose. “Boop.” I raised an eyebrow. “Did you just ‘boop’ me?” “Yep.” She grinned. “Your nose is cute.” I shook my head, blushing uncontrollably. “Yours is even cuter. So cute, I want to bite it off.” I softly nibbled on her nose. She chuckled loudly. I eased her back against the pillows, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders. She looked small there, curls spill