The Billionaire's Forgotten Sin のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

Chapter 10The call ended, but the silence it left behind was louder than the voice that had spoken.Darian stood by the window of his office, phone still pressed to his ear long after the line had gone dead. Below him, the city moved as it always did, cars driving, people crossing streets, lives continuing without interruption. It irritated him, everything should have paused. Something fundamental had shifted, and the world had failed to notice.Simon had been confident. Too confident.“I checked again,” Simon had said, sounding mildly annoyed at being questioned twice. “Everything lines up. She was booked. Paid in full. No irregularities.”Darian had tightened his grip on the phone. “Checked again how?”“The system. The logs. The payment trail. I wouldn’t call you if I wasn’t sure.”And that was it. No hesitation. No uncertainty.Bella Morrison had been paid.That was the fact Simon had delivered, neat and clean, as if facts alone could explain what Darian felt tightening in his c

Bella stood in front of the glass building for a long moment before going in.This time, she didn’t hesitate.Her shoulders were squared, her back straight, her expression carefully neutral. She wore a navy blouse tucked into a fitted black skirt, low heels steady beneath her feet. Hair neatly pulled back. Minimal makeup. No softness. No invitation for judgment.Professional.That was the armor today.The lobby looked the same as it had days ago, polished marble floors, the quiet hum of money and importance, but Bella felt different moving through it. Yesterday, she had walked in trembling, hopeful, terrified. Today, she walked in prepared.She gave her name at the front desk again.The receptionist smiled politely. “Good morning, Ms. Morrison. HR is expecting you.”Bella nodded and followed the familiar route to the elevators. The ride up felt longer this time, every floor ticked off like a countdown. She stared straight ahead, refusing to let her thoughts spiral.This was work.Noth

Bella walked back into her office, the soft hum of the air conditioner filling the quiet space. She dropped her bag onto the chair and sank into it. Her fingers fumbled for her phone, which had been buzzing almost non-stop since morning.A text from Rachel popped up. “Hey! How’s your first day? Survived yet?”Bella smiled, fingers hovering over the keyboard for a moment before replying. “Barely. But I think I’m managing. It’s… a lot, honestly.”Within seconds, Rachel responded. “Haha, welcome to the corporate jungle. Tell me everything later! Lunch?”“Maybe tomorrow. Today is… chaos,” Bella typed.Rachel replied immediately. “I’ll survive. Just don’t work yourself into the ground, okay?”Bella chuckled quietly. She put the phone down for a second, but her mind drifted back to the day. Every moment replayed in her head, almost like a movie.She remembered walking into Darian’s office this morning, his gaze cutting through her like ice. The greeting from his staff had been polite, almos

The morning came too fast.Bella barely slept. When her alarm went off, she was already awake, staring at the ceiling, her chest tight with a feeling she couldn’t name. Not fear exactly. Something sharper. Awareness.She got dressed quietly, choosing the simplest outfit she owned. Nothing attention-grabbing. Nothing soft. She wanted armor, not beauty.By the time she stepped outside, a black car was already waiting.The driver opened the door without a word.Bella paused for half a second before getting in.Inside, Darian was already seated.He looked up briefly. “Morning.”“Good morning, sir,” she replied, keeping her voice steady.The car moved almost immediately.Silence settled between them. Not awkward silence. Heavy silence. The kind that pressed against the ears.Bella kept her gaze fixed on the window. Buildings passed by in a blur. Her hands were folded tightly in her lap, fingers clenched together.Darian noticed.He noticed everything.He didn’t say anything, but his eyes f

Chapter 18Vivian Ashford hated commercial flights.She hated the recycled air, the bland smiles from flight attendants, the way people slumped into their seats like cattle being transported instead of individuals with dignity. She hated that no matter how expensive the ticket was, the experience still demanded patience and patience was not something she believed in.She boarded late, deliberately, dragging her carry-on behind her like an accessory rather than luggage. Heads turned as she walked down the aisle, not because she was trying to draw attention, but because attention followed her naturally. Her posture was upright, chin lifted, expression set in mild irritation as if the world around her was slightly disappointing.Her seat was business class. Of course it was.She sat, crossed her legs, and immediately flagged down a flight attendant before the seatbelt sign even turned off.“I asked for sparkling water,” she said coolly. “This is still.”The attendant apologized and hur