All Chapters of The Billionaire's Secret Daughter: Chapter 31 - Chapter 38

38 Chapters

30!Coffee Stains!

ANDREAI arrived at the office with a sense of determination mixed with caution.Even though I acted all brave during my exchange with Marcus yesterday, I'm worried that Julian will back out of the collaboration if Marcus told him who I was.I have no plans of letting him back out of our arrangement. Not after I have spent a whole week doing his bidding and following him around like a puppet.As I rode the elevator, I clung to the hope that Julian hadn't reached out to my chief editor since the previous day, so that had to mean nothing had changed.Working in Rhodes Fashion House has been tasking in lots of ways, and I can't wait for this one month to be over.So, I won't be worried about seeing Marcus, or being seduced by Julian anymore.Once I got to Julian's office lobby, his secretary gestured to me to go in as usual, and I took a deep breath as I stepped into the office.“Good morning, Mr. Rhodes,” I greeted when I saw him focused on his desktop.I held my breath as I waited for

31!I don't do weaknesses!

MARCUSI had been restless all morning.Not the kind of restlessness that came and went, but the kind that settled under your skin and refused to let you breathe properly.Andrea. Julian.The interview. The collaboration.Everything about it felt like a ticking clock, and I hated not knowing exactly where we stood.Uncertainty was a weakness. And I don't do weaknesses.I had been thinking all morning about how to get more information on Andrea and Julian's interview arrangement, so I decided to go speak with his secretary. I believed she would know all about their appointments. If I could find out the next time Andrea would be stopping by to meet with Julian, I could easily arrange to tail her when she left.I frowned when I got to Julian's office lobby and saw that his secretary was not in her seat. Assuming she was inside the office with Julian, and not wanting to leave without getting the information I came for, I decided to go in.I knocked once on the door, and without waiting f

32!I'm Sorry!

ANDREA“Why are you so mean to me, Andy?”The question caught me off guard, not because of the words, but because of the tone. It was soft.Almost… wounded.I blinked at Marcus, studying him carefully, as if trying to decide whether what I was seeing was real or just another one of his carefully constructed performances.“Shouldn’t I be the one acting that way toward you?” he continued, his voice laced with something that almost sounded like hurt. “You’re the one who ended things. Not me.”I didn’t respond. Didn’t even blink. I just stood there, watching him.Watching him twist the narrative like he always did. Watching him pretend.“We don’t have to be enemies,” he went on, stepping a little closer, his voice lowering. “Just because things didn’t work out between us.”Still, I said nothing.There was a time when his words would have shaken me. When it would have made me second-guess myself.When I would have felt guilty. But that version of me was long gone.“Whatever I did to make y

33!Familia!

LAYLA“I’ll be out in a minute,” I said into my phone as I stepped out of the car, glancing back at the driver. “Just wait for me.”He nodded, and I pushed the glass door open, stepping into the bakery.Warmth wrapped around me instantly.The rich, comforting scent of freshly baked bread, butter, sugar, and coffee filled the air, settling deep in my chest like something familiar, something safe.For a moment, I just stood there.Taking it in.Soft chatter floated around the room, customers laughing, spoons clinking against ceramic cups, quiet conversations blending into a gentle hum of life.It felt… peaceful.Normal.Something I hadn’t realized I missed until now.“Andrea?”My name cut through the air.My brows lifted in surprise.“Andy?”I turned quickly, and the moment my eyes landed on her, my face lit up without hesitation.“Oh my God, Nicole!”A genuine smile spread across my lips as I rushed forward, pulling her into a tight hug.Nicole laughed, hugging me just as tightly.“It’

34!We Are Watching!

MARCUSWaiting has never been one of my strengths.And yet there I was, seated in my car across the street from Nicole’s bakery, fingers drumming impatiently against the steering wheel while I kept my eyes fixed on the glass storefront.Andrea was still inside.Laughing.Talking.Living her life as though nothing had happened.As though she hadn’t shattered everything and walked away seven years ago.My jaw tightened.Even from a distance, I could make out her silhouette through the window. She sat comfortably at a corner table with Nicole, leaning back in her chair, smiling in a way I hadn’t seen in years.Relaxed.At ease.It irritated me more than I cared to admit.How could she look so calm after returning and turning everything upside down again?I exhaled sharply and glanced at the time on the dashboard.She had been in there longer than I expected.Boredom crept in almost immediately.And boredom usually led me to one person.Veronica.A smirk tugged at my lips as I picked up m

35! Asking Around!

VERONICAAfter my call with Marcus, I didn’t contact Nicole immediately.Tempting as it was, I wasn’t stupid enough to rush.If Andrea was still there when I called, Nicole might mention it casually. Andrea might overhear my name. Worse, she might suspect I was asking around about her.No.Timing mattered.And I had always been good at timing.So I waited.One hour passed.Then another.I spent most of it pacing my living room with a glass of wine in hand, replaying everything Marcus had told me.Andrea in Julian’s office.Andrea spending a month with him.Andrea laughing in Nicole’s bakery like she belonged here.The thought alone soured my mood.How dare she come back and move through our city as if she had never burned bridges behind her?How dare she ignore me.That was the part that irritated me most.Not Marcus.Not Julian.Me.We had been inseparable once, or at least that was what everyone believed.She should have called me first. She should have explained herself. She shoul

36Nostalgic!

ANDREAThe moment I stepped into my apartment, I felt the day begin to slide off my shoulders.Outside, the city had been wrapped in heat and noise, horns blaring, people rushing, sunlight pressing heavily against the pavement. But inside, everything was cooler. Softer, safer.The quiet click of the door closing behind me sounded like relief.I leaned against it for a second, exhaling slowly.What a day! Marcus’s strange apology. Julian’s impossible insistence. The unexpected trip to Paris.My thoughts had been running in circles since I left the office, and I hadn’t realized how tired I was until that moment.Then I heard laughter drifting from the living room. Warm, familiar laughter. My lips curved instantly. I knew those voices.I kicked off my shoes and walked further inside, following the sound.When I entered the living room, the sight waiting for me made something tender stir in my chest.Diane and my Tia Patricia sat together on the couch, leaning close, completely engrossed

37!Careful Ambush!

ANDREAThe next day, I found myself with an unexpected lunch break without Julian. He had left for a conference meeting without needing my assistance, which meant I had a rare moment of freedom during office hours.Deciding to take advantage of it, I stepped out of his office, my mind already drifting towards thoughts of a quiet café where I could decompress. As I closed the door behind me, I heard a familiar voice. My steps slowed, and my heart clenched painfully. Veronica was standing there, talking to Julian's secretary. My stomach tightened with a mix of surprise and dread.Although I had been expecting Veronica's visit from the moment I ran into Michael the first time, and had been bracing myself since I knew it was inevitable to see her, seeing her now, I couldn't control how I felt."I was hoping to catch up with Andrea. Is she in?" Veronica's voice carried a lilting warmth.My eyes met the secretary's, who glanced my way, and before she could respond, Veronica followed her

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