Page 43 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
"I’ll find you later?"Tristan asked, his eyes apologetic.
I nodded, my heart sinking as Audrey led him away.
I quickly regained my composure.This was Community Pilot’s holiday party, and I had my own responsibilities.Like Tristan, Leila, Satoshi, and Steve, I spent time with our employees and clients.
Every now and then, I spotted Tristan across the room.Audrey never left his side, guiding him from group to group like a possessive shadow.She whispered in his ear, her hand lightly resting on his arm.He laughed and talked, oblivious to my presence.I did my best to keep my smile in place, even as it wavered.
Later, as Tristan took the stage for his annual speech, Audrey slid next to me like a serpent.
"Your dress is stunning, Eva," she said with a fake smile.
I studied her.Her emerald-green dress clung to her in a way that was almost indecent.
"Yours is lovely too," I replied evenly, trying to remain civil.
Her smile widened, pleased.
"Did you notice my necklace?"she asked, fingering a delicate diamond pendant on a gold chain."It’s...a gift from Tristan.Gorgeous, isn’t it?If only you had seen how gently he fastened it around my neck, how his fingers lingered on my skin...I still get chills."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
He had given her a diamond necklace?
The weight of that gift made me nauseous.
I thought he had chosen me.Why would he give her something so intimate?Things had been improving between us since his return from Oslo, but had I misread the signs?Was Tristan seeing Audrey behind my back?
No.Impossible.Not Tristan.
But the necklace was there—tangible proof of his betrayal.I just didn’t know how deep it ran.
Satisfied with the damage done, Audrey returned to Tristan after his speech, resuming her act.Every time I tried to approach, she blocked me—a pressing investor, an urgent matter, a strategic partner to reassure.
And Tristan noticed nothing.
The night dragged on, slow and painful.My heart fractured a little more with each missed moment.She monopolized Tristan’s attention with surgical precision, and worst of all, he let her.
Marco stole worried glances at me in the rearview mirror on the ride home but had the grace not to ask questions.His silent support allowed me to gather my thoughts.
Back home, I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the night.My sapphire dress lay crumpled on the bathroom floor, a silent witness to my defeat.
Half-asleep in bed, I heard Tristan come in.The familiar sound of his footsteps, the whisper of water in the shower, the mattress dipping under his weight...Then, his body curled around mine, his arm pulling me close in a possessive embrace.
"You were radiant tonight," he murmured against my neck, his voice tired but sincere."I wish we had spent more time together.I wanted so badly to dance with you."
My heart pounded.Those simple words reignited hope in me.Had Audrey lied about the necklace?I needed to ask Tristan and hear his side.But not tonight.Tonight, I just wanted to lose myself in his embrace and pretend everything was okay.
As I drifted to sleep, I felt his lips press a kiss into my hair.
27.It's not what you think!
EVA
I was making pancakes for breakfast when the delivery man rang the doorbell with the cleaned clothes.I took them and placed them on the couch.
"Here, the boss asked me to give you this," he said, handing me a folded piece of paper."We found it in one of your man's jackets.He said it might be useful to you."
I thanked him absently, slipping a tip into his hand.It was only after he left that I unfolded the paper.A receipt.From a jewelry store in New York.My eyes stopped on the line that would change everything: "Love Necklace, yellow gold, set with a brilliant diamond," followed by an amount that made me dizzy.
