After the Affair Falling into a Billionaire's Arms novel Chapter 85

**Clocks Lie To Hearts by Asa River Flint**
**Chapter 85**

That single, piercing sentence hung in the air, effectively silencing every word that Brian had been prepared to unleash.

Louisa, it turned out, was not his biological daughter.

Yet, over the years, she had showered him with care, respect, and affection, treating him as if he were her true father. And in return, he had embraced her as his own flesh and blood, nurturing her with all the love and devotion a father could give.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, he turned his gaze towards Riley, his voice dripping with a warning that left no room for misunderstanding. “From the moment Mr. Getty entrusted Louisa to my care, she became my daughter in every sense that matters. I made a solemn promise to Mr. Getty that I would provide her with a stable home, ensuring her life would be filled with safety and peace. I intend to uphold that vow. So, Riley, if you even think about uttering any nonsense in front of Louisa, mark my words—I won’t forgive you.”

As he delivered those final words, a fierce glint ignited in his eyes, reminiscent of his past as the leader of the Getty family’s four bodyguards.

Riley felt a shiver of intimidation creep over her.

Yet, the thought of Louisa stirred a bitter resentment within her. She scoffed, “It seems you’ve conveniently forgotten that your Mr. Getty has been dead for twenty-seven long years. You’ve been so noble, raising his daughter all this time. But what about him and Louisa? Because of them, we’ve been forced to uproot our lives repeatedly, living in a constant state of fear for years on end. And you won’t even allow me to voice a few complaints?”

Brian’s anger erupted like a volcano. “A few? It’s practically been your daily routine to complain for all these years! Yes, I acknowledge that we had no peace in those early days. But after all this time, considering all the terrible things you’ve inflicted upon Louisa, hasn’t she paid her dues? You kicked her out thirteen years ago and severed all ties. You have no right to meddle in her life any longer! And as for her background, you are to keep your mouth shut about it in front of her. If you dare to say a word, I swear I’ll kill you!”

Brian was genuinely furious now, his fists clenched at his sides, ready to defend his daughter at any cost.

Riley, visibly shaken, dared not utter another word. She shot him one last glare, a mixture of defiance and fear, before muttering, “Fine, I won’t say anything. As if I want to see her anyway.”

With that, she stormed off towards the kitchen, eager to busy herself and escape the tension that had filled the room.

Brian let out a deep, weary sigh, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders.

Meanwhile, Louisa was blissfully unaware of the turmoil brewing at home or the unsettling truths about her origins that Brian had just alluded to.

—

After the awkward phone call incident, Julian had returned to work, though Louisa couldn’t shake the feeling that he might still be upset. She felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach as she pondered how to address the situation, ultimately deciding that silence would be her best option.

She had always strived to maintain a clear conscience; the opinions of others rarely held much significance for her.

The car fell into a heavy silence once more.

Teddy, who was driving in front, sensed the oppressive atmosphere enveloping the vehicle. He glanced at Louisa through the rearview mirror and decided to break the tension with a conversation. “Ms. Forbes, I heard that Ms. Hughes tasked you with reviewing all the investment department’s project files in just one day?”

“Yes,” Louisa replied, her tone simple and unembellished.

Teddy felt a wave of exasperation wash over him at her nonchalant response. Did she not realize he was providing her with an opportunity to voice her grievances to Julian?

After all, no one in the Tudor Group had ever managed such a feat.

Since she didn’t seem to catch his drift, he pressed on, “While it’s true that everyone in the investment department eventually reviews all the files, Tudor Group projects span nearly every professional field. There are bound to be gaps in knowledge. Did you not encounter any challenges?”

Louisa looked at him, perplexed by his insistence. “What challenges? I’ve already completed the review.”

Julian couldn’t help but be entertained by the sparkle in her eyes. “Ms. Forbes, is it wise to unveil your mercantile instincts so early? If you want to know, you’ll need to answer correctly first!”

Louisa fell silent, realizing that while she might be clever, he was even more cunning.

Teddy, unable to hold back any longer, began, “First question: In cross-border mergers, how do you quantify synergistic effects and hidden costs?”

“For synergy valuation, you should employ a three-stage DCF model, separating technical integration, supply chain optimization, and tax arbitrage. You’ll need to calculate integration delay costs stemming from cultural conflicts and regulatory transition costs.”

“In the context of hostile takeovers, how would you design a financial impact assessment model for a ‘poison pill’ strategy?”

“Calculate the ‘equity dilution elasticity coefficient.’ For each one percent of acquired shares, the triggered issuance ratio should elevate the acquirer’s holding cost by at least thirty percent. To mitigate side effects, you must control through ‘golden parachute’ clauses with option pricing to limit management’s moral hazard.”

Her responses flowed rapidly, each answer more confident than the last. As they continued, she tackled Teddy’s questions without a trace of hesitation.

Teddy posed more than a dozen questions, including several that were not even found in the project files.

She answered effortlessly, completely outclassing him. “Alright, I concede. You got everything right.”

Not only were her answers accurate, but she also detailed specific implementation plans. He suspected that even if he asked a hundred more questions, she would still provide quick, detailed solutions.

Louisa, however, was not particularly swayed by his praise. What truly piqued her interest was the reward that had been promised.

Turning to Julian with a hint of smugness, she declared, “Mr. Tudor, I would very much like to hear about my reward now.”