Betrayed, Yet Bound To The Billionaire novel Chapter 5

At the end of Odalys's life back then, depression had consumed her like a monster in the dark, robbing her of sleep and hope.

Now, as she gripped her phone, her fingers clenched so tightly it felt like the device might shatter, her mind was a storm of thoughts.

"It's just one damn month as a stand-in bride! Nobody's asking you to lay down your life for her! Why the hell did you have to go that far? What—because she's adopted and got in your way?" Finnian's voice was sharp, his frustration slicing through the air, completely shattering his usual calm and collected facade.

"I already told you—once you stand in and get this done, and he's gone, I'll be your boyfriend. What the hell else do you want?" he snapped, his teeth practically grinding together.

"Pfft." A derisive laugh escaped her lips.

His words were so ridiculous it was almost entertaining, like watching a poorly scripted drama. She couldn't help but wonder how she'd ever fallen for his second-rate charm and manipulative games in the past.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Finnian barked, clearly pissed.

Odalys didn't answer right away. She stood slowly, walking to the window. Her gaze swept over the manicured garden below, fingers brushing a potted plant by the sill.

Her tone, when she finally spoke, was cold enough to freeze. "Who do you think you are? What makes you think I stood in for this marriage because of you? Where do you even get the balls to believe that? You're harassing me right now. Got it?"

"And let me guess," she continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You thought, after my husband dies, I'd crawl back to you? What kind of delusional world are you living in? Newsflash: I'm the Stewart family's young madam now.

"You? You're just a nobody. Or wait, let me guess—you're hoping I'll inherit some of my husband's wealth after he's gone, and then you can swoop in and mooch off me? Honestly, I have to admire the audacity."

"You're so full of shit," Finnian shot back, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. "Do you really think I'm that shallow? Odalys, you're out of line. If you keep spewing this garbage, we're done. No ties. Nothing."

She smirked, her tone mockingly sweet. "Done? Oh, thank God. Do me a favor and stop calling. Go play white knight for Sophia. Maybe she'll even agree to marry you. You're such a pathetic simp."

She couldn't help but laugh at the thought. Sophia, with her sickly sweet "innocent" act, probably wanted to please every man on earth—but a guy like Finnian? Not a chance.

To families like the Stewarts, celebrities like him were nothing more than entertainment, disposable and forgettable.

For a moment, Finnian was silent, clearly stunned by her words. When he finally spoke, his voice was trembling. "Odalys, I'll give you one last chance."

"Don't bother." Her tone was icy. "Even if you were gift-wrapped and delivered to my door, I wouldn't take you. Keep harassing me, and I'll spill all your dirty little secrets for the world to see." Without waiting for his response, she ended the call with a sharp click.

She glanced at her phone, checking the recording she'd started at the beginning of the call. Satisfied, she quickly uploaded it to the cloud and backed it up to her email.

"Hah." A bitter laugh escaped her as she rubbed her temples.

Thinking about how naive and weak she had been before, manipulated by people she should've seen through, made her blood boil.

The sound snapped her out of her thoughts. Taking a breath, she composed herself and walked to the door.

Standing there was Percival. Fresh from a shower, he'd traded his earlier bloodied look for casual black loungewear, the fabric fitting him in all the right places.

The faint scent of mint lingered around him, masking the memory of blood and pain.

Percival towered over her, his eyes scanning her face with quiet intensity. For a moment, Odalys blinked, surprised to see him there.

Then, tilting her chin up slightly, she met his gaze head-on. "Percival? Do you need something?"

Her voice was calm, her posture steady. She wasn't intimidated by his presence—if anything, she seemed almost bored.

Yet here she was, tossing out timelines like it was nothing. If he hadn't seen her suppress the poison earlier with his own eyes, he would've walked out right then.

But he had seen it.

Her words landed hard, like the first breath of fresh air after being suffocated. For someone who had already made peace with death, her calm certainty hit him in a way he hadn't anticipated. It wasn't hope—not yet. But it was close.

His hands curled into fists at his sides, the tension so strong his knuckles turned white. But his face stayed calm, his body radiating that same powerful aura that made people think twice before challenging him. If there was any crack in his armor, it wasn't visible—not yet.

"What's your price?" he asked, his voice low and steady, cutting straight to the point.

Odalys leaned back, her tall frame resting casually against the edge of a nearby table. She crossed her arms, her sharp gaze never leaving his as she tilted her head slightly, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"For now? Let's just say you owe me a favor," she said, her voice light but laced with something unspoken. "But I'll need something specific. Herbs. Old ones. At least a hundred years old. The older, the better."

She turned and walked to her bag, pulling out a small notebook and pen. Sitting down, she began to write quickly, the pen moving with an almost effortless precision. Once done, she tore the page out and handed it to him.

Percival took it, glancing down at the paper. Her handwriting was bold and precise, every stroke sharp and deliberate. It wasn't just neat—it had a kind of energy, a power that made it stand out.

"Fine," he said, his voice slightly hoarse but firm. His grip on the paper tightened, the list feeling heavier than it should have.

She was more than he'd expected. The ease with which she'd rattled off the list, her calm certainty—it all pointed to a level of knowledge far beyond what he had anticipated.

Whether she was the real deal or just an exceptionally good liar, he'd find out soon enough. All he had to do was verify the herbs on her list.