The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 50

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Shattered Trust

In the morning, Alina woke to the sound of screaming from the end of the corridor.

“Optimus! Optimus is missing!”

Junior’s voice. High–pitched. Panicked.

Alina sat up immediately, heart pounding. She recognized that tone. Junior only cried like that when something was truly wrong.

She leaped from bed, ran to the door, tried the handle.

Locked. Of course it was locked.

“Junior!” Alina shouted, pounding on the door. “Junior, sweetheart, what happened?”

But her voice didn’t reach him. Or was ignored.

She could hear more voices now. Running footsteps. Clarissa’s soothing voice. Margaret’s sharp voice with questions.

And Junior still crying. “Optimus! Mama, where’s Optimus?!”

Mama.

He was calling for Alina.

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But Alina was locked inside, unable to reach him, unable to comfort.

Frustration and panic mounting, Alina pounded harder on the door. “Open the door! Junior needs me! Open it!”

No one came.

The voices outside grew more chaotic. Junior still crying. Clarissa’s voice trying to calm. Margaret barking orders at the staff.

Then a voice that made Alina’s blood run cold.

Daniel.

“What’s happening here?”

His voice was lond, authoritative, clearly just woken from his study.

“Papa! Papa!” Junior’s voice broke with sobs. “Optimus is gone! Optimus isn’t here!”

What do you mean gone?” Daniel’s voice closer now, right outside Junior’s room.

“I slept with Optimus but now he’s gone! I looked everywhere but can’t find him!”

Alina stood at her bedroom door, hand still on the handle, listening with growing dread.

Optimus Prime. The Transformers robot Alina had given Junior three years ago. The toy Junior took everywhere. That he hugged every night. That he considered his protector.

Gone.

Maybe it fell under the bed,” Daniel’s voice trying to be calm. “Or in the bathroom. Let’s look together.”

“I already looked!” Junior hysterical now. “I looked everywhere, but it’s not there!”

Sound of furniture being moved. People searching. Junior still crying with heartbroken sobs that made Alina’s chest ache.

Then Clarissa’s voice. Loud. Excited. From a direction too close to Alina’s room.

“Daniel! Daniel, come here quick!”

Running footsteps. Multiple people.

“What?” Daniel’s voice sharp.

“Look at this.” Clarissa’s voice breathless. “Under Alina’s door.”

Silence.

Silence that lasted too long.

Then Daniel’s voice, low and dangerous. “What is that?”

“Plastic.” Clarissa’s voice full of shocked disbelief that was too perfect. “Blue and red plastic. Like… like from a Transformers toy.”

“NO.” Alina’s voice came out as a horrified whisper.

She backed away from the door, staring at it as if it would provide answers.

Plastic under her door?

From Optimus?

Impossible. She hadn’t done anything last night.

“Open the door.” Daniel’s voice cold now. Authoritative.

“Sir, I don’t have the key. Mr. Harris has the key.”

“OPEN THE DOOR!”

Sound of a key turning. Handle moving.

Alina backed further away, heart beating too fast.

The door burpen.

Daniel stood at the threshold with an expression Alina had never seen before. Cold. Furious. Disappointed. Behind him, Clarissa with her hand over her mouth, eyes wide with fake shock. Margaret with a triumphant expression. Junior held by Mrs. Helen who looked pale and worried.

And on the floor of Alina’s room, scattered just inside the door, shards of blue and red plastic.

Alina stared at them with genuine horror.

That’s

not…” her voice came out weak, shocked. “I didn’t…”

Daniel stepped inside, knelt down, picked up one of the pieces. Turned it in his fingers with slow, deliberate

moverbeuts.

“Blue plastic,” he said with a voice that was too calm. “With red accents. Exactly like Optimus Prime.”

“Daniel, I don’t know how that got here- ”

“LIAR!” Clarissa’s voice broke with theatrical anger. “You destroyed it! You destroyed Junior’s toy because you’re jealous!”

“I DIDN’T!” Alina’s voice rose, desperate. “I never touched Optimus! I would never-”

“Then how are these pieces in your room?” Margaret stepped forward, her voice cutting. “A room that was locked from outside all night? A room that only you occupy?”

Alina opened her mouth, closed it again.

There was no answer that made sense.

Because Margaret was right. This room was locked. No one could enter. No one could leave.

So how did these pieces get here?

Unless…

Her eyes moved to Clarissa standing behind Daniel with a perfect expression of shocked betrayal.

But there was something in her eyes. Something that flashed just for a moment.

Triumph.

“You.” Alina pointed with trembling hand. “You put this here.”

Clarissa stepped back, hand on chest with an offended gesture. “What? How could I? Your door was locked!”

“You could have pushed it under the door! At night when everyone was sleeping!”

“That’s absurd!” Clarissa looked at Daniel with eyes that were teary. “Daniel, why would I do that? What would my motive be?”

“To frame me!” Alina stepped forward, voice rising with desperation. “To make me look unstable so you could-”

“ENOUGH!”

Daniel’s voice cut like a whip.

Everyone froze

**

He stood up, still holding the plastic shard, looking at Alina with an expression that made something in her chest crack

Disappointment. Deep, cutting disappointment.

“Daniel, please,” Alina whispered, tears beginning to fall. “You have to believe me. I didn’t do this. I would never burt Junior like this.”

Daniel didn’t answer immediately.

Just stared at her. Long. Hard.

As if he was trying to read the truth. Trying to decide what to believe.

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Then his eyes fell to the shard in his hand. To more pieces scattered on Alina’s floor. To the locked door that should have made this impossible.

“Papa?”

A small voice from the corridor made everyone turn.

Junior stood there with Mrs. Helen, face wet with tears, eyes red and swollen.

Staring at the plastic shard in Daniel’s hand with immediate recognition.

“Is that… is that Optimus?” his voice broke. “Is that my Optimus?”

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