The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88 Revealing Her Identities (2)

“That about covers it,” Elera said nervously.

“And you’re worth… what, conservatively? Between the medical empire, the book royalties, the fashion house?”

“Somewhere around twenty billion,” Elera admitted quietly. “Give or take.”

Drakonius let out a long, slow breath. “Twenty billion. You’re worth twenty billion dollars.”

“Is that a problem?” Elera asked, trying to read his expression.

A problem?” He let out a laugh that sounded slightly hysterical. “Elera, you could have saved yourself. You didn’t need me. You didn’t need my protection or my money or my name. You have more than enough of all of it on your own. You could have disappeared anywhere in the world, set yourself up with new identities, hired the best security money can buy. You could have destroyed Xan and your father with a few keystrokes. So why?” He leaned forward, his eyes intense. “Why did you agree to marry me? Why would someone with your resources, your power, your options, tie herself to a dying man even if I had suggested the idea?”

And there it was. The question she’d been avoiding asking herself.

“So stop,” Drakonius said simply. “Stop performing and just be you, whatever that looks like. You don’t have to choose.”

“Don’t I though?” Elera asked. “Because now everyone knows about Raven. And soon they’ll figure out the rest. The medical empire. The fashion house. And when they do, they’re going to see exactly how crafty all this was. How I married you and not out of desperation, but as a strategic move. And they’re going to think the worst of both of us, especially me

“Let them think whatever they want,” Drakonius said. “I know the truth. You married me because you saw someone who needed help and you couldn’t walk away. Because that’s what you do. You fix broken things. You save people. Even when those people are strangers with terminal illnesses and terrible attitudes.”