The Billionaire's Damned Secret

Thalia's POV

I stood outside the penthouse door, my keycard trembling between my fingers.

There was a gnawing feeling deep inside me, twisting and tightening, it was nauseating which was why I left the charity gala early and I only hope the feeling was good news for Brandon and I.

My husband, Brandon wasn't feeling well so he couldn't attend the gala with me. An unfamiliar silence enveloped, the minute I entered the house. No hum of activity, no vacuum running, and no dishes clinking. Just absolute silence, I know Brandon is resting but something just felt off.

Shaking off the unease I headed toward the kitchen and poured myself a cup of water, it should calm my nerves before I speak to Brandon so we could take a test together.

Then I heard it. Muffled voices, a soft moan, sounds I shouldn't be hearing in my home of all places.

I slowly ascended the staircase, the silk of my evening gown brushing against my skin.

The sounds became clearer with each step.

Intimate. Familiar. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. I pushed the door open. There they were.

My best friend, draped in nothing but my sheets, sprawled across my marital bed, lips locked with the man I promised my life to-

Brandon.

"Thalia?" Bradon's voice echoed through the room and he shot up, but there was no remorse in his eyes.

No shock. No regret. Only... annoyance. I stood there, my mind simply refused to process what I was seeing.

My husband. My best friend.

Betrayal wasn't supposed to feel this way, like I'd stepped into some batshit crazy dream I couldn't wake up from.

"You... you said you were going to the after-party" Brandon muttered, casually pulling on a discarded shirt, his face still bearing the same look, of annoyance... like he hadn't just been caught cheating on me "Why the hell are you back so soon?"

I opened my mouth but no words came out.

My mind was blank, I was struggling to piece together a logical thought, How? Why? Them?

Brandon's frustration grew as I stood there in silence.

"Thalia, say something," he growled. "It's not what you think."

Not what I think? A bitter laugh escaped my throat, and when I finally spoke, my voice trembled.

"Not what I think? You're screwing my best friend Brandon, What am I supposed to think?"

My best friend- former best friend now wrapped herself awkwardly in the blanket, indifference plastered on her face. "Thalia... I just..."

"I don't want to hear it," I spat, the words sharper than now, my blood boiled beneath my skin.

I turned my attention to Brandon my voice barely controlled. "How long?"

Brandon sighed, as if this whole thing was a nuisance, as if I was a nuisance. He ran a hand through his hair completely frustrated.

"It doesn't matter, This wasn't working anymore. We both know that Thalia!"

Know what? I blinked each word feeling like a punch to the gut. I squared my shoulders this wasn't the time to break in front of them, they'd seen plenty of that.

"Know what? To know that you've been sneaking around with her?

That this doesn't matter? We talked about kids last week for god's sake!!!"

He didn't flinch. Didn't even care. Instead, he reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a brown envelope"I'm done, Thalia," he said, handing me the envelope. "Here are the divorce papers. It's over."

I stared at the envelope, my hands numb. Divorce papers, The words sounded foreign, like they couldn't possibly be meant for me.

"You're leaving me?"

Brandon's face twisted into a smug smile.

"Consider yourself lucky. You'll still have a small portion of your family's fortune"

My stomach lurched at Fortune.

That's all this ever was to him. That's all I ever was to him, a wave of nausea hit me again and the bitter reality of his betrayal crushed me harder than I thought possible, three years down the drain...

"Brandon please, don't do this?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, fighting the dizziness that threatened to take me.

Brandon's smile widened, cold and calculating. "I bet you wish we would've had a prenup huh? You really should've read the fine print, sweetheart"

"You were always so foolish Thalia" Bella said now wearing an oversized shirt.

"I even attempted to warn you but did you listen? No!!"

"Brandon could do no wrong, he loves me" Brandon said in a mocking tone.

I fisted the papers in my hands and swallowed my tears.

"Now look where it got you, no one could stand you, even your parents died and left you" Bella said verbally stabbing me with a dagger.

"I wonder how you didn't see the signs, you were so blinded by my love that your senses left you" Brandon added.

"How typical of an orphan like you to give in to the first person who has ever shown you love, or at least pretended to" Bella said once again and I stood there my tears threatening to spill but I didn't let that happen.

"Sign the papers and get out of my house! Now Thalia! It's over!" Brandon yelled.

"No need to pack anything, you own nothing in this house, as for your clothes, they will be sent to you" Bella hissed twirling her hair

around her fingers.

"Brandon I could be pregnant" I whispered as my lips trembled.

"That's not possible Thalia!, I had a vasectomy done six months after our wedding" He growled.

"There's nothing you can do now Thalia, you are out of tricks, just sign them and get out! Only I will bear Brandon's children!"

I was going to yell at them but I couldn't, I was done with them. I can't fight them over this anymore so I did the only logical thing my mind told me to do, I signed the papers.

"Pen?" I said to Brandon, Bella quickly tossed a pen to me.

"Finally Brandon!" She squealed jumping into his arms and he snaked his hands around her waist.

My heart broke further as I watched their interaction. I threw the pen and paper at them and ran out of the room, not stopping till I reached my car and drove off.

Two days later, I was a sobbing mess, not only did Brandon take sixty percent of my fortune but he has fifty percent of the company shares.

Call after call, text after text, headline after headline I couldn't respond to any of them I found a motel outside of town and hid there.

My world, my marriage, my family's fortune-it was all gone. I had nothing left, not even my pride. The betrayal stung at me like a decayed wound. The memory of that evening replaying in my head on an endless loop.

My phone buzzed on the table, shattering my almost comfortable quiet. I hadn't answered any calls since that day, so I decided to answer this one, enough of sulking around. I reached for my phone but didn't recognize the number I still answered anyway.

"It's Thalia speaking" I said, though my voice sounded distant and extremely croaky even to me.

"Thalia Asplundh" The voice on the other end was calm, careful, and unsettlingly familiar. I sat up straighter recognizing the voice, and tension rippled through me.

"What do you want, Alexander? If you want to make me feel more terrible than I did, call back later"

I would expect nothing less from my company's biggest rival.

"I'm flattered you recognized my voice, or have you had my number all along" I hissed at him about to say something but I didn't.

There was a small pause, and then his voice dipped lower and he cleared his throat and spoke.

"I heard about your... unfortunate situation"

My heart raced, Alexander Croft-the man whose family was rumored to have destroyed mine. I had been raised to despise him, but I was never capable of doing so, it was all just a big competition to me.

"So?" I shot back, my voice sharp. "What does that have to do with you? Things like this happen!"

He chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine.

"At least haven't lost your feisty self Thalia," he said his voice smooth, so smooth.

"Alexander I implore you to say what you want otherwise I will end this call now!"

"Easy tiger" he murmured in a husky tone "but I have a proposition for you, a business proposition"

I chuckled bitterly like a mad woman

"You must think me a fool Alexander, since I've lost almost everything you want to come finish me off right!!" I snapped.

"Not at all Thalia, it's a business deal that will benefit us both"

"Alexander please stop I will be ending this call now"

"Wait!" He said in a desperate tone

"Okay there's a major catch in this Thalia"

"Now you are talking of course I know there is"

"But if you want your fortune back, if you want to rebuild what's been stolen from you, you'll need me, Whether you like it or not"

He was right. Aside from the Asplundh, the Crofts were second in power, they might even be first right now considering the disaster the Asplundh has fallen into. I clenched my fists, battling the urge to hang up on him.

I know I said I didn't hate him, but I'm reconsidering now, taking advantage of my vulnerable condition?! I hated him, I hated the blood running in his veins, I hated the bones of him and his family, I hated everything his family represented.

But yes, deep down, I knew he was right, I needed him. I had no one else, I was alone. Vulnerable. Stranded.

"I'll think about it" I whispered my throat tight, it's a miracle I'm able to speak at all.

"Do more than think about it" he said his voice all serious in a business tone now.

"Meet me tomorrow. Noon. You know where"

The line went dead leaving me in the empty almost uncomfortable silence once more. I stared at the phone in my hand, feeling the weight of what he said, I didn't trust him. I couldn't. But what choice did I have?

I glanced around the room, taking in the emptiness, the cold, the sense of dread, and realized one thing with terrifying unbearable clarity: I had nothing left to lose.

The next day, I stood outside the restaurant the Crofts owned, my fingers fumbling with the strap of my purse I shouldn't be here. Every rational part of me screamed that this was a mistake, that I should turn around and walk away from whatever trap Alexander Croft was laying for me. But deep down I knew that my options were running thin.

I walked inside, and as expected it was empty. The maître d' gave me a nod as if he'd been expecting me Of course, he had. Croft arranged the entire restaurant to accommodate this ridiculous meeting.

"Right this way, Miss Asplundh"

I followed him, we reached a private dining room, and the doors swung open. There he was Alexander Croft. As if the world needed any more confirmation of how obscenely rich he was, everything about him screamed untouchable power: the face carefully sculpted by god himself, the custom-fitted suit, the effortless confidence in his posture, the glint of arrogance in his eyes.

"Thalia" He stood up with a smile "You look stunning but then again, you always do"

"Let's skip the flattery, Alexander" I took a step towards him forcing myself to hold his gaze even though everything about him made me want to rip my hair out and scream and then run.

"You said you had a proposal, So, let's hear it, the catch too?"

"Ever so direct" He gestured toward the chair opposite him, but I didn't move. His smile grew wider, he was amused, like he enjoyed the fact that I wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"Please, sit"

"I didn't come here for lunch"

He chuckled a low sound that felt like it was designed to put people at ease. Too bad it had the opposite effect on me.

"Fine" he said, leaning back casually "Let's get down to the matter at hand, you want the truth? You need help to rebuild what's left of your family's fortune and I can easily help you with that In return, I want something simple"

"Simple?" I arched a brow "Nothing with you is simple"

He leaned forward, his eyes locking onto mine.

"Marry me"

MARRY ME

The words echoed in my mind.

I blinked "Excuse me?"

"Marry me," he repeated like this was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.

"You and I both know how this world works, Thalia. Power is everything. You want your legacy back. I want to secure mine. Together, we can rebuild what was taken from you and strengthen my position"

I stared at him. He couldn't be serious.

"You want me to marry you" I said slowly as if saying it that way would make the absurdity of it clear to him

He didn't flinch "That's right"

I crossed my arms, my face formed a scowl "You think I'd agree to that?"

He tilted his head, that damn smile never leaving his face.

"Why not? You'll regain control of your family's wealth, I'll have a partner who understands, You've been left with almost nothing, Thalia, half of your company shares are already gone and as much as you hate to admit it, you can't fight this battle alone"

I clenched my fists "I can fight just fine without you"

"Really?" His voice dropped, teasing no mocking... no both.

"And how's that going for you so far? You've already been betrayed by one man. Do you think you can outmanoeuvre Brandon? Or the rest of the vultures circling what's left of your inheritance? You've gone AWOL on your own for two days now without security"

I hated how calm he sounded, and how reasonable he made his argument seems. I hated even more that on some level, he wasn't wrong.

Brandon had already gutted me emotionally and financially, and if I wasn't careful, there wouldn't be anything left to salvage for myself.

"Let's say, for a second, I even considered this insane idea" I said

"Why would I ever marry you? You're Croft. Your family is the reason my family's gone or have you forgotten that little detail?"

His smile faltered slightly but his eyes never left mine.

"Rumours. That's all they are Thalia. Do you think if I had anything to hide, I'd invite you into my life like this? If you marry me you'll have access to everything. My business. My finances. My world"

I laughed bitterly "So what, you think throwing open the doors to your empire makes you trustworthy? I don't need access to your world, Alexander I need a way to fix mine"

"And you think you can do that without me?" His voice lowered.

"You'll be eaten alive You're currently vulnerable Thalia, whether you want to admit it or not. I'm offering you a way out Protection. Power"

I met his gaze, forcing myself to stay calm

"And in exchange, I just have to tie myself to you for life. Sounds like a bargain" I scoffed

His smile returned, but there was something darker in his eyes now.

"It's not as bad as you're making it sound, think of it as a mutually beneficial arrangement you get back your fortune and I get a wife who strengthens my claim as CEO, Together, we'll be unstoppable."

"Unstoppable?" I snorted "You think this is about business? About power? This is my life, Alexander My family's name. My future."

"And that's exactly why you should consider my offer" he said

"I'm giving you a chance to take back control or would you rather leave it in Brandon's hands?"

I hated him at that moment. I hated him for making sense. "And what if I say no?"

His smile didn't falter, but his eyes gleamed

"Then you'll be alone and vulnerable, people like Brandon will keep taking from you until there's nothing left"

I narrowed my eyes leaning closer to him.

"You might think you're calling the shots here, but make no mistake Alexander, if I agree to this, you'll be playing by my rules"

His smile widened, and for the first time, I saw something that looked like admiration in his eyes.

"That's the spirit I admire"

"Fine" I said my voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll marry you"

He smiled his eyes sparkling, he held my stare.

"Excellent, the engagement is in two days" he said as he reached for my hand and feathered a small kiss at the back of my hand.

"Wife" he concluded in a husky tone

I swallowed hard as I watched him.

After a few minutes of our stare-down and his surprising attempts at seducing me, we parted ways, agreeing to meet tomorrow to

choose the rings. The wedding will be a day after, with only the both of us and the officiant wedding us present.

This wasn't just a business deal. This was war and in that moment, I realized that for better or worse, I had just allied myself with the devil but oh well there's a saying that goes enemies make the best allies.

An hour later, I found myself standing at the entrance to the cemetery with flowers in my hand.

I navigated my way through the cemetery my muscle memory guiding me as I passed several headstones till my feet stopped in front of five simple yet elegant tombstones. The one thing in common with these tombstones, ASPLUNDH engraved on them, was my family, my parents, my grandmother, my brother and sister. My heart clenched, I placed flowers on each of them and knelt in

front of my mother's running my fingers over the cold stone.

"I failed Mother" I whispered "I miss you Mommy" I said again letting my tears fall.

The world seemed quieter more still as if it mourned with me, quiet sobs tacked through me.

"Why didn't I join you, mother?"

"I miss you terribly" I said through sobs

Footsteps crunched behind me and I tensed instantly, a voice said

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you came here, to play the part of the grieving daughter, how predictable Thalia"

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Brandon, my ex-husband the man who ruined me in a matter of seconds.

"Don't you think it's getting a bit old?"

And of course with him was Bella, my supposed best friend, up until two days ago I would have trusted her with my life. I wiped my tears away and stood up slowly.

"Brandon, Bella, how lovely to see you both" I said cooly meeting their smug gaze.

"We can't say the same about meeting you" Brandon said

"We need the passcodes to a few things" Bella said cutting right down to business.

"Yes write them down right now" Brandon said as he held a pen and paper in his outstretched hand.

I collected the pen and paper and scribbled something down I let the paper fall on the floor then I turned on my heel and headed

toward the exit of the cemetery.

"Over my dead body?" Brandon growled in frustration reading what I wrote.

"Foolish girl!!" Bella snarled.

And I couldn't help the small smile that found my lips as I left the cemetery and drove off.