All Chapters of The Billionaire Hidden in Plain Sight: Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
55 chapters
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emma sat quietly on the bed. Her hands were clenched together in her lap, and her knuckles were white.. The silence between her and Liam was thick, she hadn’t spoken a word since they left the Harper mansion.Finally, she turned to him, her voice sharp and trembling. “Why did you do that?”Liam looked at her calmly. “Do what?”“Make that bet,” she said, almost snapping. “You didn’t even ask me! You just stood there and decided my future for me, as if I have no say.”Liam’s gaze softened. “You were never going to lose.”Emma let out a bitter laugh. “You make it sound so simple. You saw what happened, Liam! Ethan refused to help me. It’s the end. What makes you think I’ll succeed now?”“Because I have full confidence in you,” Liam said quietly. His tone wasn’t dramatic or over the top, it was calm and, sure.Something about his certainty made her pause. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel angry or… reassured. He didn’t look like he was just saying it to make her feel better. H
CHAPTER TWELVE
When Emma returned to the Harper mansion that evening, she could sense the tension the moment she stepped into the living room. Margaret Harper sat on the sofa, her cane resting against her knee, her expression cold as stone. Tara, Mark, and Victoria were gathered as if waiting for a verdict.The moment Emma stepped inside, the air changed. Her face was pale, her expression unreadable, and she had a strange calmness that no one could understand.Margaret’s sharp eyes narrowed. “Well?” she demanded. “Did you embarrass us further? Or did Ethan come to his senses and finally help you?”Emma didn’t answer. She closed the door quietly and stood in the center of the room, clutching the proposal folder against her chest.Margaret’s voice hardened. “Speak, girl! Don’t just stand there like a fool.”Emma opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Margaret slammed her cane against the floor.“I’ve had enough!” she barked. “You’ve failed this family again! From now on, you are dismissed from
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Harper mansion was unrecognizable that evening. The living room was decorated elegantly, everyone entertained themselves with champagne and the sound of laughter filled the air. “Harper Construction’s first major victory!” Victoria announced dramatically, raising her glass. “To Emma, she’s the reason we’re all still standing!”The sound of clapping echoed through the room. Tara clinked her glass against Emma’s with an exaggerated happiness, her smile looking a little too wide.“I have to admit,” Tara said sweetly, “I didn’t think you had it in you. I guess Ethan’s love worked after all.”Emma’s hand froze around her glass. She forced a smile that didn’t hide the flicker of irritation in her eyes. “Ethan had nothing to do with this,” she said evenly.“Oh, come on,” Tara teased. “You expect us to believe Titan Global just… chose you? Be serious, you can’t be delusional.”Victoria’s laughter joined hers. “It’s fine, darling. We all know you’re just being modest.”Margaret sat on the
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The next morning, the world woke up talking about the Harpers.Every business outlet, gossip page, and social media account had one thing in common, and it was the Titan Global Holdings’ sudden partnership with a small, unknown construction company.Emma’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. Messages flooded in from old classmates, distant relatives, and even reporters who wanted quotes.Some called her lucky while the others called her strategic. Most didn’t believe she had anything to do with it. Everyone had their own opinion, which was far from the truth.At breakfast, Victoria read from her tablet, barely able to hide her pride.Listen to this, she said grinning, “An unexpected alliance shocks the industry: Titan global invests $50 million in Harper constructions. She looked up, her eyes gleaming, “Can you believe it? We’re trending, Emma!” She said excitedly.Across the table, Tara was scrolling through her phone too. “Hmm. It says here that sources claim the decision came from a ‘per
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
By the next morning, Harper Construction felt like it was at the center of the world.Reporters had gathered outside the gates, camera flashes going off as employees tried to enter the building. Every news station wanted an exclusive, the story of how a once-struggling family company landed one of the biggest corporate partnerships of the decade.Inside, Emma could barely hear herself think.Her phone buzzed nonstop, her inbox overflowed, and the staff couldn’t decide whether to congratulate her or gossip behind her back.“Mrs. Harper,” Mia whispered nervously as she followed her into the elevator, “there’s a news van outside. They’ve been waiting since dawn. They said they just want a statement.”Emma rubbed her temples. “I have no statement to give, at least until Titan Global makes theirs. We keep it professional.”“Yes, ma’am,” Mia replied, though her tone made it clear she was uneasy too.When the elevator doors opened to the top floor, Emma stopped in her tracks.A crowd of repo
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next few days moved faster than Emma could process. Titan Global’s project, something that should’ve taken weeks of negotiation and legal back-and-forth, was suddenly in full motion. Contracts were finalized, funds were transferred, and the first delivery of imported steel was already arriving at the Harper site.It didn’t feel real.Emma sat behind her office desk, papers scattered around her, trying to make sense of the speed at which everything was happening. The signatures were there, all legitimate, every document bearing Titan Global’s seal and Nina Chen’s digital approval.Still, it didn’t make sense. There was no deal that big that moved without hiccups, at least in her experience.Her assistant, Mia, knocked softly and entered, holding another file. “Mrs. Harper, Titan’s logistics team called. They said their internal coordinator will be visiting next week for on-site evaluation.”Emma nodded absently, flipping through the new papers. “Do they have a name?”“Yes. A Mr. Li
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Emma stood in the middle of the new project site, the fresh morning air filled with the sound of drills and the clanging of steel. Harper Construction had never handled anything on this scale before. Cranes towered over the area, trucks moved in tight coordination, and the workers, who were usually sluggish and careless, were now moved with surprising precision.Something about it all felt… too efficient.Her site manager, Mr. Collins, walked over, looking unusually nervous. “Mrs. Harper, a representative from Titan Global, is here to inspect the groundwork. They’re early.”“Already?” Emma frowned. “We only submitted our layout plans two days ago.”“I know,” Collins said, lowering his voice. “But apparently, they already approved the next phase. They said the chairman himself fast-tracked the process.”Emma blinked. “Chairman?”“Yes, ma’am. The Titan Global chairman personally signed off on your proposal.”Her heart skipped a beat. “Wait, personally?”He nodded. “That’s what they said
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Emma was buried in reports when a soft knock came on her office door. “Come in,” she said, eyes still fixed on the spreadsheet.Her assistant, Mia, stepped in nervously, holding a tablet. “Mrs. Harper, there’s someone here to see you—”Before she could finish, the door swung open and Ethan walked in like he owned the place. His confident stride, his faint smirk and everything about him carried that old arrogance she had once mistaken for charm.“Mia, that’ll be all,” Emma said sharply.The assistant hesitated, glanced at Ethan, and quickly slipped out, closing the door behind her.For a moment, silence filled the room. The soft hum of the air conditioner, and the faint sound of Ethan’s shoes against the floor.“You didn’t make an appointment,” Emma said coolly, casually setting her pen down.He smiled faintly. “Do I really need one?”She didn’t answer, she only gestured toward the chair opposite her desk. “Then sit. Say what you came to say.”Ethan didn’t sit. He stopped in front of h
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The morning started like any other, until Mia ran into Emma’s office, breathless and looking pale.“Mrs. Harper, you need to see this.”Emma looked up from her laptop, brows furrowed. “What is it?”Mia hesitated, then handed over her phone. “It’s everywhere. The news, social media, Titan Global, and… someone connected to you.”Emma took the phone. The screen was filled with a headline that made her blink twice just to process it.Titan Global President Seen Bowing to Unknown Man, Who Is the “Hidden King”?The photo was clearer this time. It wasn’t just a silhouette like the last time, this one showed Nina Chen, the COO, standing beside a man whose face was half-turned away from the camera. The angle hid his features, but his build was unmistakable. He was tall, had broad shoulders, with one hand in his pocket, posture straight yet casual.The comments were endless. “He’s the one pulling Titan’s strings.”“Rumor says he’s a private investor with royal ties.”“Could this man be the man
CHAPTER TWENTY
By the third day, the city couldn’t stop talking about it. The mysterious man in the photo. Titan Global’s silence. Ethan Blake’s confident claim.The story had become a wildfire that no one could put out.Every news outlet was dissecting the same frame, the bow, the handshake, the body language, as though it held the secrets of global power. Some swore the man was Ethan; others insisted it wasn’t. A few even speculated that Titan Global’s new partner might be a phantom investor operating under a false name.Emma sat in her office, watching the frenzy unfold on her screen. She had muted the sound, but she didn’t need the volume to feel the tension.“Mrs. Harper,” Mia said nervously from the door, “Titan Global just released a statement.”Emma’s head shot up. “What?”Mia handed her the printed page. “Here, it’s all over the internet.”Emma read slowly.Official Statement from Titan Global Holdings:“We appreciate the public’s interest in our recent partnership. All strategic decisions