The Billionaire Hidden in Plain Sight

Chapter Five

The house felt unnervingly quiet after Ethan’s departure. The family members clustered around Margaret, their voices buzzing with excitement and whispered schemes. The elderly matriarch stood at the center, her sharp gaze fixed on Emma with unmistakable disapproval.

“Well,” Margaret’s voice cut through the chatter like a blade, “that was quite a display.”

Emma straightened, already bracing for impact. “Grandmother, I know you’re disappointed, but—”

“Disappointed?” Margaret’s laugh was cold and bitter. “Child, I’m beyond disappointed. I’m horrified.”

The room fell silent. The ominous rhythmic tap of Margaret’s cane against the marble floor sounded like a countdown.

“You just rejected a proposal from a future B-tier family heir,” she said, her tone rising with each word. “A man offering fifty million dollars to save our company. And for what? Pride?”

“It’s not about pride,” Emma replied, her voice steady. “It’s about doing what’s right—for everyone involved.”

“The right decision?” Tara Carter stepped forward, her eyes glittering with malicious satisfaction. “The right decision was to say yes immediately.”

“Stay out of this, Tara,” Emma warned.

“I will not! And moreover you don't get to tell me what to do, ” Tara snapped. “Your stupidity affects us all! Do you really think the crisis is over just because Derek Enzo apologized?”

Margaret nodded approvingly. “Tara is right. The Enzo partnership may be restored, but months of financial damage don’t vanish overnight. We’re still vulnerable.”

“I can handle it,” Emma said quietly.

“Can you?” Margaret arched an eyebrow. “Because from where I’m standing, you’ve just thrown away our best chance at stability.”

The other family members murmured their agreement, their faces showing varying degrees of disapproval and concern.

“The crisis isn’t over,” Margaret declared, striking her cane against the floor for emphasis. “It’s merely delayed. And I refuse to watch this family sink because of one person’s poor judgment.”

“What are you saying?” Emma asked, though dread already churned in her stomach.

Margaret’s thin smile cut like glass. “I’m saying we need new leadership. Someone who recognizes opportunity when it presents itself.”

“Grandmother, please—”

“However,” Margaret lifted a hand, silencing her, “I am willing to give you one final chance to prove yourself.”

The room held its breath.

“We’ve all heard about Titan Global Holdings opening a branch in this city,” she continued. “A top-tier conglomerate with limitless power connection and resources.”

Tara’s eyes gleamed. She already knew where this was going.

“Whoever secures a partnership with Titan Global Holdings,” Margaret announced, “will become the next president of our family company.”

Gasps filled the air. Excited whispers broke out instantly.

“A partnership with Titan Global Holdings?” someone breathed. “That would change everything,”

“ItIt would make us one of the most powerful families in the city!” another added.

Emma felt the blood drain from her face. “Grandmother, that’s impossible. Titan Global doesn’t partner with small companies like ours.”

“Then you’d better make the impossible possible,” Margaret said icily.

Tara burst into triumphant laughter, the sound echoing off the walls like breaking glass. “Oh, this is perfect!” she crowed. “Absolutely perfect!”

“What’s so funny?” Emma demanded.

“What’s funny,” Tara said, smirking, “is that you think this is some impossible challenge.” She turned toward the door and gestured dramatically. “Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to meet someone very special."

A tall, immaculately dressed man entered the room. His confident stride and expensive suit commanded instant attention.

“This is Patrick Miller,” Tara announced with obvious pride. “My boyfriend. And more importantly, a senior manager at Titan Global Holdings.”

The room erupted in astonished chatter.

“A manager at Titan Global?” Margaret’s stern expression brightened immediately.

“Senior manager,” Patrick corrected with a modest smile. “I oversee our division launch and expansion projects in this region,”

“This is wonderful!” Margaret practically beamed. “Tara, you never mentioned—”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Tara interrupted, linking her arm through his. “And with Patrick around, securing a partnership will be effortless… a piece of cake, you may say”

The family members swarmed Patrick, their voices overlapping as they peppered him with questions.

“Is the new branch really opening soon?”

“What kind of partnerships are they offering and looking for?”

“Would they consider working with us?”

Patrick answered each of the questions with practiced ease, his responses professional but friendly. Tara glowed beside him, basking in the reflected admiration.

“You see?” Tara called out over the chatter, throwing Emma a pointed look. “While some people waste time rejecting golden golden opportunities, others plan ahead,”

"Indeed,"  Margaret  said approvingly. "Tara, I'm impressed by your foresight."

"Thank you, Grandmother." Tara's smile was victorious. "I'll head to work immediately and arrange a meeting. Soon, I'll be the new company president."

The room filled with congratulations and praise for Tara. Family members who had barely acknowledged her before now treated her like royalty.

"Finally," one cousin said, "someone who knows how to seize opportunities."

"Tara always was the smart one," another added.

"Much smarter than certain people who throw away fifty-million-dollar proposals," a third voice chimed in.

All eyes turned to Liam, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange.

"Look at him," Tara laughed cruelly. "Standing there like a statue. No wonder Emma makes such terrible decisions with a husband like that."

"Three years of marriage and what has he contributed?"  Margaret  shook her head in disgust. "Nothing but embarrassment."

"At least Ethan  Morgan has accomplishments," someone else added. "This one can't even defend his wife properly."

"Useless," Tara declared with finality. "Completely and utterly useless."

The mockery continued as the family members prepared to leave. Tara kissed Patrick goodbye, promising to call him with good news soon.

"Don't worry, darling," she told  Margaret . "By tomorrow, I'll have everything arranged. The Harper family will finally have proper leadership."

One by one, they filed out of the house, their excited chatter fading as they disappeared into the morning sunlight.

Finally, only Emma  , Liam, and  Victoria  remained in the suddenly quiet house.

 Victoria 's face was flushed with anger, her hands trembling as she pointed an accusing finger at Emma  .

"Are you happy now?"  Victoria 's voice shook with rage. "Are you satisfied with what you've done?"

"Mother, please—"

"Please nothing!"  Victoria 's voice cracked. "You had everything handed to you on a silver platter! A wealthy, handsome man who could solve all our problems! And you threw it away!"

"I can still fix everything," Emma said wearily, her exhaustion finally showing. "I just need time to—"

"Time?"  Victoria  laughed bitterly. "Time for what? To watch Tara take over the company? To see our family lose everything because of your stubborn pride?"

"It's not about pride!"

"Then what is it about?"  Victoria  demanded. "Because from where I stand, you've just destroyed our family's future for no good reason!"

 Victoria 's furious gaze shifted to Liam, who stood quietly beside the kitchen counter.

"And you!" She pointed at him with venom. "This is all your fault!"

"Mother, don't—"

"No, Emma  ! Someone needs to say it!"  Victoria 's voice rose to a shout. "He's holding you back! Poisoning your mind against good opportunities! Making you weak!"

Liam's expression remained calm, though something flickered in his eyes.

"If you had married someone worthy,"  Victoria  continued, "someone with connections and power, none of this would have happened! But instead, you're stuck with this... this nobody!"

The words hung in the air like poison.

Liam cleared his throat softly. "Mrs. Harper, if I may—"

"You may not!"  Victoria  snapped. "You've done enough damage already!"

"I was only going to say," Liam continued gently, his voice apologetic, "that I could help Emma secure a deal with Titan Global Holdings."

The silence that followed was absolute.

 Victoria  stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Then she exploded.

"HELP?" Her voice reached a pitch that made the windows rattle. "HELP? You think you can help with Titan Global Holdings?"

"Mother, please calm down—"

"Calm down?"  Victoria  whirled toward Emma  . "Your husband just claimed he can work with the most powerful conglomerate in the country! How can I calm down when he's clearly lost his mind?"

She turned back to Liam, her face twisted with rage and disbelief.

"You can't even hold down a job! You can't support your wife! You can't contribute anything to this family! And now you think you can just waltz into Titan Global Holdings and make deals?"

"I understand your skepticism—"

"Skepticism?"  Victoria 's laugh was hysterical. "This isn't skepticism! This is reality! You're delusional if you think—"

"I'm not delusional," Liam said quietly.

"YES, YOU ARE!"  Victoria  screamed. "You're living in a fantasy world where you matter! Where you have power! Where anyone would take you seriously!"

She grabbed her purse, her movements sharp and angry.

"I can't listen to any more of this insanity," she declared. "When you come to your senses, Emma  , call me. Until then, I'm done watching you destroy everything for a man who lives in his own imagination!"

She stormed toward the door, her heels clicking furiously against the marble.

"And Liam," she called back without turning around, "stop filling my daughter's head with impossible dreams. She deserves better than your empty promises!"

The front door slammed with enough force to shake the house.

Emma and Liam stood alone in the sudden silence. She looked at him with tired eyes, her shoulders sagging under the weight of everything that had happened.

"Liam," she said softly, her voice filled with exhaustion and gentle desperation, "please don't make such wild claims anymore."