The CEO's Dirty Secret: Why the Billionaire Is Hiding?

Chapter 6: Adrenaline at Midnight

The police cruiser’s lights pulsed red and blue against the kindergarten’s peeling fence, casting long, frantic shadows. Rian didn't flinch as the officers approached. He didn't even look at the cuffs. He looked at Elvina.

"You called them?" Rian asked, his voice chillingly calm.

"I didn't have to," Elvina countered, her eyes darting between the officers and the chaos. "They were already here, Rian. You brought the storm with you."

"Is that a fact?"

"Marcus, tell them he’s leaving," Elvina snapped, turning toward the fixer. "I want him off this property now."

Marcus didn't move. He looked at his watch, his expression devoid of empathy. "He has an outstanding warrant for corporate theft, Ms. Tarigan. He isn't going anywhere unless we walk him out."

"Wait," Rian stepped forward, blocking the officer's path. "Give me five minutes. The roof is going to collapse."

"The roof?" The officer scoffed, reaching for his belt. "Move it, Sitepu."

"Look up, you idiot," Rian pointed toward the primary building. "The storm is hitting in ten minutes. That leak you saw this morning? The structural integrity is gone. If you arrest me now, you leave these kids under a death trap. I have a crew ten minutes out. If you take me, nobody fixes that support."

Elvina looked up. The sky was a bruised, sickly violet. A low rumble of thunder shook the ground, and a tile from the school roof clattered to the dirt.

"He’s bluffing, isn't he?" Elvina whispered to herself, though she looked terrified.

"I don't bluff about structural failure," Rian said, his voice dropping to a sharp, urgent tone. "Elvina, override this. Tell them I’宁 essential staff. I’ll get it patched, then you can hand me over."

"Essential staff? You’re a liability, not a repairman!"

"I’m the only one who can get a specialized team inside this gate before the rain turns this place into a sinkhole. Do you want the kids safe, or do you want to play martyr?"

Elvina grabbed the officer’s arm. "Hold on. He’s right about the roof. It’s been flagged for months. If it goes, the insurance won't cover a dime of the cleanup."

"Ms. Tarigan, he’s a criminal suspect," the officer insisted.

"He’s a donor," Elvina lied, her voice icy. "And as the board chair, I’m ordering you to let him finish the structural assessment. If he tries to run, I’宁 call the precinct myself."

The officer hesitated, looking at the rapidly darkening sky. "Five minutes, Sitepu. Then you're coming with us."

"Five minutes is all I need," Rian said.

He didn't wait. He whipped out a burner phone—not the one from the gala—and spoke in a rapid, clipped cadence that Elvina had never heard before.

"Section four. Emergency reinforcement. Send the heavy-duty tarps and the structural steel, not the subcontractors. If you’re late, don't bother coming."

"You sound like you're commanding an army," Elvina remarked, stepping into his personal space as he hung up.

"I’m commanding a logistics chain," Rian said, his eyes scanning the building's facade. "Move. Get the staff to the west wing. The collapse will be centered on the main hall."

"Why are you helping, Rian? Truly?"

"Because if the building crumbles, there's no sandbox. And I'm not finished with the sandbox yet."

"You're insane."

"I'm efficient. Now move!"

The wind began to howl, tearing at the palm trees near the fence. Rain started as a sparse patter, then turned into a violent deluge. The school was empty of children, but the main structure groaned under the pressure of the rising gale.

"The gate!" Rian shouted over the roar of the wind.

A black SUV skidded into the parking lot, defying the mud. Men in tactical gear swarmed out, carrying industrial-grade equipment. They didn't look like contractors; they looked like special ops.

"They aren't roofers," Elvina yelled, clutching her coat.

"They're the best in the business," Rian replied, pulling her toward the doorway of the administrative office. "Get inside. The rain is going to be torrential."

They ducked into the office just as the sky opened up. The world turned to grey static. Rian slammed the door, and the interior plunged into sudden, suffocating silence.

"We're trapped," Elvina breathed, her hair plastered to her face. "The power's out."

"It's not just the power," Rian said, his voice dropping. "The storm is a Category One. We aren't going anywhere until the morning."

"You planned this," she accused, turning to face him in the dark.

"I planned for the roof. I didn't plan for the apocalypse."

"You’re breathing hard," she noticed, her voice trembling. "Are you scared?"

"I'm human, Elvina. It's a new sensation."

"Stop lying. You're never afraid."

"I'm afraid of the silence," he whispered. "Without the noise, I have to actually look at you."

He took a step forward. The space was tiny, the smell of damp wood and rain heavy in the air.

"You're shivering," he said, reaching out to touch her arm.

"Don't," she started, but her voice cracked.

"It's just the cold, Elvina. Don't make it a contract."

She didn't pull away. Outside, a massive branch crashed against the roof, causing the entire floor to shudder. She stumbled, and he caught her, pulling her firmly against his chest.

"The roof," she gasped, her hands gripping his hoodie. "Is it going to hold?"

"My team is up there," he said, his mouth inches from her ear. "They don't fail. Neither do I."

"You’re going to jail the second this clears," she whispered.

"Then I have until dawn," he replied.

He tightened his grip, the warmth of his body seeping through her clothes. The storm thundered above, isolating them in a darkness that felt like a secret.

"Rian?"

"Yeah?"

"If this is the end of the game, stop playing."

He didn't answer with words. He leaned down, his lips brushing the edge of her jaw, his hand sliding up to cradle the back of her head.

"I stopped playing the moment I saw you in the sandbox," he murmured, his breath hitching as he kissed the hollow of her throat.

Suddenly, the front door rattled violently, not from the wind, but from a deliberate, heavy thud.

"Elvina?" a familiar voice boomed through the wood. "I know you're in there. Open up!"

It was Ginting.

Rian pulled back, his eyes flashing with lethal intent. "He’s not leaving, is he?"

"He's not," Elvina whispered, her face pale.

"Good," Rian smirked, stepping toward the door. "I was getting bored of the quiet."