Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39: The Secret Billionaire
Hazel
I had reached out to Adam before facing the press. He was my best friend and, despite our differences, he always had my back. William's betrayal still stung, leaving me desperate for some space to clear my head. His earlier threats lingered, casting a shadow of fear over me. What scared me most wasn't just his knowledge of my secret, but his silence about it. It was a chilling reminder of his power over me.
"I'm ready," I texted Adam on iMessage.
"I'll be there in 10 minutes," came his swift reply.
Pushing aside the doubts about my hasty decision, as I couldn't afford to dwell on the risks given the bad history between Adam and Williams. I did not have any other choice, as my parents clearly did not want me to come home since the contract was still in effect. Just as I was lost in thought, my phone pinged, distracting my train of thought.
"I'm here," the message flashed.
Gathering my essentials, I quietly slipped out of my room, careful not to make a sound. Every step downstairs was done with caution, checking for any signs of anybody who was awake. Finally, as I reached the entrance, I eased the door open and slipped out into the night. I was still apprehensive until I saw Adam waiting by the gate. A wave of relief washed over me.
With a quick nod, I slipped into the car, the weight of my decision heavy in the air as he drove away. As the distance between me and William grew, I sank back into the seat, finally able to exhale. But the journey ahead felt far from over.
A hand settled comfortingly on my arm. Adam's voice, laced with concern, cut through the fog clouding my mind. "Are you okay?" he asked. I managed a weak smile. "I'll try to be," I replied, the words catching in my throat. He took my hand in his and kissed my knuckles before releasing it and focusing back on the road.
But my attention snagged as we passed a familiar turnoff that led to his house. Curiosity gnawed at me. "Hey, we just passed your place, Adam. Where are we headed?" He shot me a half-smile, something secretive dancing in his eyes.
"There's this place," he began, his voice dropping a notch lower, "a kind of...secret house. Private. Nowhere anyone can track us."
Surprised, I could only utter an "Oh!" "You have another house?" I inquired, baffled by this revelation.
He chuckled "Something like that. A place to get away, clear my head." he replied, as if it was a normal thing for a single man to have a private house where he can crawl to when he needed to be alone, reflect and unwind.
"Why do you need a whole house?" I pressed further. Adam chuckled, evading a direct answer.
“I just needed a place to crash for like three days for a few days and figure things out, Adam. You don’t have to go through the stress”. I looked up at him.
“It’s not a big deal Haze, I’ll do anything for you” he replied.
I trusted him, so I didn’t really think about how that conversation seemed a little weird. With a sigh, I leaned back in my seat. I guess somewhere along the line I dozed off because the next thing I knew I was being tapped gently on the shoulders.
I woke up trying to make sense of my environment. I looked up and Adam was smiling down on me.
“We are home” he said cheerily.
“Oh” I exclaimed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes with the back of my hand.
He unclasped my seat belt and helped me out of the car and grabbed my duffle bag at the same time, then he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
Stepping through the gate, I was awed by my surroundings. The compound stretched out before me, seemingly endless under the twilight sky. Behind me stood a formidable black gate, while ahead loomed a charming mini-mansion that looked like it was drawn from a storybook. The two-story building had a fully stoned facade topped with a gray slate roof. The exterior was painted white. There were two cars, a jeep and a salon car occupied the driveway while the winding entrance was tiled and surrounded by neatly trimmed flowers. Behind them, emerald green grass stretched out, sculpted into tiny, perfect globes. The whole compound sparkled with twinkling lights casting a warm glow on the surrounding trees, transforming the entire scene into a scene ripped from a cherished childhood storybook.
“This house must be worth millions of dollars, Adam,” I gasped in shock as I looked at the swimming pool on the right.
I turned to Adam. “Is this your house”? I asked.
"Yes" he replied. I was trying to compare the Adam that lived in a bachelor pad and the Adam that owned this house, but there was no correlation between the two.
“Do you earn that much in Nova Empire to be able to afford this kind of luxury? I asked, surprised.
He averted my gaze and my question “Let’s head inside” he said.
“You are avoiding my question, Adam. How can you afford this kind of mansion”? I asked again
“I’ll tell you everything when we get in” I nodded and followed him inside. As we climbed the winding stairs that led to the interior of the house, I noticed there was a security guard kitted up in security uniform. He bowed when we passed and opened the door. I was blown away by the interior of the building.
After my appraisal of the place, I turned to Adam, who was looking at me intently.
“You owe me an explanation “I said.
He had a nervous smile on his lips as he guided me to one of the plush seats in the living room and sat close to me. He took my hand in his and looked me in the eye.
“Haze, I know I have not been honest with you from the get-go of our friendship and I apologize for that”.
Confusion knotted my brow as my heart raced. "What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a pang of apprehension. "Well... this house is mine, but I didn't acquire it with my own money," he confessed. "Okay... but how?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued. "My family is wealthy," he revealed. "How wealthy?" I pressed further, my interest growing. "My dad is a billionaire. I don’t like flaunting my wealth because it’s not mine. I don’t even mention it and never would have if you didn’t need my help. I’m sorry I never told you sooner. As he was rambling, my mind flashed back to when he offered to pay off my debt. Anger bubbled within me; this was my supposed best friend, someone who knew everything about me.
I withdrew my hand from his in shock. “You mean all this while we have been friends for how long now? More than a decade ago you were a billionaire, and you never cared to tell me”? I was furious
I stood up. “What else are you hiding from me”? I asked while he reached out to touch my face, but I recoiled.
“I’m sorry Hazel, I just wanted to lead a normal life and make genuine friends”
"You've been hiding so much from me after all these years. Do you even trust me? Or do you think I'll just be after your money if I find out?" My words spilled out, fueled by hurt and betrayal. "I married for money, so I guess you had your reasons to keep this from me," I added bitterly, noticing the regret etched on his face.
“I want to leave” I said as I looked him in the eye.
“Haze, I understand your anger, but let’s not make a hasty decision. Besides, it’s already too late for you to leave”, he pleaded.
I took out my phone and checked the time. It read 11.18 P.M. I sank into the sofa sulking as my chest became tight. I did not know what I did to deserve the whole betrayal all round, but I felt hurt, lost and alone. At that point, it felt like my world was crumbling. I leaned backwards on the sofa, put up my legs and curled into myself.
I sensed Adam drawing closer, his gaze fixed on me, his hand reaching out tentatively before pausing in midair. With a sigh, he retreated inside. I lifted my eyes to watch him depart, my gaze then falling upon the sleek fireplace and the massive 55-inch TV mounted on the wall nearby. Thoughts swirled in my mind, especially after the bombshell Adam had just dropped. It felt as if our entire friendship had been some sort of test or game for him.
As exhaustion pulled me towards sleep, an unsettling feeling lingered, as if I were intruding where I wasn't wanted. What else was Adam hiding? The nagging sensation persisted; I realized I hardly knew him at all. Who was he, really? What secrets lay beneath his surface? Shaking my head, I tried to dispel the unease, but it clung to me stubbornly. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice Adam's return until his touch on my arm jolted me back to the present.
"Scared of me now?" He asked, concern etching his face. I glanced up briefly then looked away, ignoring him.
"Hungry?" He queried.
"I'm fine," I responded curtly.
"Let me show you to your room," he offered. "I'll just sleep on the couch," I countered. "Hazel, please, don't make this any harder than it has to be," he implored, gently grabbing my arm.
Without arguing further, I got up and followed him. We turned right into a room that was very spacious with a small sitting area that bled into a master-sized bedroom. I moved into the attached modern bathroom, impressed by its array of amenities — everything anyone could need. A peek into the walk-in closet revealed spare hangers and a few neatly folded bedsheets.
The bedroom walls were painted in neutral tones, oil paintings on the walls, the king-sized bed looked inviting with a white bedsheet and walls neatly laid without a wrinkle. My jaw dropped as I took it all in. "Who the hell are you?" I demanded, my eyes fixed on him, filled with sudden doubt. It struck me, not for the first time, that perhaps I had never really known this man. Maybe he was far wealthier than he was letting on. He turned towards me, his voice calm. "Haze, please, there are snacks in the fridge if you get hungry later. We'll talk tomorrow." he walked up to me and gave me a kiss on the forehead before he walked away, shutting the door gently behind him.
I sat down stunned into silence. I never saw the day ending like it did.
I decided to lie down, half-hoping this was all just a dream that would dissolve by morning. Little did I know tomorrow would bring its own spectacle, and the real drama was just beginning.