Chapter 1 Billionaire's Lies

Benedict's icy glare felt like a winter storm, chilling Sabrina to her core. Her heart raced with a mix of fear and heartbreak as she faced him. He was Benedict Thompson, the only heir to the Thompson estates, a man known more for his wild ways than for his business brilliance. At a young age, he became a billionaire and led BMX Estates, a huge architectural firm. Now, he paced angrily in his family's luxurious living room, each step echoing the thick tension in the air. "Last night, you seduced me," he spat, his voice sharp and filled with anger. "What trick did you use to make my mother force me into this marriage?" Sabrina welled up with tears, trying to find the right words. She had never seen him like this; in pain and disbelief."I... I didn't trick you," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I've liked you since we were kids. That's all." His harsh laugh cut through her, deepening his rage. "You think I would believe that? The wedding, everything-it's just a trap, isn't it?" "I'm not acting, Benedict," she cried, her voice breaking. "I've loved you for so long. I could never do something like that." He moved closer, the heat from his body mixing with the coldness of his words. "Love? Is that what this is? Pathetic." "I'm telling you the truth. You got drunk last night, and I didn't want to cause you agony. Always, I have cared for you, though you could not see me," she pleaded. Benedict rolled his eyes, filled with disdain. "I'll give you money for what happened. Name your price, and I'll pay you." Each word felt like a dagger to her heart. "I don't need your money!" she cried, her voice shaking with a mix of desperation and heartbreak. Tears filled in her eyes and began running over her cheeks, as she poured out her feelings, "Why can't you believe me? Can't you see how much I care? This isn't about wealth or status for me; it's about us! I just want you to understand how deeply I love you!" His bitter laugh echoed in the room. "Loved me? You think that means anything? I don't love you, Sabrina. I never have, and I never will." The weight of his words hit her hard, making her feel small and helpless."Please, Benedict," she wailed, collapsing to her knees. "Tell me what I can do to make you love me ? I'll do anything." His dark eyes looked down at her with contempt. "Even if you died, I still wouldn't love you. I wouldn't care at all. Remember that." He pulled out a bottle of wine, grabbed the cork with a forking noise, and showered it over her. The cold liquid drenched her hair and dress, mixing with her tears. "Benedict, please-" she begged, but he stepped away, admiring his cruel act. "You are pathetic," he sneered. "I can't believe I am forced to marry someone as weak and miserable as you. desperate and dramatic." Sabrina barely got words through her tears. "I didn't ask any of this," she whispered. "I never wanted it to be this way." "Then walk away," he snapped, crossing his arms. "But you won't. This is what you've always wanted. Admit it." "No!" she cried, wiping the wine from her face. "I wanted you, Benedict. Not your money or your house. Just you." His laugh dripped with disbelief. "You're delusional. You're nothing to me, Sabrina. You'll never be anything to me." As he spoke, her final hope faded. She had sensed this moment was coming, but hearing his words felt like a brutal blow. It pierced through her heart, leaving her feeling hollow and aching with pain. "Benedict, I am sorry for making you feel this way" she whispered, her voice trembling, barely a breath escaping her lips. "Please... don't marry me out of hate. Don't make this worse." "I have no choice," he growled, pulling her up harshly. "My mother has made that clear. But don't think for a second that this means you've won and you have succeeded! You haven't. You'll regret this!" Tears flowed freely as her world crumbled. "What have I done to deserve this?" she cried. "I just loved you." "That's your problem," he said, pushing her away. "You loved someone who never cared for you. Now you'll pay the price." With one last glare, Benedict stormed out, leaving her drenched and broken. Sinking to the floor, Sabrina let her sobs echo in the empty room. She had loved him her whole life, but now she understood: her love was not enough. Benedict had taken her heart and shattered it into pieces. The next day came, though her feelings had been utterly smashed the night before, the wedding preparations continued on. Sabrina hardly recognised who peered back at her as she sat in the bride's suite: white, pale, tear-rimmed eyes, but still, a beautiful silken cloth hugged her body, soft curls framed her face.Her mother, Leila, entered and sat beside her. Her face etched with despair. "Sabrina dear," she whispered softly, "do you really want to do this? You don't have to do this." Sabrina shook her head. New tears formed in her eyes. "Mom, what am I suppose to do?" she whispered in a barely audible voice, her voice barely above a whisper, quivering with uncertainty. "I love him, but he.... He hates me." The burden of her heart pressure weighed upon her chest so heavily that it became unbearable to breathe. She felt lost and scared, like standing at a crossroads with no signs guiding her. Then her eyes questioned her mother to seek solace as well as find answers that seemed really too far and unattainable. She stood helpless in the midst of such a moment like this daughter, with a plea for some form of support against confusion and the pain that will sink within themselves. "I just feel so broken," she added, barely above whisper in her voice.She took his hands in hers and began to massage them with her fingertips. "You want a better life than this, my love. You want someone to love you back." Sabrina continued, speaking with her heavy voice, "I thought maybe. If I marry him, he will change. But he is angry and I do not know if I can fix it." But Leila could see the agony in Sabrina's eyes.