Lahat ng Kabanata ng BILLIONAIRE’S PLAY THING: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

Dominic’s POVI got out of my car as my driver drove to the car drive to park the car. The house was quiet when I returned. It always was. That was how I preferred it, stillness like a cathedral, no footsteps, no unnecessary voices echoing through the halls. Noise was a distraction. And distraction was a weakness.I loosened the cuff of my shirt as I stepped into the foyer. Another endless day of negotiations, handshakes with men who would sell their souls for one more percent of profit. I gave them nothing more than what was needed. Words were currency; mine, I spent sparingly.The butler met me as always. His eyes gave nothing away, but something in the way he inclined his head was… different. “Mr. Blackwell,” he said evenly, “dinner has been arranged.”“Dinner,” I repeated, arching a brow. “Okay, what did you make?”He didn’t answer directly. Just that small pause, and then, “You will see.”I didn’t press him. If it was important, I’d see it for myself. And if it wasn’t, it would

Dominic’s POVThe world always watches.It’s something I’ve told myself countless times over the years, a mantra drilled into my skull by board meetings, family expectations, and the relentless churn of headlines that have followed me since I first took control of the company. I’ve grown used to it, the whispers, the stares, the flash of cameras when I step outside my car.But today feels different.The moment I step into the lobby, there’s a sharp change in the air. My employees are too quiet. Too careful. A ripple of awareness moves through the room like heat off asphalt. I keep walking, my polished shoes striking the marble floor with steady, deliberate clicks, pretending not to notice the subtle glances tossed in my direction.And then I see it.The oversized screen mounted behind the reception desk, the one that usually displays market updates and company announcements, is flashing a newsfeed. My breath catches for just a fraction of a second when I spot the headline:“Mystery

Ethan’s POVI drove to work and there they were, waiting.At first, I didn’t register what I was seeing. My mind was still foggy from sleep and the lingering warmth of Dominic’s bed. The sun had barely risen, the streets just starting to stir awake. But as I turned the corner onto the narrow lot behind the building where I parked every morning, I saw them, clustered like predators scenting blood.Cameras.For a split second, I thought maybe they were here for someone else. A politician, a local celebrity,hell, anyone but me. But as soon as my tires hit the gravel, heads swiveled.The flashlights hit before the questions.Blinding bursts of light exploded in my vision, and my body reacted instinctively, flinching back even though I was still inside the car. My fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard they ached.I’d never seen anything like it. The sheer wall of noise that followed, the voices, urgent and sharp, overlapping in a chaotic barrage.“Ethan! Ethan, over here!”“Is it true

Ethan’s POVI swallowed hard, my throat dry and tight. “Is there… something you need to tell me?”Her smile wavered at the edges, like a mask that was just a little too heavy to hold in place. “Okay. So…” She shifted slightly in her seat, smoothing her skirt in a nervous gesture that made my stomach twist. “I think it’s best if you take a break from work. You know, just until the whole thing dies down.”The words landed with a dull, heavy thud in my chest, like someone had dropped a stone straight through me.“Oh,” I said softly, because I couldn’t think of anything else. My voice sounded strange in my own ears, thin and fragile.Her eyes darted away for a moment before coming back to me, bright with forced cheer. “You’ve been under so much pressure lately,” she continued, her tone falsely soothing, like she was talking to a child. “We’ve all seen the, uh, attention you’ve been getting. It must be hard for you. We just want to make sure you’re okay.”I understood what she was really

Ethan’s POVThe sound of the news was like static in my ears.It filled the living room, every channel a different variation of the same story, the same endless loop of destruction.Dominic sat beside me, rigid, silent. His jaw was locked so tight I could see the muscles twitch. I leaned against him because I didn’t know what else to do, because his warmth was the only thing keeping me from shattering.But even his presence couldn’t soften the sharp edges of what was unfolding before us.The screen showed my face over and over again, spliced between commentary and slow zooms of photographs that should never have been seen by another soul.Me and Dominic in bed.Me and Dominic kissing, touching, tangled together in the privacy of our own world, a world that had been stripped bare and sold for headlines.Every breath felt like it scraped my throat raw.The reporters spoke in measured tones, but their words cut deep.“Leaked photos have emerged of Dominic Blackwell and an unidentified ma