The Billionaire's Secret Deal

Tina Rodriquez's grip on the champagne flute was tight, her knuckles pale against the delicate crystal. The cool glass pressed against her lips, but the bitter taste of champagne was nothing compared to the bitterness swirling inside her chest. She stood in the far corner of the grand ballroom, hidden in the shadows, watching the scene unfold before her like some cruel spectacle.

Nathaniel Fraust, her Nathaniel stood at the center of the room, hand gently resting on the back of her stepsister, Linia. He looked down at her with that familiar smile Tina used to believe was hers alone. Now, it was contorted, tarnished. His lips curved into a grin that seemed softer, more genuine. And Linia... she was glowing, cradling her swollen belly, her eyes never leaving Nathaniel's.

Tina's throat tightened. It was unbearable. The love of her life, the man she had spent eight years building dreams with was now celebrating his engagement to her stepsister. Worse still, Linia carried his child.

Her stepsister is Pregnant With his baby.

She felt like the floor beneath her feet was crumbling, but somehow, she remained standing. The ballroom was a blur of laughter and bright lights, but all she could see was the betrayal in front of her. The room spun in slow motion, voices fading into background noise, leaving only the thundering of her heartbeat in her ears.

"How did it come to this?" she whispered, barely audible to herself.

Her mind reeled, flashes of her and Nathaniel's life together, holidays, vacations, late-night talks crashing like broken glass. All of it was gone, Torn away, Stolen by Linia.

Another sip of champagne. It wasn't enough to drown out the pain.

"Eight years," she muttered, eyes fixed on them. She couldn't look away, no matter how much it hurt.

A voice next to her broke through her haze. "Eight years for what?"

Tina blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She turned her head to see a man standing beside her, casually leaning against the wall. His sharp features were softened by a slight smirk, dark eyes studying her intently.

"Excuse me?" Tina responded, defensive at the intrusion.

The man tilted his head, his gaze flickering toward Nathaniel and Linia before landing back on her. "Eight years for him?" His tone wasn't mocking, but curious, as if genuinely intrigued by her situation.

Tina's jaw tightened. "What do you want?"

He shrugged, hands slipping into his pockets. "Nothing. Just seems like you're having a worse night than most people here."

She turned away, not wanting to engage. "It's none of your business."

"You're right," he said smoothly. "But I've seen that look before Like your whole world's just caved in."

Tina's breath caught in her throat. How could he possibly understand what she was going through? She swallowed hard, forcing the lump in her throat down.

"They look happy," she whispered, mostly to herself, but the words felt like they were being dragged out of her.

The man beside her chuckled softly, drawing her attention. He wasn't looking at her anymore but at the couple across the room. "Happy, huh? Are you sure about that?"

Tina's brows furrowed, eyes narrowing as she followed his gaze. Nathaniel and Linia looked like they were in the perfect moment, basking in each other's company. She felt the pang of jealousy, bitterness, and helplessness all over again.

"They don't seem too happy to me," the man added, his tone casual, but something in it made Tina pause.

She flickered, suddenly unsure. "What do you mean?"

He tilted his head, observing them. "Look at him closely. That smile, Does it reach his eyes?"

Tina's heart skipped. She hated that she found herself looking for it, scanning Nathaniel's face. Was there a flicker of discomfort in his expression? A tightness around his mouth? She wanted to believe it was true, but was it just wishful thinking?

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely audible.

The man sighed, then shifted to face her. "Look, people wear masks all the time. You think they're happy, but they might be crumbling inside. Not everything is as it seems."

Tina swallowed, her throat dry. "Who are you?"

"Jesse," he said, flashing a crooked grin. "Just a guy who noticed a woman who looks like she's seconds away from shattering."

She wanted to argue, to push him away, but the truth was she felt exactly that, Shattered. Barely holding it together. Tina dropped her gaze, focusing on her champagne as if the liquid could somehow fix everything.

"I don't know what I'm doing here," she muttered after a beat. "I should've never come."

Jesse didn't say anything right away, just watched her with an unreadable expression. Then, after a long pause, he straightened up, brushing his fingers over the lapel of his jacket.

"Well," he said, his tone lighter, "you're here now. So, what are you going to do about it?"

Tina frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"

Jesse inclined slightly, lowering his voice. "Are you going to just stand here and let them have their moment? Or are you going to take some of it back?"

Tina blinked, taken aback by his boldness. "What are you suggesting? Cause a scene?"

"Maybe not a scene," he replied, his eyes glinting with mischief. "But why let them think you're the one suffering? Make them wonder."

Tina stared at him, not sure whether to be offended or intrigued. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

Jesse's smile widened, and he offered her his hand. "Dance with me."

Her heart skipped, a mix of shock and disbelief racing through her. "What?"

"Dance with me," he repeated, calm but insistent. "If nothing else, it'll stop you from standing here, wallowing in misery. Plus, I guarantee it'll turn a few heads."

Tina hesitated, glancing back toward Nathaniel. He was still holding Linia close, whispering something in her ear, oblivious to her presence. Her chest tightened again, but this time, a spark of defiance ignited.

Why should she let him be the only one moving on? Why should she be the one left to suffer in silence?

"Alright," she said, setting down her glass and placing her hand in his. "Let's dance."

Jesse led her to the middle of the ballroom with a confidence that put her at ease, his hand warm against hers. The moment they stepped onto the dance floor, she felt every pair of eyes turn toward them, whispers floating through the air.

"See?" Jesse murmured as he pulled her close. "Now they're watching you."

Tina didn't respond, but she could feel it, the shift in the room. The shift in herself. Her heart still ached, but for the first time tonight, it wasn't just pain. There was something else bubbling beneath the surface. Anger. Determination.

She wasn't just going to fade into the background. Not anymore.

As the music played, they moved in rhythm, and Tina found herself focusing less on the people around them and more on the moment. Jesse wasn't like Nathaniel. He wasn't polished and perfect. There was a roughness to him, an edge that both intrigued and unsettled her.

"You're not half bad at this," she said quietly, trying to break the tension inside her.

Jesse chuckled, his breath warm against her ear. "I've had practice."

Tina smiled faintly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't real. That no matter how much she tried to play along, the truth would still hang over her.

Nathaniel. Linia. The betrayal.

She couldn't escape it.

"Hey," Jesse said softly, pulling her out of her thoughts. "You're doing fine."

Tina blinked up at him, her eyes meeting his. There was something in his gaze-something steady, reassuring. It wasn't pity, but something else.

Understanding.

For a brief moment, she let herself relax, leaning into the dance, letting the music carry her. She didn't know what would happen after tonight, but for now, she had one thing.

She wasn't invisible anymore.

And neither was her pain.

As the song came to a close, Tina caught Nathaniel's gaze from across the room. He was watching her, his expression unreadable. But he was watching,

Good.

She pulled away from Jesse just as the music faded. "Thanks for that."

Jesse gave her a half-smile, his dark eyes twinkling with something unspoken. "Anytime."

As he walked away, Tina stood there, her heart still racing, but for the first time in months, she felt like she wasn't drowning.

She wasn't sure what her next move would be. But one thing was clear.

She wasn't going down without a fight.