The Billornaire's Secret

Fragile Lies

Olivia sat quietly on the plush couch in Alexander’s opulent living room, the box of cookies long forgotten beside her. The grandeur of his mansion surrounded her, but all she could think about was the heavy silence between them. She had so many questions swirling in her mind, but none of them seemed to form the right way.

**Who is he really?** The thought lingered, an unsettling weight pressing down on her chest. How could someone like Alexander, who seemed so grounded, be living this extravagant life? Why hadn’t he told her?

Across from her, Alexander paced near the grand fireplace, his face shadowed by the dim light. He hadn’t said much since their conversation about his home—about who he was. His hands moved absently, raking through his hair as though trying to work through some internal storm.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Olivia finally asked, her voice soft, cutting through the silence like a quiet plea.

Alexander paused mid-step, his back to her, shoulders tense. He didn’t answer right away. She saw his jaw clench from where she sat, his posture rigid. When he finally turned to face her, his eyes were dark, troubled.

“I wanted to,” he said, his voice low. “But... it’s complicated, Liv. More complicated than you know.”

Olivia searched his face, trying to find answers in the tension there. “I don’t understand, Alexander. What’s so complicated about telling me the truth?”

He sighed, sitting on the edge of the sofa across from her, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. For a moment, it seemed like he might open up, but his gaze dropped to the floor instead. He wasn’t ready to reveal the full truth, and Olivia could sense it.

“There’s a part of my life I haven’t shared with you,” Alexander said slowly, carefully. “It’s not just about money or the house... it’s about what I’ve done—what I’m responsible for.”

His words made Olivia’s heart skip a beat, confusion deepening. What could he mean by that?

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alexander closed his eyes briefly, his hand tightening into a fist. His mind flashed back to that day. The crash. The guilt that had haunted him ever since. He could still hear the sound of screeching tires, still feel the crushing weight of his choices.

“I shouldn’t have... I should’ve never had all of this,” Alexander whispered, his voice strained with the burden of what he wasn’t saying. “None of it was supposed to be mine. It was never meant to be this way.”

Olivia blinked, her confusion deepening. “What are you talking about?”

Alexander couldn’t bring himself to look at her. Not yet. How could he explain it without tearing apart the fragile bond they were just starting to build? He had ruined everything—ruined his family. His hands trembled slightly, but he forced them still.

“I made a mistake,” he finally said, his voice thick with regret. “A mistake that cost someone... everything.”

Olivia sat up straighter, her heart pounding faster. There was something here, something deeper than she had realized. The air between them felt thick, weighed down by the secrets he was holding back. But she didn’t push. Not yet.

Alexander’s gaze finally met hers, and she saw the raw pain there, something dark and unresolved. “I ruined my brother’s life, Liv. And because of me... I ended up with everything that should’ve been his.”

Her breath hitched. **Brother?** He had never mentioned a brother before. But something about the way he said it made her heart ache for him. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Alexander...” she began softly, unsure of what to say. “Why haven’t you told me any of this before?”

“Because telling you would mean admitting everything. And I can’t... I can’t put that on you, not yet,” he murmured, standing abruptly. He turned away from her again, his hands gripping the back of a nearby chair.

Olivia felt the distance between them widening, and it scared her. She wanted to reach out, to close the gap. But how could she when she didn’t even know the full story?

“Alexander, if we’re going to be together, you can’t keep shutting me out like this,” she said gently, standing and moving closer to him. “You can trust me, but I need you to be honest with me. Please.”

He turned toward her slowly, his expression torn between wanting to protect her and needing to keep his past buried. “Liv, I care about you too much to drag you into my mess. You don’t deserve this. What I did... it’s unforgivable.”

Her heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. “Maybe you should let me decide that,” she whispered.

For a moment, Alexander looked at her like he might finally let her in. But then, he stepped back, shaking his head.

“I can’t. Not yet,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Olivia’s eyes burned with frustration and sadness. She wanted to understand, to help him carry whatever burden he was holding onto. But Alexander was holding it so close to his chest, locking her out.

And before she could say anything else, he gave her a pained look. “I need some air,” he muttered, walking past her toward the front door.

“Wait—” she called out, but he was already gone, the door clicking softly shut behind him.

Olivia stood in the middle of the vast room, her heart heavy with uncertainty. **What just happened?** She had so many questions, but the one she couldn’t shake was this: **Who was his brother?** And what had happened that made Alexander believe he didn’t deserve the life he had?

She glanced at the mantelpiece, noticing a framed photo of a family. Alexander stood with a boy who looked eerily similar to him—his brother?—and an older couple, all smiling. The image only deepened her confusion and sadness. **What else haven’t you told me, Alexander?**

The mansion felt emptier than ever.