The Broke, Mute Boy I Saved Was a Bored Billionaire Chapter 11

The Broke, Mute Boy I Saved Was a Bored Billionaire Chapter 11

I slept soundly that night and ignored the chaos exploding online.

By the time I woke the next morning, all three stories were dominating every major platform.

#EvidenceAgainstVedaNorcross

#CrimesBehindTheMasqueradeChallenge

#TheDarkGamesOfRivenhurstElite

Along with the video of Veda framing me, I had released every piece of evidence I had collected.

There were records of the crimes committed under the cover of the Masquerade Challenge, along with statements from dozens of victims.

The public backlash was immediate, and state investigators opened an inquiry.

The privileged heirs who had once believed themselves untouchable became the most hated people in the city.

Veda had created the challenge, rigged the bets, and profited from the cruelty. Police arrested her after investigators obtained a warrant.

Bastien was torn apart online too.

Dr. Rothwell had known about the game and allowed her son’s behavior to continue. Once that became public, the hospital board forced her to resign from Arbocrrest.

—

When it was finally over, I let out a long breath.

The last time Bastien came to see me, he was soaked through.
Rainwater filled his expensive shoes, and he looked like a man who had nowhere left to go.

With shaking hands, he pulled a waterproof envelope from inside his coat.

“My shares in Rothwell Health. The access documents for my private accounts and safe-deposit box.”

He swallowed.

“And this.”

His fingers trembled as he opened his shirt.

My name was tattooed over his heart.

“Do you want me to cut it out?”

“You can have everything. I’ll give you all of it.”

His voice broke.

“Just don’t leave me.”

He begged with the same desperation I had once felt at the bottom of that snow hollow, waiting for him to look back.

I took two steps away.

That was my answer.

Bastien rushed forward and wrapped his arms around me.

—

“I know you hate me.”

“I know what I did was unforgivable. Whatever you’ve done to punish me, I deserved it.”

His voice cracked against my shoulder.

“I’m only asking you to forgive me.”

“Forget everything that happened. Let’s start over.”

A quiet laugh slipped from my lips.

“Bastien, do you really think I did all of this just to get revenge on you?”

“I’m not that obsessed with a man.”

He stared at me, lost, his eyes red.

I pushed him away.

“Let me tell you a story.”

“You know my parents never wanted me. They always chose my younger sister, and I grew up desperate for anyone to love me.”

“She spread rumors about me at school. She told everyone I hurt people, and soon no one wanted anything to do with me.”

“When I was thirteen, I found a stray dog and brought him home. He became my only friend.”

“One afternoon, I was selling balloons in the park when I ran into Veda and a few guys who were always hanging around her.”

—

“One of them tried to kiss me. When I pulled away, he grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.”

“My dog protected me. He scared them off.”

My voice stayed calm.

“The next morning, I found him outside my front door. They had killed him and stripped away his skin.”

“I had no one to turn to. That hatred stayed inside me for years. It became the nightmare I could never escape.”

“Then I saw the photograph of you and Veda.”

Bastien’s face slowly drained of color.

“The moment I realized you had lied to me, I stopped loving you.”

“Everything I did after that was meant to teach people like you one thing.”

I looked directly into his eyes.

“Privilege does not give you the right to destroy a life.”

“Not even a dog’s.”

He seemed to understand at last.

“Don’t do this, Tress.”

“I don’t care if you used me.”

“You can punish me for the rest of my life.”

—

His voice shook harder with every word.

“I never learned how to love anyone. That’s why I hurt you.”

“Teach me.”

“Please don’t abandon me.”

I looked at him and almost laughed.

“You still don’t understand.”

“The broke, silent boy I loved died a long time ago.”

“You killed him.”

I stepped back.

“So leave, Bastien. We can still walk away without making this uglier.”

…

In the end, Bastien left looking completely hollow.

Before he went, he left the signed stock-transfer agreement behind.

He said he would wait for me.

For as long as it took me to change my mind.

I watched him disappear, then fed the agreement into the shredder.

As the paper vanished into thin strips, I picked up my suitcase and walked out.

A taxi pulled up at the curb.

—

“Where to?” the driver asked.

I smiled.

“The airport, please.”

Outside the window, Rivenhurst’s lights blurred through the rain like watercolor.

For the first time, my future had never looked clearer.