Beneath the Mask: The Billionaire's Hidden Pain

Beneath the Mask: The Billionaire's Hidden Pain

cici · Ongoing · 587.9k Words

804
Hot
807
Views
241
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

I had always firmly believed that my husband loved me deeply.
However, when I was diagnosed with a terminal illness and my father was on the brink of death, I called my husband to seek help with medical expenses. To my shock, a woman answered the phone.
With a sharp and sarcastic tone, she revealed:
My husband doesn't love you at all; he married you only to take revenge on you, to torment you...
(I highly recommend a captivating book that I couldn't put down for three days and nights. It's incredibly engaging and a must-read. The title of the book is "The Billionaire's Daughter" You can find it by searching for it in the search bar.)

Chapter 1

In the ICU ward of the hospital.

A frail middle-aged man lay quietly on the bed, the monitor beside him beeping softly, a reminder that his life was still hanging in the balance.

"God, if you can really hear my prayer, please let my father come back to life. He's my only hope right now," Olivia whispered, her pale face pressed against the glass as she gazed at her father, Ryder Smith.

Suddenly, she heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching. Turning around, she saw William Brown walking toward her, a test report in hand and a look of deep concern etched on his face.

Olivia had a bad premonition. She hurried to William and asked anxiously, "What happened? Has my father's condition worsened?"

William shook his head, his expression serious as he looked at her. "Olivia, your father's condition is stable for now. But you really need to start worrying about your own health."

Olivia took the test report from him and glanced at it. Suddenly, everything went dark, and she felt herself teetering on the edge of collapse. Thankfully, William was there to catch her just in time.

The report revealed the harsh truth: Olivia had stomach cancer, and the cancer cells were already beginning to spread.

"I'm fine," she insisted, stopping William in his tracks as he reached out to help her. Gripping the edge of a chair, she slowly pulled herself up from the ground, her frustration boiling over as she grappled with the unfairness of it all.

William studied Olivia's pale face, his heart heavy with concern. "You really need to get admitted to the hospital right away. I'll do everything I can to help you, and honestly, your chances of survival are still pretty good."

He held back some of the harsher realities, wanting to give Olivia a glimmer of hope. In his view, a 10% chance and a 15% chance didn't make much difference.

But to his surprise, Olivia shook her head, firmly rejecting his treatment plan. "Thank you for your concern, William, but I don't plan to undergo any treatment."

She stood up from the chair, and prepared to leave.

"Even if you don't care about yourself, think about your father. Do you really want me to break this bad news to him when he wakes up?" William's voice had a touch of reproach, as he hoped to convince Olivia to reconsider treatment.

Olivia didn't expect William to say that. She looked up at William with pleading eyes.

"Please don't tell my family about my condition. You know my father's situation. I don't want them to worry about me anymore."

William was silent for a moment in the face of Olivia's request and could only nod.

"I know it's hard for you to process right now, but I want to give you some time to think it over. In the meantime, I'll go ahead and arrange a treatment plan for you."

William's tone was very sincere and serious.

William and Olivia graduated from the same university, both studying medicine. William was Olivia's senior, and they had worked under the same professor, so they had some acquaintance.

Olivia knew that William was genuinely concerned about her and that he could be stubborn in some aspects, so she didn't refuse his kindness.

"Thank you, William. I'm going home now."

Olivia expressed her gratitude to William and then turned to leave the hospital.

William watched Olivia's haggard figure, feeling a deep sadness wash over him.

Olivia used to be the brightest presence in college, even more talented in medicine than he, a genius.

But for some unknown reason, she had to leave school early.

Leaving the hospital, Olivia looked around the road with a confused expression, not knowing where to go. She took out her phone, hesitated for a moment, and finally dialed her husband's number.

Daniel Wilson was at the hospital with Ava Davis for their children's check-up.

"Mr. Wilson, your child is very healthy."

The doctor handed the diagnosis sheet to Daniel. Daniel looked at the sheet and smiled. Looking at the two sleeping babies, he couldn't help but reach out and play with their noses. The babies, feeling ticklish in their sleep, grunted in dissatisfaction and squirmed. Daniel's smile deepened.

Suddenly, the phone in Daniel's pocket rang. He took out his phone and glanced at the caller ID, and his smile instantly disappeared.

"I'll take this call outside."

Daniel whispered to Ava, then turned and walked into the hospital corridor.

Daniel didn't notice the look of jealousy and anger in Ava's eyes as she watched his back. She had already guessed who was calling Daniel.

'I'm the one Daniel loves the most, so why did he marry Olivia? When will that bitch finally die?' Ava cursed Olivia viciously in her heart.

In the corridor, Daniel answered the call. Before Olivia could speak, he said, "You should know what I'm doing right now. You've ruined my only good mood."

Olivia was silent for a long time before she finally spoke, "I don't care what you're doing. Didn't you want a divorce? I've already signed the divorce papers."

Daniel was stunned. He had been constantly pressuring Olivia to divorce him so he could marry Ava, but Olivia had always refused. Now that she suddenly agreed, Daniel was a bit surprised. More importantly, he didn't feel as happy as he had imagined.

Holding the phone, Olivia's heart was also trembling as she recalled those unbearable memories.

Years ago, Olivia and Ava had an accident together. Unfortunately, both women were pregnant at the time. What truly made Olivia feel betrayed was that her husband Daniel didn't choose to save her first but chose to save Ava.

Both women were sent to the hospital, and both gave birth prematurely.

Fate's unfairness descended at that moment.

Olivia's child died, while Ava gave birth to twins.

"No one knows how much courage it took for me to make this decision." Olivia laughed into the phone, her tone full of sarcasm.

"Where are you now?" Daniel asked, sensing something unusual in Olivia's words.

"I'm at home. If you don't believe me, you can come and see for yourself." Olivia's tone sounded a bit lazy, which made Daniel feel a surge of anger because he didn't feel respected.

"Fine, wait for me at home. I'll be there soon."

Daniel squinted his eyes and hung up the phone angrily. After saying a word to Ava, he quickly left the hospital.

'Looks like I should head back too, or Daniel will go crazy if he finds out I'm not home,' Olivia thought, pouting a little at the idea. With that, she hopped into a cab and made her way back home.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, bringing some warmth to the house, but Olivia was wrapped in a blanket, curled up on the couch.

Under the blanket was a thin figure, and her face, covered by her hair, seemed to show the outline of her cheekbones.

'Why does this woman look even thinner than before?' Daniel thought, then shifted his gaze from Olivia to the table, where the signed divorce papers were placed.

Daniel picked up the divorce agreement and glanced at it. The content was the same as what he had said before, but there was an additional requirement: Daniel had to pay $10 million in alimony.

When Daniel saw the last item about the alimony, he laughed angrily and grabbed the cup on the table, smashing it hard on the ground.

The sound of breaking glass startled Olivia, waking her up from her slumber.

"I was wondering why you were willing to get a divorce. Turns out it was for the money?" Daniel sneered as he looked at Olivia, who was sitting up from the couch.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

BROKEN TRUST

BROKEN TRUST

12.7k Views · Completed · O.J Thewriter
She broke their marriage. He walked away.

Neither of them knew she was carrying his child.

Emily’s affair didn’t just end her marriage—it erased the life she thought was guaranteed. Ryan left without looking back, carrying his anger like armor and leaving Emily alone with regret she would never outrun. Three years later, fate drags them back into each other’s world, along with a little girl who has Ryan’s eyes and a truth that shatters everything he thought he knew.

Old wounds reopen, grief masquerades as rage, and love refuses to stay buried. As parenthood binds them together and the past demands accountability, Emily and Ryan must face the question neither of them is ready to answer: is broken trust the end of their story… or the beginning of a love forged through loss, forgiveness, and brutal honesty?
Ex-Wife, Current Wife

Ex-Wife, Current Wife

9.1k Views · Completed · Aria Sinclair​
She gave everything to a man who never wanted her—now, she’s taking back her life.

For three years, she lived in the shadow of a loveless marriage. She was the woman everyone loved to hate, the one who supposedly "stole" him from his first love. She endured his cold indifference, raised their son—who struggles with a speech impediment—in silence, and traded her own brilliant career for the thankless role of a trophy wife.

But when his long-lost love returns, she is unceremoniously pushed aside to make room for the "real" family.

Enough was enough.

After he publicly humiliates her and chooses the mistress’s daughter over his own son during a birthday party, something inside her finally snaps. She doesn't just want out of the marriage; she wants her life back. With a secret talent for design and a newfound resolve, she walks away from the gilded cage of his estate.

But as she rises from the ashes of her failed marriage to reclaim her status as a top-tier designer, he realizes the woman he treated as a disposable pawn was the only one who truly held his world together.

Now, the woman who once begged for his attention is no longer looking back. Will he be able to earn her forgiveness, or is he finally too late?
My Alpha's Fake Luna

My Alpha's Fake Luna

3k Views · Completed · Rosalind Claire
"I hate you."

Those were the last words my Alpha whispered before he severed our bond.

I believed our marriage was over.

I was wrong.

For two years, I thought Alpha Michael never loved me.

Every misunderstanding pushed us farther apart.

Every silence broke another piece of my heart.

While another woman slowly took my place.

But everything changed after the death of the Grand Alpha.

My mate began watching me.

Protecting me.

Holding me whenever I fell.

Looking at me like he was terrified of losing me.

If he hated me...

Why did he keep risking everything for me?

And why did everyone panic the moment I finally chose another future?
Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart

Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart

3.2k Views · Completed · judels.lalita
"Eyes up here," he said.

My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody.

I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps.

The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner.

The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance.

I soon found myself lost in his arms.

When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes.

The ballroom fell silent.

Was he about to kiss me?


Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household.

Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost.

At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments.

They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun.

Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life.

But things are about to drastically change for her...

Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way.

What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie?

What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom?
GO ON YOUR KNEES, ALPHA.

GO ON YOUR KNEES, ALPHA.

1.6k Views · Completed · Jo Peters
He thought the worst thing he had ever done was losing me.

He was wrong.

Six years ago, Pete Leadsilver had everything an Alpha could want. Power, a respected pack and a future already written for him.

Then he met me.

What began as a game became a mistake I would spend years trying to survive. When I told him I was carrying his child, Pete chose not to believe me. He rejected me, humiliated me, and allowed the people around him to make sure I understood that there was no place for me in his world.

So I disappeared.

I took the secret of my pregnancy with me and built a life far away from the Alpha who had broken me.

Six years later, Pete finds me again. Only this time, he isn't the man with all the power. His pack is dying, his people are running out of time, and I may be the only person capable of saving them.

But I'm no longer the woman Pete remembers. And beside me is a little boy who carries far too much of Pete's face to be a coincidence.

Our reunion should have been about a cure, but instead, it becomes the beginning of a war neither of us saw coming.

Because Pete's greatest danger isn't outside his pack.

It's inside his own family.

Old resentment turns into manipulation. Loyalty becomes betrayal. And the people Pete trusts begin hiding secrets that threaten to destroy everything he's built.

Then someone comes for the people I love.

Suddenly, this is no longer about whether Pete can earn my forgiveness.

It's about whether he can keep me alive.

Whether he can protect the son he never knew existed.

Whether he can uncover the truth before the people closest to him destroy everything he has finally learned to value.

Along the way, we'll lose people we thought would always stand beside us, I'll be forced to confront wounds I've spent six years trying to bury, and the family we're slowly building will be tested in ways neither of us could have imagined.

Because sometimes love isn't the hardest thing to find. Sometimes it's the hardest thing to survive.

Pete once believed power meant never needing anyone and I once believed surviving him meant leaving him behind.

We were both wrong.

Because some bonds refuse to die, some betrayals cut deeper than rejection and some people don't come back into your life to give you a second chance.

They come back to show you exactly what you almost lost.

Pete Leadsilver lost me once.

This time, he'll have to fight to keep the family he never knew he needed.
Reborn and Unleashed: The Boss Lady Takes No Prisoners

Reborn and Unleashed: The Boss Lady Takes No Prisoners

6.1k Views · Completed · PageProfit Studio
In her past life, Vivian Grant was seen as a powerless beauty trapped by the cold and ruthless Alexander Brooks. Even he believed she never loved him. But when enemies closed in, it was Vivian who sacrificed everything, including her own family, to avenge him.

Now reborn, Vivian refuses to hide her strength. She's revealing her true identity, claiming her power, and rewriting her fate. No more submission, no more misunderstandings—this time, she'll take control of her life and her love.

As regretful brothers beg for forgiveness and powerful enemies fall at her feet, Vivian has one goal: to rise without mercy and make the man she once loved fall for her all over again—on her terms.
The Spy Who Left

The Spy Who Left

2.1k Views · Completed · Orion Vale
"She's naive. A pretty little socialite who got lucky marrying above her station."
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
Mated To My Nemesis

Mated To My Nemesis

1.1k Views · Completed · Sharon Smallwood
"He knew my last name before he ever knew what I looked like. It wasn't until it was too late to turn back that I found out why."
Agnes Tremaine arrived in Melbourne with a camera but no backstory in this world. She was meant to document one season. She never realized she was already the blueprint — that the connections, the open doors, and the meticulous arrangements were all built specifically for her, tailored and designed to use her.
Ace had a nine-year revenge in the making. A journalist had destroyed his sister's life and left no fingerprints. Now the man's daughter was standing in his garage with a camera, and Ace had been the one to open the door.
His wolf chooses a mate he never wanted and couldn't shake — not in the paddock, not on the track, not even at 200mph where nothing else had ever followed him before.
For the first time in his life, he couldn't have it all.
The Mafia King's Unknown Doctor Wife

The Mafia King's Unknown Doctor Wife

9.2k Views · Completed · Aurora Starling
Elena, the daughter of a notorious mafia family, was offered as a tribute to the leader of the Morello family by her father. In an attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Elena marries a complete stranger. What she doesn't know is that this mysterious husband of hers is none other than the legendary mafia king... and now, he’s also her new boss...
The MC Hacker’s Stolen Princess

The MC Hacker’s Stolen Princess

18k Views · Completed · allisonslau1986
Taryn Rourke came to Sturgis for freedom, noise, bad decisions, and a few days away from the rules that have followed her all her life.

She did not come to find out her father had promised her to another man.

As the only daughter of Shane “Rook” Rourke, president of the Lost Coast Renegades MC, Taryn has always known club business comes first. But when Rook signs a treaty with the dangerous president of Iron Mesa, he crosses a line even she never imagined.

Safe passage through Arizona territory comes with a price.

Her.

Kellan Stroud is thirty, powerful, ruthless, and already waiting at Sturgis to meet the woman he expects to marry.

Taryn wants no part of him, no part of the agreement, and definitely no part of a future chosen for her by two men who think a signature is enough to decide where she belongs.

Then she meets Bobby Fuentes.

At twenty, Bobby is one of the youngest fully patched members of the Sons of Doom MC. He is quiet until he has something to say, dangerous when he needs to be, and smart enough to get into places no one else can. Hacking is what he does best.

Until Taryn gives him a new problem to solve.

One reckless connection at Sturgis becomes something neither of them can ignore, and when Bobby realizes exactly what Rook has promised away, walking away stops being an option.

But stealing another president’s future wife is not a misunderstanding.

It is an insult.

A betrayal.

And in the MC world, it can mean war.

Taryn refuses to be anyone’s property.

Bobby has never been good at following rules.

And Kellan Stroud does not forgive what he believes belongs to him.

The road out of Sturgis may cost them everything first.
CHASING GHOSTS

CHASING GHOSTS

1.8k Views · Ongoing · stevenkhan2026
Wren Ellison came to Hollow Creek to start over, not to reopen the town's most painful unsolved mystery. But when she's assigned to help injured runner Dez Calloway train for regionals, she can't ignore the connection between him and the cold case she's quietly investigating — his sister Nora, missing for three years. As their daily training sessions turn into something real, Wren has to decide how far she'll go for the truth, and Dez has to decide whether trusting her is worth the risk,
Mission: Steal the Male Lead

Mission: Steal the Male Lead

864 Views · Ongoing · Tintedverry
Morwenna de Lacy awakens inside the bestselling romance novel she hates most—and discovers she has become the villainess fiancée destined to die before the story even reaches its midpoint. Her only hope for survival lies in the mysterious Audience Satisfaction System, which assigns increasingly impossible missions: make the cold Duke Corwin Winterveil fall in love, outshine the beloved heroine, and avoid every death flag written into the original plot. In a glittering empire of noble scandals, royal engagements, magical aristocrats, and ancient gods, one wrong move could cost her everything.

But the more Morwenna changes the story, the stranger the world becomes. The heroine seems to know the future, unseen spectators begin commenting on her life, and the gods watching from above grow obsessed with the drama unfolding before them. Trapped in a story where fate has already decided the ending, Morwenna must choose whether to follow the script or rewrite it entirely. But if the world itself was never meant to belong to its characters, can she steal the male lead before fate steals her freedom first?