Chapter 2: The Billionaire’s Unexpected Question
The entire Collins mansion stopped breathing.
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
Not Victoria.
Not Olivia.
Not Charlotte.
Not even the servants carrying silver trays through the hallway.
Because the one name Adrian Whitmore had just spoken was the one name everyone in the house tried to ignore.
Samantha.
Victoria’s smile disappeared.
“What did you say?”” she asked.
Adrian stood near the entrance, removing his black coat while a man from his security team waited quietly behind him.
The billionaire looked nothing like the arrogant businessmen Samantha had imagined from magazine covers.
He was calm.
Reserved.
His dark suit was perfectly tailored, but his expression was not cold.
It was curious.
“I asked where Samantha Collins was,” Adrian repeated.
Olivia exchanged a confused look with Charlotte.
Then she laughed nervously.
“Why would you want to see her?””
Adrian looked at her.
“Because I came here hoping to meet her.””
The words hit the room harder than anyone expected.
Victoria quickly stepped forward.
“Adrian, welcome to our home. I’m sure there has been some misunderstanding.””
She forced a warm smile.
“My daughters Olivia and Charlotte are the ones you were supposed to meet tonight.””
Adrian glanced at the two women standing beside her.
They immediately straightened their posture.
Olivia smiled sweetly.
Charlotte adjusted her necklace.
But Adrian’s attention moved away from them.
“I understand,” he said.
Victoria’s smile remained.
“Wonderful. Then let’s move to the dining room.””
But Adrian didn’t move.
“Mrs. Collins.””
The slight change in his tone made Victoria uncomfortable.
“Yes?””
“Where is Samantha?””
Silence.
The kind of silence that made everyone aware of every tiny sound.
The ticking of the grandfather clock.
The movement of the curtains.
The distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs.
Victoria’s fingers tightened around the edge of her dress.
“She is… helping in the kitchen.””
Adrian frowned.
“Helping?””
Victoria nodded quickly.
“Yes. Samantha has always preferred staying busy.””
It was a lie.
And everyone in the room knew it.
Especially Samantha.
She stood halfway down the hallway, hidden behind the corner.
She had heard everything.
She didn’t know why Adrian Whitmore wanted to see her.
She didn’t understand how he even knew her name.
But for the first time in years, someone important had entered the Collins mansion…
and asked about her.
Not Olivia.
Not Charlotte.
Her.
“Samantha.””
The sound of Adrian saying her name made her freeze.
Victoria turned sharply.
“Samantha?””
She looked toward the hallway.
Her expression changed instantly.
Not because she was happy to see her daughter.
Because she was angry.
“Samantha, come here.””
Every instinct told Samantha to stay away.
But she walked forward anyway.
Slowly.
Her apron was still tied around her waist.
Her sleeves were rolled up.
Her hands were still slightly wet.
As she entered the living room, she felt every pair of eyes watching her.
Olivia looked disgusted.
Charlotte looked embarrassed.
Victoria looked disappointed.
But Adrian looked surprised.
Not negatively.
Just surprised.
“You’re Samantha Collins?”” he asked.
Samantha nodded.
“Yes.””
Adrian studied her for a moment.
Then he smiled slightly.
“I thought so.””
Samantha frowned.
“You thought so?””
Before Adrian could answer, Victoria interrupted.
“Adrian, Samantha is not prepared for guests. She didn’t realize she would be joining us tonight.””
Samantha looked at her mother.
The sentence was carefully chosen.
Not prepared.
Not dressed.
Not important.
Victoria was reminding everyone exactly where she belonged.
But Adrian noticed.
He noticed the way Samantha lowered her eyes.
The way she immediately stepped backward.
The way she looked more like a servant asking permission to exist than a member of the family.
“Actually,” Adrian said, “I would like Samantha to join dinner.””
Victoria’s face tightened.
“Excuse me?””
Adrian remained calm.
“I said I would like her to join us.””
Olivia laughed awkwardly.
“Adrian, you probably don’t understand. Samantha isn’t really interested in these things.””
Samantha looked at Olivia.
She almost laughed.
Because Olivia had never asked her what she wanted.
Not once.
Adrian looked at Olivia.
“Did she tell you that?””
Olivia opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
“No, but…”
“But?””
Nobody answered.
Adrian looked back at Samantha.
“Would you like to have dinner with us?””
The question shocked her.
Because nobody had asked her what she wanted in a very long time.
She looked at Victoria.
A warning was written all over her mother’s face.
Don’t embarrass me.
Don’t speak.
Don’t forget your place.
Samantha swallowed.
“I…”
Her voice was quiet.
“I’m not dressed for dinner.””
Adrian looked at her simple clothes.
Then he looked at the expensive gowns Olivia and Charlotte wore.
“Dinner is not a fashion competition.””
Nobody spoke.
Samantha felt something strange.
Respect.
A feeling she had almost forgotten.
“I would like to join,” she finally said.
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“Fine.””
But the way she said it made it clear she was anything but fine.
The dining room was enormous.
A table long enough for twenty people sat beneath another crystal chandelier.
Normally, Samantha ate alone in the kitchen.
Tonight, she sat at the table.
The difference felt unreal.
The servants placed plates in front of everyone.
Victoria immediately began controlling the conversation.
“Adrian, Olivia has always been passionate about art. She has a wonderful eye for luxury design.””
Olivia smiled.
“I’ve always believed beauty is about creating an unforgettable impression.””
Adrian nodded politely.
“And Charlotte?””
Victoria quickly answered.
“Charlotte is excellent with people. She understands social connections.””
Charlotte smiled.
“I know how important relationships are in high society.””
Samantha quietly ate her food.
She wasn’t trying to compete.
She wasn’t trying to impress him.
She was simply grateful to sit somewhere she was usually forbidden from sitting.
Then Adrian turned toward her.
“What about you, Samantha?””
The question came suddenly.
She looked up.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
Victoria immediately picked up her wine glass.
“Samantha spends most of her time helping around the house.””
Samantha looked down.
But Adrian didn’t look away.
“I wasn’t asking what she does around the house.””
Victoria became silent.
Adrian continued.
“I asked what she likes.””
Nobody had ever asked that.
Samantha’s fingers rested on the edge of her plate.
“I like restoring old books.””
Everyone looked at her.
She continued quietly.
“I like finding damaged books and repairing them. Sometimes people throw away things just because they don’t see their value anymore.””
For some reason, Adrian’s expression changed.
Like her answer meant something.
“That’s interesting.””
Samantha shrugged.
“I guess I just think old things deserve another chance.””
The room became strangely quiet.
Because the sentence sounded like it wasn’t only about books.
Adrian watched her carefully.
Then he asked:
“Where did you learn restoration?””
Samantha hesitated.
“My grandmother taught me.””
Victoria suddenly placed her fork down.
“That’s enough.””
Everyone looked at her.
Victoria smiled, but it was forced.
“Let’s not make dinner too serious.””
Adrian noticed the reaction.
And he remembered something.
A conversation from three weeks earlier.
An elderly woman had contacted his company’s foundation.
She had sent him a letter.
A letter about a young girl named Samantha.
A girl who had inherited something important.
A girl whose family had tried to hide her.
At the time, Adrian thought the story sounded impossible.
Until he found the documents.
Until he saw the name.
Samantha Collins.
The woman who had written the letter had been his father’s closest friend before she passed away.
And before dying, she had left Adrian one instruction:
Find Samantha.
Protect her.
Make sure Victoria Collins never takes what belongs to her.
Adrian looked across the table.
The girl everyone ignored was sitting quietly beside the people who had tried to erase her.
But he knew the truth.
And tonight was only the beginning.
After dinner, Samantha returned to the kitchen to clean.
Old habits were difficult to break.
She picked up a plate.
Then another.
A few minutes later, Adrian appeared in the doorway.
She immediately stopped.
“Mr. Whitmore?””
“You don’t have to call me that.””
Samantha looked confused.
“What should I call you?””
“Adrian.””
She gave a small smile.
“I don’t think your fiancée candidates would like that.””
For the first time that night, Adrian laughed.
A real laugh.
“They’re not my fiancée candidates.””
Samantha looked surprised.
“But my mother said…”
“Your mother says many things.””
The words carried a meaning Samantha didn’t understand.
Adrian stepped closer.
“There’s something I need to tell you.””
Samantha became serious.
“What?””
Adrian reached into his jacket pocket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
Her name was written on the front.
Samantha Collins.
Her heartbeat changed.
“How do you have that?””
Adrian looked at the envelope.
“Because someone asked me to give it to you.””
“Who?””
Adrian handed it over.
“Your grandmother.””
Samantha froze.
The kitchen suddenly felt colder.
“My grandmother has been gone for years.””
“I know.””
“Then how?””
Adrian looked toward the living room, where Victoria’s voice could be heard laughing with Olivia and Charlotte.
Then he looked back at Samantha.
“Because before she died, she left instructions.””
Samantha slowly opened the envelope.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
Three handwritten words were enough to make her hands shake.
*Trust Adrian Whitmore.*
But underneath the message was another sentence.
May you like
One that made Samantha’s blood run cold.
*The Collins family lied about why they abandoned you… and the truth will destroy everything.*
