Betrayed I Upgraded to His Billionaire Brother novel Chapter 9

**TITLE: Pushing the Edge 9**
**Chapter 09**

I stirred awake, a wave of weakness washing over me, leaving me feeling utterly depleted. Yet, curiously, I didn’t feel as terrible as I anticipated.

My palms and knees, which should have been swollen and pulsating with pain, felt surprisingly manageable, though they remained a disheveled mess. The nagging ache in my tailbone, which had tormented me for two long days, had significantly diminished.

But why was I here? This wasn’t my space.

A frown creased my forehead as I contemplated calling the front desk for clarity, but then a faint, delightful scent wafted over my skin, halting my thoughts.

Where had I encountered that aroma before?

As I delved into my memories, a fragment surfaced: just before the world faded to black, a man had lifted me, his hand brushing against my face.

He might have uttered something more, but that too had slipped away into the void—

I had been out cold.

What struck me as peculiar was the absence of any revulsion or fear regarding this stranger’s touch. Not even the slightest trace of discomfort lingered in my mind.

As I exited the hotel, an irresistible urge compelled me to inquire with the girl at the front desk. The young woman practically squealed with excitement.

“Oh my god, he was so incredibly handsome! Like, seriously hot—total Hollywood A-lister vibes!”

Clearly, I was destined to receive nothing but squeals in response. No substantial information regarding my so-called “good Samaritan.”

Zane couldn’t possibly be the one. So who could it be? Gavin? No, not him either. The only person who came to mind, fitting her description, was Ethan.

The Ivy League’s most celebrated lacrosse captain of his time, and the undeniable heir to his family’s vast empire. He certainly possessed the looks—

But he’s dead.

I couldn’t fathom why he had been occupying my thoughts so frequently lately. Was it that text he sent me mere moments before his untimely death? Or was there something deeper at play here?

Whatever the case may be, I was determined to unveil the truth behind his so-called “accident.”

Only then would I grasp why Ethan—the genuine Ethan, the one who had vanished—would reach out to me, of all people. His brother’s wife.

I took a moment to collect my scattered thoughts, steadied my breathing, and finally summoned an Uber to take me home.

Stepping back into the house felt akin to crossing a threshold into an entirely different realm. The atmosphere enveloped me in a sense of tranquility. Harmonious, even. It was amusing in a way. I realized that perhaps the tension that had permeated the air over the past few days had stemmed from me—the unwanted extra in this drama.

“Elara, you’re back.”

Amelia greeted me with a self-satisfied smile, her eyes glinting with triumph.

She was clearly reveling in the fact that Zane had chosen her the day prior. Judging by the unusually smug air about her, it was evident that he must have gone to great lengths to ensure she didn’t see anyone else.

No small feat, but then again, he always excelled at grand, desperate gestures when he sensed his control slipping away.

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