<h4>Chapter 24: The Truth Can Be Changed</h4>


    The morning sun streamed through the massive windows of Rafael Vexley’s dining room, flooding the space with soft golden light. It danced across the long mahogany table and made the crystal chandeliers overhead sparkle like captured stars. The room smelled of freshly brewed coffee, warm buttery croissants, and sharp citrus from the bowl of perfectly arranged oranges in the centre. Every inch of the space screamed wealth and power.


    At the head of the table sat Rafael in his sleek wheelchair, wearing a navy suit that hugged his broad shoulders like it was made just for him – because it was. His dark wavy hair caught the morning light, and though everyone believed he couldn’t see, his steel-grey eyes watched everything with a quiet, dangerous amusement. Around him, staff moved like silent shadows: ra pouring coffee with steady hands, a young maid adjusting the silverware just right, and James standing by the doorway with his tablet, ready for orders.


    Outside, Eliana Bet’s heart thudded as the mansion gates nged shut behind her. She walked up the stone driveway, the breeze tugging at her simple blue dress. Her sandals pped lightly against the path, each step feeling heavier than thest. All this wealth surrounded her, almost sneering at her presence, but she kept her head high. She wasn’t here to beg. She was here to thank Rafael Vexley for paying her father’s hospital bills – and to tell him she would pay him back, every single cent.


    Before she could knock, the grand double doors swung open to reveal ra. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.


    "Miss Bet... I didn’t think I’ll see you again," ra said with a soft smile on her face.


    "I won’t be long," Eliana replied softly, smoothing her dress with trembling fingers. "I just need to speak with Mr Vexley."


    ra hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside. "He’s in the dining room."


    Eliana’s sandals echoed through the marble foyer as she walked in.


    There he was – Rafael Vexley. Immacte as always in his white shirt slightly unbuttoned at the cor. His hair looked effortlessly styled, and his steel-grey eyes locked onto hers the moment she entered. A small smirk curled his lips as he leaned back in his chair, looking like he owned the world.


    "Eliana Bet," he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. "So you decided to show up."


    She stood straight, her chin lifted despite the tremor in her knees. Her sandals made faint scuffs on the marble floor. Her dress clung to her in a way that was modest but still couldn’t hide her quiet beauty. Her curly ck hair was tied into a loose bun, with a few strands falling across her heart-shaped face. Those honey-brown eyes of hers burned with gratitude, defiance, and fear all at once. Her full lips trembled slightly as she opened her mouth to speak.


    She’de here to thank him, to let him know she wasn’t someone who could be bought. But under the weight of his cold, amused gaze, her resolve faltered for just a second. She felt like a small bird caught under the gaze of a hawk – fragile, trembling, but still determined not to break.


    "Mr. Vexley," Eliana began, her voice steady despite the knot in her chest. She sped her hands tightly, her knuckles paling. "I came to thank you for covering my father’s hospital bills. It means more than I can say. But I need you to understand something." She took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto his. "I’m going to pay back every single penny. I don’t know how long it’ll take, but I will. And I’m noting back to work for you. I won’t let you keep trampling on my dignity."


    A ripple of silence swept through the room. A maid froze mid-step, a silver tray wobbling in her hands. ra’s coffee pot hovered over a cup, her eyes darting between Eliana and Rafael. James adjusted his sses, his expression controlled. Rafael, however, leaned back in his wheelchair, his lips curling into a slow, sardonic smile. He tilted his head, as if studying a particrly amusing puzzle.


    "Dignity?" he drawled, his voice smooth as butter but sharp as a de. He set down his coffee cup with a deliberate clink, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. "That’s rich, Miss Bet. Dignity, you say? After I paid for your father’s hospital bills, now you want to talk about dignity?" Hisughter was low, a rumble that sent a chill down Eliana’s spine. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, his clouded gaze pinning her in ce. "Remind me, weren’t you the one who got on your knees, begging me to sleep with you just for a taste of my money? And now you’re standing here, acting all high and mighty?"


    The words hit like a p, and Eliana’s breath caught in her throat. Her cheeks flushed, the heat creeping up her neck as the memory of that night in his office flooded back. Also, the memory of waking up in his oversized shirt, her mind a fog of panic, believing she’d crossed a line she could never uncross. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she fought the tears prickling behind her eyes. The staff exchanged nces, their whispers barely audible but sharp enough to cut. ra’s lips pressed into a thin line, and the maid’s tray rattled slightly as she set it down.


    Eliana’s voice trembled, but she lifted her chin, her eyes zing. "You have no right to talk to me like that, Mr. Vexley. None. I don’t care who you are or how much money you have. I’m not your toy, and I won’t stand here and let you humiliate me in front of everyone." Her voice grew stronger, each word a brick in the wall she was building around her heart. "I came here to thank you and to tell you I’m done. I’m noting back."


    She turned on her heel, her curls bouncing as she strode toward the arched doorway, her sandals squeaking faintly against the marble. Her heart pounded, a mix of fear and triumph surging through her. She was almost to the threshold when Rafael’s voice cut through her triumph, cold andmanding.


    "Walk out that door, Miss Bet, and I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re a thief."


    Eliana froze, her hand hovering over the doorframe. Slowly, she turned, her eyes wide with shock. "What did you say?"


    Rafael’s smile was a de, sharp and gleaming. He rolled his wheelchair forward, the soft hum of the motor the only sound in the room. "You heard me. If you leave and don’te back to work as my caregiver, I’ll tell the world you stole the money that paid for your father’s hospital bills. I’ll make sure you’re caught in the police until you pay me back—every cent."


    Eliana’s mouth fell open, her breath hitching. "You can’t do that," she said, her voice rising with disbelief. She took a step toward him, her hands trembling. "I didn’t pay those bills—you did! I never even saw that money with my own eyes. No one would believe you!"


    Rafael’sughter erupted, rich and unrestrained, filling the room like a storm. He pped his hands once, the sound sharp and mocking. "Oh, Eliana, you sweet, naive girl," he said, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "The rich can change the truth however it suits them. Do you think anyone will question me? Rafael Vexley, the poor, blind billionaire, taken advantage of by a desperate little caregiver?" He leaned back, folding his arms, his voice dripping with condescension. "I havewyers, connections, and a story that’ll make headlines. You? You have nothing."


    Eliana stared at him, her mouth still open, her heart hammering so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it. The room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in as Rafael’s words sank into her bones. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall. She wanted to scream, to hurl every insult she could think of, but her voice caught in her throat. The staff stood frozen, their faces a mix of pity and difort, but none dared intervene. ra’s hands twisted in her apron, and James’s gaze dropped to his tablet, as if he could will himself invisible.


    "You’re a monster," Eliana whispered, her voice barely audible but heavy with conviction. Her hands shook as she pointed at him, her curls trembling with the motion. "You think you can just... twist everything? Make me the viin? I didn’t steal your money. I didn’t ask for any of this!"


    Rafael’s smirk didn’t waver, but something flickered in his eyes—something fleeting, like a crack in his armor. "You’re in my world now, Eliana," he said softly, his voice almost gentle, but it carried a venom that made her skin crawl. "And in my world, the truth is whatever I say it is."


    Eliana’s breath hitched again, her chest tight with a mix of rage and despair. She wanted to run, to escape the suffocating weight of his power, but her feet felt glued to the floor. Her father’s face shed in her mind—his gentle dark eyes, his weathered hands, his quiet pride. She’d promised to protect him, to keep him safe. Could Rafael really destroy them both with a lie? Her gaze darted to the staff, to the gleaming chandeliers, to the man in the wheelchair who held her future in his hands. Her mouth opened, then closed, words failing her as the reality of his threat settled like a stone in her stomach.


    She looked at him, her mouth still open in shock, her heart a battlefield of defiance and fear.