Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire
Chapter 264: Too Cheesy

Chapter 264: Too Cheesy

At the morgue, Alexander stared at the unrecognizable bodies the police had recovered from the burned ship. Tim identified one as Dina by her ring and necklace—heirloom pieces found on the body.

"I’ve already requested a discreet DNA test," William whispered. Alexander’s expression darkened with a simmering anger as he turned away, signaling William to follow.

"Go home, William. Clean up. I’ll take over from here," he instructed, noticing the grime and ash still covering his brother’s clothes and face.

William nodded. "Alright, I’ll head out." He soon left, leaving Alexander alone with Brandon, who took a seat beside him.

"The results just came in. They’ve sent the report to your phone," Brandon said, watching as Alexander read the message. His face darkened further, and his grip on the phone tightened, veins standing out on his hand.

"What’s your next move?" Brandon asked.

Alexander’s eyes flashed with determination. "I want everyone involved in this to be exposed. She couldn’t have orchestrated something like this on her own. For now, we’ll keep things as they are—let them think they’re playing us like fools. I’ll strike when I have solid evidence," he replied, his voice low and resolute.

"And Rain?" Brandon pressed gently. "She needs to know."

Alexander nodded. "I will," he promised. This was too serious to keep from her; she deserved to be warned. He personally oversaw the situation, coordinating every critical detail with the GIS personnel.

In William’s absence, he instructed Brandon to monitor the case closely, following the strategy Alexander had mapped out. He also offered Tim assistance in arranging Dina’s funeral.

"Thank you for this, especially after what Dina did," Tim said, handing him a cup of coffee as they sat together. Alexander accepted it without a word, quietly observing the somber scene in the funeral home.

Across the room, Sylvia sat alone, staring blankly at Dina’s closed casket. Alexander’s gaze lingered on her before he turned back to Tim. "You’re still Rain’s family. But I hope you’ll understand why I won’t allow Rain or Aunt Melanie to attend the service," he said, his voice firm.

Tim lowered his head, nodding in quiet understanding. "I... I understand. Thank you for the support, even when it’s our own fault that Dina turned out this way. Sylvia spoiled her, always pushing her to be the best, always comparing her to Rain, who just... excelled without trying," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret.

Alexander’s expression didn’t change. He thought of the countless times Rain had suffered at the hands of this family, enduring their resentment and mistreatment. He held back his words, unwilling to waste energy on Tim’s remorse.

Finally, he stood up. "I need to leave now and check on Rain," he said simply, making his way to the door. Tim followed, seeing him off to his car.

As Alexander slipped into the back seat, a dark expression clouded his face, deeper than the night settling over the sky. He would do everything to protect Rain and he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt her again even if that was her own father.

*****

As soon as William returned to the mansion, he quickly showered, changed into fresh clothes, and headed straight to his father’s study, where his father was waiting. William stepped inside.

As soon as he was inside, his father stopped reading the document in his hand and asked, "How did everything go?"

"It’s all being handled, Dad," William replied firmly.

Rock nodded, studying him closely. "You seem especially shaken today, son."

William hesitated, his jaw tightening. "When I heard Sanya was involved... I thought-" He stopped himself, looking away briefly. "I thought something terrible might happen to her. The idea of it... I’ve never felt like that before."

Rock’s gaze softened, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. "William, I think you know what this means."

William looked at his father, uncertain. "What do you mean?"

Rock chuckled. "You’re falling in love, son."

William’s face shifted from surprise to something more introspective. "Is that what this is?" he murmured, almost to himself. "I... I just felt this overwhelming fear for her, like if anything happened to her, it would..." He trailed off, not finding the right words.

"Take it from me," Rock said, leaning forward, "when you care that deeply about someone’s safety, when their happiness and well-being matter to you even more than your own, you’re already in love, William."

William took in his father’s words, nodding slowly as the weight of the realization settled over him. "I suppose I can’t deny it. Sanya... she’s always on my mind. I knew from the start that I liked her, that I was drawn to her. But today just made it... undeniable."

Rock placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Then don’t waste time, son. Make sure she knows. Life doesn’t give us many chances like this, and if she means that much to you, make every moment count."

A smile crept onto William’s face as he nodded, feeling a surge of excitement and nervousness all at once. "I will, Dad. I’ll make sure she knows," he said with a grin, already starting to envision how he’d confess his feelings to Sanya. He wanted it to be something special, something so honest and heartfelt that she’d know how serious he was.

As he left his father’s study, William’s mind was racing with ideas, each one more elaborate than the last. But, in the end, he knew the key would be sincerity. All he needed was the right moment, and he’d lay his heart bare.

William walked straight to the guest room where Sanya was staying, standing outside her door as he nervously practiced his lines. "Sanya... I found out today that I’m already falling in love with you. I can’t live without you. I know it’s quite fast, and I can’t believe it myself, but my feelings are real and-"

He paused, his face twitching as he reconsidered his approach. Sanya didn’t respond well to flowery words; whenever he used them, her expression soured, and she didn’t take him seriously. "Maybe I shouldn’t say the words ’I can’t live without you’ just yet," William mumbled, shrugging awkwardly.

"That line’s a bit too cheesy to be believable. You’ve done just fine without me so far," Sanya’s voice chimed suddenly from behind him.

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