The Billionaire's Challenge

Reflections

Chapter 6

Reflections

(Audrina's POV)

The late evening glow of Paris filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my apartment, casting the space in a warm, golden light. I sat curled up on my couch, a glass of red wine in hand and a book resting on my lap, though I hadn’t read a single word in over ten minutes. The familiar, soothing hum of the city outside provided a soft background noise, but my mind was miles away.

I swirled the wine in my glass, watching the liquid catch the light as I tried to focus on anything but the flood of memories threatening to pull me under. I had spent years running from my past, building a life far away from the man who had tried to mold me into something I refused to become. Yet no matter how far I ran, no matter how much I buried myself in work or the distractions of the present, my thoughts always seemed to circle back to the same place: my mother, Victoria.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the couch, memories of her washing over me like an unwelcome tide. She had been so beautiful—strong, graceful, with a quiet kind of resilience that had carried her through the hell my father had put her through. I still couldn’t fully comprehend what she had endured, all for the sake of her children. For us.

Growing up, I didn’t understand why my mother was so sad. Why she seemed so distant at times, always wearing a brave face but never quite managing to hide the pain in her eyes. It wasn’t until much later, long after she was gone, that I learned the truth. The truth my father had worked so hard to keep from us.

He had destroyed her.

Ramsey Christensen, the man who built an empire with ruthless ambition, was also the man who had methodically torn my mother apart piece by piece. And for what? To win? To maintain control? To keep us—his children—under his thumb? I hated him for it. I hated that he had taken her from us and made her life a living nightmare, all while presenting himself to the world as a loving father and devoted husband.

But the worst part—the part that kept me awake at night—was that he had lied to us. He had lied to all of us, my brothers included. He had twisted the truth so thoroughly that even we, his own children, didn’t know the full extent of what he had done. For years, I believed the stories he told us. That our mother had been unstable. That she couldn’t handle the pressures of raising a family. That she had chosen to leave us behind.

Lies. All of it.

I took a long sip of wine, letting the bitter taste fill my mouth as I fought back the familiar anger rising in my chest. My mother hadn’t chosen to leave. She had been driven away, manipulated by Ramsey until she had no choice but to walk away from everything she loved. And the worst part? We believed him. We believed my father over her.

I hated myself for that.

But now, I knew the truth. Or at least, part of it. My father’s web of lies was so thick, so carefully constructed, that unraveling it completely would take time. But I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I needed to know what really happened to my mother. I needed to understand how a man could go to such lengths to control his family, to manipulate the lives of those who trusted him the most.

And more than anything, I needed to hear the truth from him. From Ramsey.

The thought made my stomach turn. The last thing I wanted was to be in the same room as my father, let alone have a civil conversation with him. But if that’s what it took to get the answers I needed, I would do it. I would confront him, even if it meant dredging up old wounds and forcing him to face the truth he had buried for so long.

I wasn’t naïve, though. I knew he wouldn’t make it easy. Ramsey wasn’t the type to admit his mistakes. He wasn’t the type to show remorse. He had built an entire life on controlling others, on winning at any cost. But I had to try. For my own sanity, for my brothers, and for the memory of the woman who had sacrificed everything for us.

The question was, how? How could I force a man like Ramsey to tell the truth? He held all the cards. He always had. But maybe that was the key—I needed to find a way to take control from him. To turn the tables in a way he wouldn’t expect.

I took another sip of wine, my mind racing as I considered the possibilities. I needed leverage. Something that would force him to open up, to finally be honest. But what? What could I possibly have that would make him talk?

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. I blinked, momentarily disoriented as I set my glass down and glanced at the clock. It was late, and I wasn’t expecting anyone. Airelle had already texted me earlier that she was having dinner with Sterling, and no one else had any reason to visit me tonight.

Frowning, I stood up and crossed the room to the door, my bare feet padding softly against the hardwood floor. I peered through the peephole, and my heart skipped a beat.

Accius.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to open the door or pretend I wasn’t home. But my curiosity got the better of me, and I slowly unlocked the door, pulling it open just enough to see him standing there, a smirk on his face.

“Accius,” I said, my voice guarded. “What are you doing here?”

He leaned casually against the doorframe, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “I told you we’d see each other again, didn’t I?”

I narrowed my eyes, the suspicion I’d felt on the plane returning in full force. “How did you even know where I live?”

He chuckled, the sound low and smooth. “I have my ways.”

My mind was already racing, trying to figure out how he could have possibly found me. I hadn’t told him anything personal on the plane, and there was no reason for him to know where I lived. “That’s not an answer.”

Accius shrugged, seemingly unbothered by my suspicion. “Let’s just say I have connections. But don’t worry, I’m not here to cause any trouble.”

“Then why are you here?”

His expression softened slightly, though the playful glint in his eyes remained. “I wanted to see you again. And since you weren’t exactly jumping at the chance to say yes to dinner, I figured I’d take matters into my own hands.”

I folded my arms, trying to ignore the faint flutter in my chest at the way he was looking at me. “You could’ve just called.”

“I could have,” he agreed. “But where’s the fun in that?”

I stared at him for a moment, torn between annoyance and curiosity. There was something about Accius that didn’t quite add up, something about the way he always seemed to know more than he let on. But at the same time, I couldn’t deny that there was an undeniable pull between us—something magnetic that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Finally, I sighed and stepped back, gesturing for him to come inside. “Fine. You’ve got five minutes. After that, I’m kicking you out.”

He grinned, stepping over the threshold with an air of triumph. “Five minutes is all I need.”

As I closed the door behind him, I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly I had just let into my apartment—and into my life. Something told me that with Accius, nothing was ever as simple as it seemed.