Page 63 of Billionaire’s Ruin

Now I’d lost the woman I loved.

And I’d failed Lincoln too.

I promised to protect his sister.

Instead, I’d hurt her.

I’d become the very thing I swore I wouldn’t.

The faint mechanical whirl of the door lock snapped me out of my thoughts.

The smart lock.

Shit.

I was supposed to reset the password—to make sure only the nurse had access when needed.

But I’d gotten lazy and had given her the master pin.

Trusted her.

Big fucking mistake.

The door clicked. Hinges groaned.

Light flooded the room, stabbing my eyes like needles.

“Mr. Li is awake,” someone announced from the doorway.

Angela. The nurse.

The one I’d put in charge of this room.

Three silhouettes stood in the doorway. My eyes fought the light, trying to adjust.

“What are you still standing there for?”

Her words sliced through the air—sharp, imperious, grating.

“Check if everything’s all right.”

The mere sound of her made my temples throb.

She had a talent for barking orders, especially at staff.

It was her hobby, her sport—her way of proving she was still in control.

It used to bother me when I was younger.

Everyone deserved respect.

That was something I learned from Dad.

Not that she’d ever admit it.

Eventually, I’d learned to shut my mouth and tune out of her cruelty.

“Hey, mother…”