The Billionaire's Mask (Book #1) - Unedited Version

Chapter 21

ALAYNA

A knock on my door interrupts my browsing. I pull the door open and see Casey carrying a tray of potato chips, French fries, and two bottles of orange juice.

"May I come in?" she asks with a grin.

"Sure. Come in!" I step aside to let her get in.

"Whoa, you have a nice room!" She walks towards my study desk and places the tray down. Casey settles in front of my computer and picks up a piece of potato chip and pops it in her mouth. "We used to visit this mansion when we were little. This was our grandmother's before it became Brandon's. I kind of missed it, but don't you think it's too lonely now?"

"A little, but, really?" It's the first time I heard of that. "I thought this was-"

"Brandon's house? Sure is, but this house was only given to him when he turned seventeen. But oh, I'm sure you already know what's going on with his life."

"Not everything besides his condition. Brandon isn't very open." I slump at the edge of my bed, and Casey swivels the chair around and rock herself forward. She offers me a snack.

"Would you like some?"

"Thank you." I slid my hand into the chip bag and pick the fries.

"I don't know many things as well," she continues. "But there's something."

"Alright, so tell me why would you want to speak with me?"

"Hmm. That. I want us to get along first. I want us to properly introduce ourselves. Is that fine with you?"

Starting to talk things about myself isn't always a good idea. There are details I'd like to remain undisclosed. I am always just a simple girl from Kansas with a mother and twelve siblings to people. "I think you already know about me so I'll skip with mine. Tell me more about you? Oliver did mention he has a sister."

"They are nice, my brothers, aren't they?" She grins.

I agree. "Well, they are."

"Yes, even though I'm adopted, I feel like I'm a princess."

Whoa, what an introduction! I blink, unable to speak.

"I know that it's not something to brag about," she continues. "Mom always wanted to have a daughter after she gave birth to Cassius, but she wouldn't be able to bear a child anymore. She almost died giving birth to him. They adopted me when I was three."

"Then, that's probably why you're not blonde?" I mumble unintentionally. I didn't mean to sound nosy.

"You noticed?" She touches her wavy chocolate brown hair. "I always wanted to dye my hair blonde, but it would be fake, no?"

"I think your hair is beautiful as it is," I say in all honesty. It matched her ash-colored eyes.

"Thanks." She smiles sweetly.

"And in what age did you learn that you're adopted?"

"My whole life!" she breathes. "But I didn't get along with them at first. I remembered when Ollie and I don't get along very well when we're kids. He's kind of hard-headed when he was young."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Oliver was like that?"

"Yeah!" She chortled. "Cassius, on the other hand, was very thoughtful. We were very close, and he's very kind. I'm sure you find him charming too." She winks. It is marked by her reactions that she knew something.

I force a smile. "That I should admit." But that's it. My mixed feelings about him should stop there.

She puts the bag of potato chips aside and grabs the bottle of juice. "But, you're in love with Brandon," she concludes.