Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 by Laura Burton (learn to read books .TXT) π
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- Author: Laura Burton
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David turned to her and grabbed her hand.
βI never lied to you. I meant everything I said last night,β he said fervently. Emily turned back to look at Charles.
βOne day, youβll be a parent,β Charles began calmly. Edward shrugged and covered his face with his hands; a vein bulged out of his neck. βOnly then, will you understand.β
Emily placed her hands on her hips again and backed away from David. βWhat did you do?β she asked Charles in a deathly whisper.
βWhat I had toβ¦ just like you,β Charles shot back. Emily shook her head and stared wide-eyed at David. The color had drained from his face, and while he glanced back in her direction, he was unable to look her in the eye.
βYou knew I was looking for investors didnβt you? It was the perfect opportunity.β
David shook his head. βItβs not like that, Emily. What does it matter how we met? I love you.β
Charles clapped his hand on Davidβs shoulder. βYou make each other happy, everyone can see that. Besides, you are not entirely innocent in this, are you, Emily? Did you not pursue David for your own financial agenda? Letβs put the past behind us, shall we?β
Emily opened her mouth, but no sound came out. So, David and his father specifically chose her to be his wife. Heβd never come in to find a βrealβ wife; it had been set up all along. I guess weβre both as bad as each other, she thought.
Was David right? Did it matter? She loved him nowβdidnβt she?
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Emily gawped to see two men walk into the roomβthe investors from dinner.
βWhat areβββ
Charles looked sheepish for the first time.
βAh, yes. You have met before. Emily, this is Adam and Tyler.β
βI thoughtβββ Emily couldnβt finish her sentence. What did she think? To see the two men in such an unexpected setting had her taken aback. Nothing was making any sense. The mysterious investors were friends with Charles? Is that how he knew about Emily?
βAdam and Tyler are my personal security.β
The words shot through Emilyβs chest like a bullet. βIβm sorry, Iβm confused. Then who is investing in my business? Matthew saidβββ
βMatthew is an old friend,β Charles said calmly. A snort at the table alerted Emily that Edward was still there. He lowered his hands and shook his head. A crazed smile on his face.
βOh itβs all coming out now, the tangled web of lies youβve woven.β He got to his feet, looking pleased with himself. Like the detective at the end of a murder mystery novel, ready to deliver his theory with absolute accuracy.
βHavenβt you worked it out yet?β he said to Emily. Grinning ear to ear, but the smile didnβt reach his eyes. He pointed at his father.
βMy meddling father and brother hatched a plan to steal my inheritance. Heaven forbid Father has to lose even more control. So, he found you. A high-profile business womanβ¦ who just so happens to be from England as well. And is on the lookout for an investment.β
Edward squared his shoulders and stood by the fireplace, his hands clasped together and confident. βFather sends David in to see you. Fancy that, Emily? You need money to build your business, and in walks a billionaire who is on the lookout for a wife.β
Emily frowned.
βRich bachelors walk into my office every day,β she said. βI didnβt target David.β
βYou didnβt?β Charles asked, Emily looked at him wildly. βYou mean to tell me that Matthew didnβt conveniently tell you to find a husband?β
Emily gawped at him and looked at David who was staring at his father and the bodyguards. He was a deer in the headlights again. She looked around at all of the men in the room and suddenly felt very small. Realization dawned on her and sank to the pit of her stomach.
βThereβs no deal, is there? The investorsβ¦ Matthew. It was all a ploy to get me to end up with David?β She looked at David who still couldnβt look at her.
βWere you ever going to tell me?β she asked. David lowered his eyes to the floor, his eyes glistening with tears. Look at me. Why wonβt you look at me? Emily paced the room now.
βI feel sick.β She stopped walking. βAnd I want to leave.β Her words brought David back to life. He nodded and turned on the spot to open the door.
βRight, letβs go.β
βBut weβre not finished, this isnβt over,β Edward called out. David ignored him as he held Emilyβs arm and they both walked out of the room.
Emily and David quietly packed their things and left the house without speaking to anyoneββother than a quick goodbye to Grandmother Marks, who was sleeping. The plane ride was uneventful, and Emily sat, reeling from the conversation. There was no deal. The investors were fake. Whatβs more, David was in on it the whole time. Thatβs what hurt the most. How could he keep such a big secret from her? What else might he be hiding? How could she know how he felt about her?
βTake me to my apartment,β she demanded of David as they exited the plane and got into the back of the limousine.
βEmily, please talk to me.β
David took her hand, but she pulled away. βI canβt,β she said in a broken voice.
βYou need to know, I had no idea about the investors.β
βYouβve never seen your dadβs bodyguards before then? Shouldnβt you have recognized them?β
βNo, Iβve never seen them. I mean, I didnβt like them and I did think it was weird my father was outside the restaurant when we were there. But I didnβtβββ
βWhat?β Emily cut in. βHe was thereβ¦ when we were having our meeting?β Emily laughed derisively. βPerfect. So he sat outside laughing his head off, while I was making a fool of myself in front
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