Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
“I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not true. I love you, you see, and you love me, and that’s why I only have to take one look at you to know what’s wrong.” Something flickered in her gaze, and he told himself that was a good sign. “I have no idea why your sister is here. My best bet is she knows my schedule well enough to know the right people to ask, and because most people assume she’s still part of my life, they were rather free in giving her information.” He paused, a muscle ticking in his jaw at the way the Greek billionaire’s arm remained around his woman’s waist. Swallowing past his rage, he continued evenly, “The point is, I never invited her, and I do not ever plan to make her a part of my life. She’s the past, Sere. You are my present and my future.”
But Serenity only looked at him, and when she actually started to lean towards her Greek boss, Willem gritted out, “Don’t.”
She jerked at the snap in his voice, but he didn’t apologize for it. He knew she felt tired and weak, but goddammit, how long did she think he could last, seeing her in another man’s arms?
“You have to choose to trust me sometime, engel—-”
“Don’t call me that!” Her tone was violent.
“Why not?” he charged back just as violently. “Because your bitch of a sister fed you lies about the two of us?” He shook his head in impotent frustration and rage. “She lied, Serenity. By now, you should know and understand as well as I do that your sister’s a pathological liar. I can prove it to you, but before I can do that, you need to trust me. You need to choose to love me again or there’s not—-”
“Don’t let him pressure you,” Acheron interrupted coldly. This time, he had no ulterior motive, no intention to seduce his intern into falling into his bed. This time, he only had to look at Serenity to know that only someone so in love could be this hurt. Even so, he would not simply stand back and do nothing. He wanted Serenity to know that she had a choice, and that she could leave this place with him and with her pride intact.
Willem’s blue eyes glittered as he gazed at the Greek billionaire. “Fuck off.”
“Not when I see you think you can actually get away with fucking two sisters by using pretty words.”
The two billionaires would have been at each other’s throats if Serenity had not cried out for them to stop.
They froze, their heads snapping towards her, but she forced herself to keep her gaze on Acheron, only on Acheron. “Thank you for your help,” she whispered.
Willem heard himself ask, “What are you saying, Sere?” He had to ask, even though the way she spoke, the way she couldn’t even goddamn look at him, already told him the answer.
Still not looking at him, Serenity said shakily, “That I choose him.”
She was about to take a step towards Acheron when Willem was suddenly blocking her way, and she gasped when she found herself staring straight into eyes filled with as much pain as hers was.
She tried looking away, but the billionaire didn’t let her, his hands capturing her face as he demanded hoarsely, “Think about what you’re saying, dammit.”
“I am thinking about it,” she whispered. “I’m thinking I’m so tired of competing, of worrying—-”
“But there’s no need for any of those!”
She trembled at the way Willem actually shouted the words out. This was not like him. This was not him at all, and she didn’t want him to be like this because of her. “Willem—-”
“No!”
She furiously blinked back tears at the way the billionaire was looking at her. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say that, dammit. Don’t say it like—-”
“I don’t think I have to,” she said brokenly. “Because you already know what I want to say, don’t you?”
He whitened. “Don’t do this, Serenity.” His voice turned desperate. “I told you I love you, didn’t I? That I’ve changed? You just have to—-”
She looked at him.
And the words died in his throat.
“You’ll never trust me, will you?” the billionaire said dully.
“No.” It was a lie. “I won’t e-ever trust you a-again.” But in truth, it was herself she couldn’t ever trust again.
She thought it was over.
She thought he would leave.
But he did not.
Instead, he shattered her heart anew when she saw him take a deep breath and then dig into the package he held in his hand.
A small, silver box—-
Her breath caught. “No, Willem, please.” Her voice came out a strangled sob.
But the billionaire still opened the box.
The people around them gasped, and the sound made her jump in shock, reminding her that they were far from alone. So many people around them, and Willem had to know about them, too. He had to know they would see him propose, had to know she would have to turn him down.