Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56280 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“Sort of?”
“I hope you have a good reason for it.” Julian’s tone was careful. “I’ve known him for years, and he’s not one to forgive those who lie to him.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sergei and Fredericka
The billionaire was seated alone in the bedroom he shared with Fredericka, staring sightlessly at the phone in his hands. He had given her a chance to explain and tell him he was mistaken about his assumptions. He had given her another chance when other people would have none at all.
But she had lied, and with it he was empty.
Unknown to Fredericka, incognito bodyguards followed her everywhere. It had been so since the first time they met, a precaution that he always took for all his loved ones.
Wanting to surprise her, he had called up one of her bodyguards to ask where she was so he could follow her, but he was the one who had been surprised instead. There was no goddamn reunion. Instead, there had only been her – and the professor.
If this had happened even a month earlier, or even a week earlier, the billionaire wouldn’t have allowed himself to be convinced so easily of her betrayal. But because the wounds left by his mother’s cold and callous words were still fresh in his brain—-
You boys were just my insurance policies.
As soon as the memory took hold, it colored everything the billionaire remembered. He did not, could not, and would not believe that he was completely wrong about Fredericka. She was a woman who deserved to be loved, and he didn’t regret loving her. Even knowing that she had lied to him about her whereabouts today, he didn’t see it as a reason to question the paternity of their child.
But what he did know he had gotten completely wrong was the fact that she loved him back.
Maybe she hadn’t even lied about her feelings, maybe she had really loved him.
But what today proved was that she didn’t love him enough to completely have forgotten the professor. Maybe she never would, and maybe it wasn’t right for him to wait and want that she did.
By the time Fredericka drove back home, the last of her belongings was being transferred to the trunk of his limousine. He watched her car slow down, his expression shuttering as she came rushing out, eyes bright, cheeks flushed.
“Are we going somewhere?” Fredericka blurted out.
A curt nod to his staff had everyone filing out, and only when they were alone did the billionaire finally turn to her, saying quietly, “You’re leaving.”
Fredericka blinked. “Where am I going?”
“A hotel suite has been prepaid for your use. Tomorrow, a real estate agent will contact you with options for housing.”
As she listened to him speak, she could feel her world starting to spin faster and faster. She understood what he was saying, but at the same time she didn’t. What was he saying?
“You can buy any house you want, as long as it’s in Rockton.”
Fear trailed its claws down her spine, and paranoia started feeding her mind with the most insidious thoughts.
You should have seen this coming—-
“Sergei?” she whispered shakily. Her hand unconsciously moved up to her chest, which had started to hurt.
“My lawyer will be meeting with you as well.”
Ah, it hurt so bad. So bad. Please God. Please let this be a nightmare she could wake up from.
“All the arrangements will be in your favor – child support, visitation rights, the primary custody of our child will be yours. I’m making this clear now because I don’t want you to think that you’ll be alone in raising the child.”
Fredericka fought back a wave of dizziness, and her hand moved down to her tummy. I’m okay, baby. We’re okay.
The billionaire shoved his hands deep in his pockets. “That’s all I needed to say.”
And then they were looking at each other.
No, he was looking at her, just looking at her, like he hadn’t wrecked her world, and the thought of it made her...snap.
Fredericka didn’t know how she reached him. All she knew was that suddenly she was right in front of him, and she was beating his chest.
He wanted her to leave?
He wanted her to choose a house?
He wanted her...no longer?
The tears rushed down her face, and she didn’t even have the strength to hold them back. She wanted to stop beating his chest long enough to ask him to please, please tell her this was all a sick joke, but she couldn’t.
Fredericka looked up at him, willing him to tell her what she wanted to hear, but he still just looked at her and her throat tightened. “You can’t do this.” Her voice broke. “You can’t.” Her fists struck his chest one more time, but the billionaire didn’t even flinch. He simply took everything in wordlessly, unmoving, and somehow this hurt her even more.
It was as if she had lost the power to reach him at all.