Page 13 of The Tycoon's Pet

Bonnie's expression softens, her lips tilting in a small, sympathetic smile. “I think you should tell him before he finds out by himself.”

I nod, giving her a grateful smile. “I will. Thanks, Bonnie.”

“Anytime, love,” she replies with a dismissive wave. “By the way, what's the name of the restaurant Paul took you to?”

“Why?” I ask with a puzzled frown.

She pulls out her phone from her pants pocket and raises it to my face with a silly grin. “I'm going to look it up and see if I can get a reservation for next week. It's my boyfriend's birthday and I want to do something fancy.”

“Blue Bays,” I reply with a nostalgic smile. “I think it'd be a perfect place for an intimate birthday dinner with Tyler.”

Bonnie types on her phone for a while, then pauses and looks up with a slight frown. “I thought the name sounded familiar but now, I'm sure.” She turns the phone screen towards me and on it is the article about Christy and Paul. I stare at the picture below the headline, my blood running cold as the realization dawns on me; it was the same restaurant where he went with Christy.

Why did he take me there? Maybe she was just a friend? But how could he just be friends with someone so… perfect?

***

The next day, I’m doing my best to distract myself at work, but it’s pretty hard considering I work in the house of the man I can’t stop thinking about. I need to know what his intentions were, whether it was all just an act, or part of something more.

I sit down heavily on the couch, burying my face in my hands. The uncertainty is gnawing at me, and I can't shake the feeling of being played. I need answers, but the thought of confronting Paul terrifies me. What if he confirms my worst fears? What if I'm just another name on his list?

I feel like I'm about to spiral over the edge and drown in my insecurities. Tears well up in my eyes but I blink rapidly to push them back.

Just then, I hear the sound of keys jingling at the door. My heart skips a beat. Paul is home. And it's early.

Panic surges through me. I quickly wipe my eyes, trying to compose myself before he comes in. I stand up and take a deep breath, forcing a smile onto my face, but my hands are trembling, and my heart is pounding in my chest. I glance at my phone screen, grimacing at the redness around my eyes. Hastily brushing away the remaining tears, I sit up straight, hoping he doesn't notice.

The door swings open, and Paul steps inside, his arresting green eyes immediately locking onto mine, intoxicating me. He stops in his tracks, his brows dipping ever so slightly as his eyes roam my face.

"Kayla?" he says softly, his voice filled with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing,” I reply with a forced smile, shaking my head. “I'm... I'm fine."

He doesn't buy it for a second. He crosses the room in a few quick strides, his hands gently cupping my face as he looks into my eyes. "Talk to me, Butterfly. Why are you crying?"

I can't hold back the tears any longer. They spill over, streaming down my cheeks despite my efforts to contain them. The dam breaks, and all the fear, doubt, and confusion I've been holding in comes rushing out.

“What do you care?” I mutter, sniffling. “It doesn’t matter to you if I cry or not.”

His frown deepens as he walks closer to me and cups my face in his hands, his thumb swiping over the moisture on my cheeks. “What are you talking about, Kayla? Please talk to me.”

My chest tightens painfully at the tenderness in his voice and the genuine concern in his eyes. If only he could give me what I really want…

“Why did you take me to dinner?” I ask finally, raising my eyes to his face, looking him squarely in the eyes.

“I told you, I wanted to thank you for…”

“I never felt unappreciated by you, Paul,” I cut in, grateful that my voice remained steady despite my jiggling nerves. “You have never treated me poorly and you pay me way more than is required for my job so why did you have to go out of your way to dress me up in expensive clothes and take me to some fancy restaurant just to thank me?”

Why did you make me feel like I was special? But I didn't ask that out loud. It would have been too humiliating.

“Kayla, I…”

“Why did you kiss me if you were just going to ignore me for days after,” I ask, my voice breaking at the end. I look away from his eyes because I can't bear the pain of seeing the rejection in them. I press my lips together, blinking back the tears pushing against my eyelids.

“Because I’m in love with you, Kayla. How can you not see that?”

His voice was so quiet, I wasn't sure I heard him right. I lift my gaze to meet his, stunned beyond belief. His green eyes, usually so unreadable, are filled with a raw, almost overwhelming emotion. I feel my breath catch in my throat, my heart thudding violently against my rib cage.

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