Page 127 of The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl

I smile back. Nothing can bring me down.

Even so, I want to be instantly outside and away from her.

That’s not what happens. Sasha pushes off and comes for me, clicking along, following a path designed to intersect with mine.

I tell myself thatshe’sthe one who should be avoidingme. I tell myself nothing she can say can upset me.

And then she opens her mouth. “Such a fierce businesswoman. With your amazing new space you got with your fabulous reputation.”

“If you’re trying to do a wholezingerthing on me, you shouldn’t use facts I feel awesome about.”

“No?” She tilts her head with an exaggerated frown. “But that’s what’s so funny. That you think you got it on your reputation. Did you check who actually leased that space?”

“What are you talking about? I leased it.”

“Yousubleased it. From Theo. Setting you up so you can play bakery. Isn’t that nice!”

My belly drops through the floor, but I don’t let her see it—I won’t. I cross my arms over my chest.

“You can check with Petey Sanger in accounting if you don’t believe me.” She crosses her arms, mirroring my pose. “That better? For my zinger?”

I force a smile. “When impersonating me doesn’t work, there’s always petty jealousy, isn’t there? It doesn’t become you.”

She puts on a fake pout. “No? Okay. But letting you know what an idiot you are? That for sure becomes me.”

I turn and head back to the elevators, mind reeling. I’m thinking about that dark look that flashed across Theo’s face when I told him how happy I was to have gotten it on my own steam. I’m thinking about all those times he asked about my bakery dreams, the pictures for my dream board that he seemed so interested in.

“Uh-oh!” I hear her laugh behind me.

Her laughter is a whisper compared to the thundering despair inside me.

Thirty-Five

Theo

There’sa formula for utter misery. You have to start off happy. Preferably with your heart soaring higher than you can remember. Extra points if the world feels new, if for once in your worthless life, you feel like you’re not the piece of shit you always believed you were.

Maybe you’re looking out the window, because you want to catch one last glimpse of her.

And maybe it’s a little bit of pride, because you did it—the woman you’re falling for is right there with you, falling back.

More extra points if you still feel her all over your skin, but especially in your chest where she touched you, where she pressed her hand to feel your heart beating out of control.

But she doesn’t appear on the sidewalk below. She’s coming in the door.

I turn, happy to see her, even after a few minutes of separation. I assume she forgot something…until I see the devastation in her gaze.

“What happened?” I go to her.

She puts up a hand. The hand that was on my heart, connecting us just moments ago, is marking a wall between us.

She knows.

“How could you?”

I move my lips, but no words come out.

“I can’t believe you!”

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