Page 135 of The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée

“Oh my god,” Clark says. “You’re considering it. Dude I can’t think of any gift that would make her not pissed off to be forced into a date. You need to just keep asking.”

“But that’s not working,” I say.

“Surely there’s something she wants,” Ivan says. “Something that would make her life better.”

My gaze falls to my scotch. There’s no way I can travel back in time and undo the fact that we lied right to Gail’s face. However, there are other things Tabitha wants—like to know her building won’t get demolished. It would mean everything if she knew that. I could give her security in the home she loves so much.

An idea slowly forms in my mind.

Chapter 25

Tabitha

Clark standsin the doorway looking unhappy. He’s got a nice leather satchel in his hand. “Hey,” he says. “How’s it going?”

“You tell me,” I say. “Was it stupid to have buzzed you up?” I thought Rex might be in trouble or something, but seeing the nervous look on Clark’s face, I’m thinking I’m the one who’s in trouble.

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” he says.

I motion him in. He sits on the couch in the place where he sat before this whole thing started and pulls a sheath of papers out of his satchel.

“A copy of the contract,” he says. He turns to the second page and hands it to me. There’s a section highlighted—it’s the one requiring a minimum of three public post-yacht appearances deemed important occasions by Rex.

“The jig is up,” I say. “Gail gave the account to somebody else, so the pretense is null and void.” I’m sort of proud of how legalistic I sound, what with mynull and void. “She’s not focused on us anymore. She doesn’t have to believe the lie. I’m abiding by the no-public-dates-until-our-breakup thing, but that’s all we need to do.”

Our social media breakup announcement is scheduled just over two months out.

“Here’s the thing,” Clark says. “You signed a contract promising three joint appearances of Rex’s choosing to take place after the yacht trip is over, and those appearances are not contingent on his getting the account.”

“But the whole reason was to get the account. The reason is null and void,” I say.

“I'm sorry, but that’s not what the contract says. And Rex has identified an occasion. He’ll be sending a car to pick you up on Friday at seven p.m. You’ll be dining at the TipTop—”

“What?!” I say. “Oh, no. No way!” I hand the contract back. “There is zero chance in hell that I’m going to the TipTop for my birthday with Rex.”

“Zero chance!” says Jada, who has materialized next to me.

Clark blinks nervously and turns to the end of the contract where yet another paragraph is highlighted, one that I initialed, showing that I understand that breaking the contract will result in my having to return all of the money and facing legal charges.

My blood goes cold.

“What?” Jada asks.

When I don’t respond, she grabs the papers from my hand and reads the highlighted paragraph. “Oh, hellz no!”

“I’m sorry,” Clark says.

“Does he want to punish me?” I say. “Because that’s what this is! This is the worst possible thing he can ask.”

“Tabby has birthday issues,” Jada says. “You tell him that.”

“He knows,” I say.

“Uhhhhh,” Jada says, giving Clark a million-watt glare, but this is a man who works with Rex. He’s immune.

I only wish I was.

Chapter 26

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