Page 74 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
“Ladies and gentlemen … father,” I begin, my voice shaky but determined, “I... I have something to say.”
The room falls silent, all eyes on me. I glance at my father, standing off to the side, his expression unreadable.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice cracking. “But I can’t go through with this. I can’t marry Theo. I... I can’t pretend anymore.”
There’s a moment of stunned silence. I can feel my father’s eyes on me, sharp and disappointed.
“I’m sorry, Father,” I whisper, the words coming out in a rush. “I know this is hard. But I really need to follow my heart.”
My father doesn’t say anything at first. He just stands there, his face a mask of emotion. But when he speaks, his voice surprises me.
“I understand,” he says quietly. “I never wanted to hurt you, Lucy. I never wanted you to feel trapped. I just wanted what was best for the family … what I thought that was. I was being a stubborn, uncaring man and have hurt you in so many ways. I do know what I’ve done was wrong and I hope you can forgive me. I’ll work out my business worries another way. I see now thatyou need to make your own choices. And I’m so sorry for what I’ve put you through.”
I blink, stunned by his words. I never thought I’d hear him say this.
“Thank you,” I whisper, feeling a weight liftoff my chest.
“The truth is,” I continue to the sea of stunned faces, “that I love another man, another man that I may have hurt so badly that he may never want to see me again. But I have to find him and tell him.”
And then I see him.
Liam.
He walks into the room with Nate and Bryan, his presence unmistakable even in a crowd of wealthy strangers. He’s wearing a sharp suit, looking every bit the part of the man who owns the world. But he doesn’t look at the room. He doesn’t look at anyone except for me. And when our eyes meet, my heart skips a beat.
It feels like the world stops for just a second. The noise fades away, and it’s just him and me. I can’t help it. I can’t stop the way my body responds to him. The longing. The ache.
He steps forward, his eyes never leaving mine. The room holds its breath as he takes my hand, his fingers warm against my skin.
“I love you, Lucy,” he says, his voice clear and unwavering. “I have, I think, from the first day I say you. And I’m not going to let you go.”
I freeze, my heart racing in my chest. There’s no more pretending, no more hiding.
I look around the room, at my father, at the guests, at Theo, and then back at Liam. The truth is here, raw and unguarded.
I’ve been lying to myself for so long. But with Liam here, with his words, I can’t lie anymore.
“I love you, too,” I say, my voice steady but full of emotion.” And I’m so sorry for …”
Liam smiles and presses two fingers over my lips. “Shhh, my wonderful Lucy. There’s no need to ever say that. You are here now, and we have our lives ahead of us. No looking back, okay?”
The warmth in his eyes making everything else fade away.
And in that moment, I know this is where I belong.
Chapter twenty-five
Liam
I’m standing there, my hand in hers, surrounded by the people who were once just strangers to me. But right now, there’s only one thing I care about: her. Lucy.
The woman I’ve been in love with from the moment I first saw her. The woman I’ve spent weeks, months, denying my feelings for, convincing myself that I wasn’t the kind of man who could have her. But here she is, standing in front of me, just a few feet away from a future I never thought I’d get to have.
The room is filled with whispers, some confused, some curious, others just taking in the moment, but the noise doesn’t matter. It’s all background noise. The only thing that matters now is her.
“Lucy,” I say, my voice filled with an intensity I can’t even hide. “I don’t care about the world. I don’t care about the money, thepressure, the expectations. I only care about you. About us. I love you.”
Her hand trembles in mine, and I feel her heart racing just as much as mine is. Her eyes are shining, and I know she’s feeling every single emotion I am. The overwhelming relief. The joy. The love.
