Page 241 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 8
“How did you take it?”
“What was I supposed to think, Tanner? You disappeared for a month. I thought we were broken up.”
“Of course we didn’t break up. I love you.” He stood up. He went to close the distance between us, but I put up my hand. My hand with the engagement ring. He stared down at it in horror.
“I’m engaged. And I’m getting married. Soon.”
“What?”
“It all happened so fast...”
“Did you have sex? Is it true love?” He snapped and his lamp appeared in his hand. He shook his head. “It’s not true love, Ash.”
“Yes it is.”
“No. It’s not. So you can’t go through with this madness.”
I stood up a little straighter. “We haven’t had sex yet. We’re waiting until marriage. I really think it’s true love.”
“What the hell are you talking about? It’s not true love.We’retrue love.”
I shook my head. “I thought we were. But I was wrong.”
“Baby...”
The way he said it made my heart break in two. But I couldn’t tell him the truth. I was doing this for him. To free him. There was a loophole and I was going to take advantage of it. I needed to really sell this. I’d even told Ghazi I wanted to tell Tanner in person. There was no way he wasn’t magically eavesdropping. “If you really loved me, you wouldn’t have left me for a whole month...”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Santa and I were kidnapped. And I’ve lived for so long, sometimes I forget what a whole month feels like to a normal human. But it was an emergency. And I know how much you love Santa...” His voice trailed off.
He’d done it for me? God, that made all this hurt even more. He was so sweet. And thoughtful. I did love Santa! And he’d made sure to help him for me.
“And I thought about you the whole time. I...”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Ash, I love you. Please don’t do this just because you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not doing this because I’m mad at you. I’m doing it because I found my true love.”
“I’myou’re true love.” He poked the middle of his chest.
I shook my head.
“Who even is this guy?”
“Xander. Frost.”
“Your asshole of a boss? Are you kidding me? You hate him.”
I shook my head. “I’ve gotten to know him. And I love every single thing about him.”
Tanner just stared at me.
“So...this is goodbye.”
“This isn’t goodbye. You’re not leaving until we talk about this...”
“I’ve already said everything I needed to say to you.”
