Page 58 of The Billionaire and His Forever

Ford walks back over to the bar to refill his glass, swirling the drink before taking a healthy swallow.

“This is the thing, Graham. Abbieset you up. She came to work for you so she could seduce you and rob you blind, by hook or by crook. Granted, the blackmail plot did backfire, thanks to your stable boy blowing the lid off the story first, but then she pivoted to the whole marriage thing, so overall I’d say she did pretty well for herself. Even if you haven’t made things legal just yet.”

A high-pitched ringing erupts in my ears. “You’re lying. I understand you may not be comfortable with our relationship, but trying to tear us apart is—”

“There’s nothing to tear apart,” he interrupts. “My little actress played her role spectacularly. She seduced you. She got the ring. Hell, she apparently even tried to kill your wife to make sure there weren’t any loose ends. Frankly, I’m impressed she went so far. Well. Sort of impressed. Can’t exactly support attempted murder, but her dedication to her task has been quite remarkable. Not that I expected her to cut me out at the last minute like she did. But that’s women for you, eh? Ruthless to the last.”

Ford drains his second drink, then sets the glass down with a vile smack of his lips. Meanwhile, I’m standing here speechless and horrified, ice in my gut, my pulse jackhammering.

“It’s not true,” I protest. “Abbie doesn’t want my money. She signed a prenup. In fact, it washeridea—”

“A prenup, eh? That little bitch,” he says quietly. Then he shakes his head at me. “Don’t you get it? She did that just to trick you all the better! You think she isn’t planning to suck you dry once she has that ring on her finger? In more ways than one, old man, and not the way you want, believe me.” He chuckles to himself, and my stomach turns. “There’s no love between you two. There never was. She was just doing her job.”

His words have the sinister ring of truth. I sink into a chair, my legs no longer capable of supporting me. “But…why?”

“Because I told her to.” Ford stalks toward me, victory etched on his face. “I was in the lurch, Graham. Hit a bad spot, needed the help. Bank was getting ready to take my house, I had creditors breathing down my neck, debts piling up left and right. You knew this.

“You, the man with more money than God. You, the man with more bank accounts than toes. You knew, and you could have helped, but you didn’t, did you? No, you greedy fuck, you hoarded your treasures like a dragon. Well, guess what? I’m the dragon slayer. I set you up. I did what I had to do to help my family. Though I guess you and I both got screwed in the end, didn’t we? And now I’m just trying to put things to right. So. Break it off. Cut your losses. Move on.”

The weight of his words hits me like an anvil. This doesn’t feel real. Abbie would never do this to me. And yet. The stories, the tabloids, the way she dressed when she got to my estate, the way she clung to my family like we were her last resort…it all makes sense now.

Because we were her last resort.

“Get out,” I say through gritted teeth. “Get the hell out of my house!”

He shrugs. “Give my best to Abbie. Tell her daddy dearest is waiting on a phone call.”

Ford saunters away, and a moment later the door slams, echoing through the empty apartment. All I can do is sit here, frozen in shock, my entire world shattered.

For the second time in my life, I’ve fallen for an actress. A manipulator. A liar.

If I missed that…what else is Abbie capable of?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Abbie

I stepout of the subway station and into the late summer heat, making my way down the packed, humid, noisy streets toward the apartment building. A thick file folder is clutched to my chest. Inside are legal documents I need to study, notes I took during my meeting with Bowen, every defense I have at my disposal to keep me safe from Natasha.

I have no idea if it will be enough.

My life is one big minefield right now—one wrong step could result in complete annihilation. But God, I can’t go to jail. The idea of it is incomprehensible. I didn’t do anything to that woman, didn’t do anything but fall in love with the man she once loved—and never stopped using.If she thinks I’m going down without a fight, she is very sorely mistaken.

Natasha Ratliff may be used to getting her way, but she can’t have everything. Not this time. She’s not going to take away my new family, my new life. Everything I’ve worked for.

The meeting with Bow did a lot to lift my spirits. She fully believes in my innocence, and also believes Natasha is full of shit. It sounded to me like they never really liked each other, though Bowen didn’t explicitly say so. Either way, she believes we have a solid defense. The lack of concrete evidence combined with medical statistics regarding coma patients and their mental states after regaining consciousness make for a very strong case. And honestly, having an objective party believe me so unquestioningly makes me feel like things will actually be okay.

Graham and I will get through this, together, and then we’ll take one hell of a honeymoon to help us forget it ever happened.

As soon as the ritzy apartment building comes into view, I pick up my pace and hurry through the lobby, nodding to the kindly doorman who ushers me inside.

All I can think about now is the fact that I’ve got Graham upstairs waiting for me, waiting to rip off all my clothes and fuck all this stress and anxiety away. My center instantly goes hot as I picture him laying me down across the bed, pushing my thighs apart, licking his lips as he lowers himself between my legs…

I’m so distracted, I full-on collide with someone stepping out of the elevator.

“Sorry!” I jump back, praying I’m not about to be recognized by any of my haters who live here. But when I lift my eyes, my stomach drops. “Dad?What are you doing here?”

He eyes me coldly. “Paying an old friend a visit. Where have you been?”

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