Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 30858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
“Fiction,” everyone at the table uttered in unison.
“Okay, too easy.” She laughed. “How about, we have exactly five presents for Jenna under the Christmas tree.” She covered Elizabeth’s mouth before she could blurt it out and handed her a card. “Write it down. Then we can go with Brandon next—just for a warmup.”
“Gladly.” His eyes were on mine. “Jenna isn’t just dating or sleeping with her boss,” Brandon hissed. “She’s apparently secretly engaged to him, and for the groom’s sake, I hope there’s one hell of a prenup in the works.”
There was a collective gasp in the room, and Nicholas set down his pen.
“I highly suggest you walk that comment back within the next five seconds,” Nicholas warned.
“Which part?” Brandon looked deranged. “The part where you admit to sleeping with one of your employees or the part where I caution you from marrying a gold digger?”
“Both.”
“Fine, then we’ll go with the truth.” Brandon’s eyes turned ice cold. “This isn’t a real engagement. It’s a fraud, all set up for him getting his inheritance. He’s rich as hell already, but he won’t touch ‘billionaire’ status unless he gets his hands on it—and he has to be married to do that.”
My heart pounded loudly, drowning out everything else he was saying.
Mr. Reaves’s mouth fell open.
“It’s not personal,” he said. “But I do have to check on every fraudulent claim.”
“Enough, Brandon. That’s fucking enough.” My father stood up at the table. “No one will talk about my daughter or my future son-in-law this way.”
“But Mr. Dawson, listen—”
“You’re not saying anything worth hearing.” His deep voice silenced the room, so much so that Brandon leaned back.
“Not that it’s anyone’s business,” my father continued, looking at me, “but Mr. Saint did call and ask for my permission. He even flew down here last weekend to shake my hand in person like a real man, and I proudly gave him my blessing and said I’d keep it a surprise until they were ready to announce it.”
“Jenna’s engaged?” “Really?” “Why didn’t she say anything?” my cousins muttered.
“It’s not real, sir,” Brandon pushed. “I can prove it.”
“What does he mean it’s not real?” “What is he saying?” “Why would they fake an engagement?”
“I think you’ve wasted far more minutes than you’re entitled to at this dinner.” My father crossed his arms. “You need to leave, and you need to get over the fact that Jenna upgraded and moved on.”
“Fuck you,” he hissed, and then he pointed at Nicholas. “And fuck you, too, for using Jenna just to get your inheritance.”
His gaze met mine. “Oh, and you, too, Jenna. Fuck you, too, for leading me on and—” His sentence ended on Nicholas’s fist, and before I knew it, Nicholas, my dad, my uncles, and cousins were taking turns beating the shit out of him.
Overwhelmed with him outing us, I slipped away from the table and headed down the hall.
“Well, then…” Mr. Reaves stepped in front of me, a half-eaten candy cane in hand. “I really don’t know what to say about what I just witnessed, Mrs. Saint.”
“You can call me Miss Dawson.”
He furrowed his brow. “It’s not personal, but I do have to check on every fraudulent claim—no matter how silly it sounds for his inheritance.”
“I’m aware,” I said. “Can you please step out of my way?”
“But—”
“Now.” I glared at him. “Please just leave me alone.”
He stepped to the side without another word, and when I was halfway to the guest suite, Elizabeth rushed to me.
“They are truly beating Brandon’s ass right now.” She smiled. “I’m about to grab my brass knuckles and do the same!”
“What?”
“Before I pull them out, if the engagement is true, can you show me the ring Cousin Nicholas got you?”
He’s not going to be your cousin…
“Sure.” I pulled it out of my pocket and pressed it into her hand.
Her jaw dropped as the carats sparkled against the hallway’s dim lighting.
“OH. MY. GODDDD…”
“Do me a favor, will you?” I felt tears pricking my eyes.
“Anything.”
“Give that to Nicholas, okay?” I said. “Tell him to keep it for me for the rest of our trip.”
“Okay!” She rushed off without another word, having no idea of the shattering in my chest.
GAME OVER…
15
JENNA
My chest heaved as I shoved another shirt into my suitcase, my hands moving faster than my thoughts. My cheeks were still flaming hot with embarrassment, and I knew—I just knew—that there was no one at that table who believed Nicholas and I were truly engaged.
This was all for nothing…
As I was folding a pair of sweatpants, Nicholas stepped into the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
“What the hell are you doing?” Nicholas said, his face red.
“Packing everything away,” I said. “The jig is up.”
He arched a brow.
“Mr. Reaves is going to the hospital to talk with Brandon,” I said. “He’s going to find out the truth, and then this entire trip and elaborate pretend will be rendered completely unnecessary.”