Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
But even so, it was okay.
They both knew it was okay, and they had all the time in the world to make sense of what it meant to be together.
As they turned around the corner, the billionaire’s need to speak suddenly became irrepressible, and he thought, what the hell.
“I suppose you’re—-”
“How did you know—-”
Jaak and Ilse broke off the moment they realized they had been speaking at each other the same time. Their gazes collided, his blue eyes wry, her brown ones rueful, and the slightest of smiles slowly formed on their lips.
The billionaire inclined his head. “Ladies first.”
Ilse said simply, “I think you can guess what I want to ask.”
And it has begun, Jaak thought self-mockingly. He had seen his brothers grovel, and they had done so quite admirably. He could only hope that he could do half as good as them.
His gaze returning to hers unflinchingly, he said quietly, “I came looking for you at your office, and Gloria told me where I could find you...among other things.”
“I s-see.” He had come looking for her at the office? Why? But then the rest of his words penetrated her mind, and Ilse’s gaze shot up to his at its possible ramifications.
Easily interpreting the stunned, wary look in her eyes, he said quietly, “Yes. I know.”
“About everything?”
“I know about Issac, Natalia...”
Ilse didn’t know how to react at hearing the billionaire speak of names that should only have mattered to her. He knew. He knew. But if she thought that was the worst, she was wrong.
“Ilse—-” And when she looked up at him, he said flatly, “I know everything.”
And she knew he was talking about Jan.
“My boss has a b-big mouth.” He knew, he knew. The realization made her feel exposed and vulnerable, and Ilse was at a loss. So what now? Where did they go from here?
“Ilse—-”
She knew she should look at him, but she couldn’t. Just his tone alone told her what he intended to speak of, and she really didn’t want to hear it.
“When we were apart, I tried my damnedest to forget—-”
She cut him off, saying his name unevenly. “Jaak.” Without meeting his eyes, she said, “I know, too.” When he didn’t say anything right away, she made herself look up, not wanting him to think she was blaming him. “And I get it. You didn’t owe me anything. We weren’t—-”
That she was trying to find a way to stop him from feeling bad made the billionaire’s jaw tighten. God. He didn’t really deserve her at all. “I’m sorry.” Harsh regret underlined his tone.
“It’s okay.” She tried to make a joke of it, saying, “If I could, I w-would’ve done the same.” But the way her voice trembled made everything a lie.
“No.” The billionaire’s smile was grim. “You wouldn’t have.” Her pain-clouded eyes clashed with his, and he asked hoarsely, “And do you know why that is?”
She shook her head.
“Because the woman I love...”
Ilse stared at him in shock.
“—-isn’t the kind to be as weak as I had been.”
“J-Jaak...” Her voice came out a choked whisper.
His hands shook as he carefully tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears. “The woman I love wouldn’t have been an idiot.”
Ilse almost swayed on her feet. “W-what are you saying?”
But he only looked at her, saying without speaking that she knew – they both knew she knew what he had said.
“I was there the whole time, you know.” His voice was deliberately casual, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes at all. At her bemused look, he said, “When Issac spoke to you—-”
Ilse stumbled to a stop, thinking that she might never get used to the billionaire speaking of names that should have been buried in the past. “I don’t understand.”
“I was there,” he said flatly, “when he called you ethereal.”
“What?”
“I heard him all the way to the end, when he told you he would break off his engagement, no matter what.”
“Oh my God.” Ilse shook her head dazedly. “I can’t believe you were there the entire time.”
“You probably didn’t notice,” he murmured, “because you were too shocked at seeing your first love.”
She choked and laughed, but she didn’t say a word. She might be reeling right now, but she wasn’t stupid, and she refused to take the bait even though she knew what the billionaire wanted to hear was most likely the truth was well.
Issac was not her first love.
But if he wanted to hear that, he only had to ask.
The reproachful look Ilse gave him made the billionaire grimace, and he didn’t even think of pretending he didn’t understand why she was looking at him that way. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be. It’s just that you’re used to playing games—-” Ilse shrugged awkwardly. “And I’m not.”
“You don’t have to be so polite.” He laughed humorlessly. “You were right about me from the start. I have too many damn secrets—-”