Page 73 of Blackmail of a Billionaire

Worthington flicked his eyebrows up. “Then she realizes that the contract is not the only tie between you?”

Grant heaved a sigh as he flicked his eyes away from his emails to the butler. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose as the weight of the unspoken words that still hung between him and Julia pressed on him. “Not exactly.”

Worthington sank his chin to his chest, puckering his lips.

“Don’t judge. I’m not certain she feels the same way. In fact, I know she doesn’t.”

“Do you?”

“She said yesterday she’d been crazy to enter into a fake marriage.”

“That does not mean she doesn’t care.”

“Just let it simmer for now, Worthington. I have plenty of time to win her over.”

“Sometimes, sir, it’s the unspoken truths that weigh heaviest. Perhaps it’s not about timing, but the courage to face those truths.” Worthington’s voice carried a wisdom honed by years of observation.

“Not if she rejects me, it’s not.” Grant flicked his gaze back to the monitor.

Worthington paused for a few moments before he said, “Would you care for coffee, sir?”

“Yes, thank you, Worthington.”

Worthington offered him a nod before he disappeared from the room. Grant settled in to study a new contract. His phone pinged with a new notification from Harrington Global’s IT department.

“That’s odd,” he murmured as he studied it, before tossing his phone onto the desk. The last thing he needed was a crisis at the company. His plate was full enough.

He grabbed the phone again, placing a call to Evelyn and asking her to pull several files and send him the information via email.

As he set the receiver into the cradle, Worthington returned with the coffee.

“Thanks, Worthington. Where did you go for it? All the way to Columbia?”

“My apologies, Mr. Harrington, there was a call for Mrs. Harrington I needed to attend to.”

“Oh? Everything okay?”

“It seems her brother-in-law needed to reach her.”

Grant bobbed his head up and down for a second before his eyebrows pinched together. She hadn’t told her brother-in-law about their marriage. How would he know to find her here?

He wondered if the man had discovered their involvement. His mind swam with the fallout. He cleared his throat as he rose. “I think I’d better check on her to make sure everything is all right.”

“Of course, sir. Please let me know if there is anything Mrs. Harrington needs.”

Grant buttoned his jacket as he bobbed his head, heading for the stairs. He climbed the curving staircase, a growing sense of foreboding building with the echo of every step.

This was another thing that didn’t add up. Julia’s biting words about not informing her family of their marriage still twisted a knife in his gut. He hadn’t forgotten them.

So, why would her brother-in-law call the house? Had he seen the video? Would even more be thrust on Julia’s shoulders with her family inserting themselves into their agreement?

He navigated toward her room. Her voice floated down the hall. “I’m getting tired of this. Do not call here again… I doubt that. Don’t call again.”

Grant peered into her office as she slammed the phone onto the desk. Her pinched features suggested something was very wrong. Her fingers, still tight on the phone, tensed again as she rubbed at her temple. The morning sun cast long shadows across the room, hinting at trouble.

“Julia? Is everything okay?”

She flicked him a panicked glance, her eyes wide. Something was wrong. Grant hurried into the room, tugging a chair closer to her and perching on it as he took her hands in his. “What happened? Worthington said your brother-in-law called. Is something wrong?”

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