Page 103 of Ruthless Heir

“Don’t look so worried.” She reaches across and taps my knuckles. “All secrets are safe with me. I’m only coming clean because I’d feel bad sitting here and acting like I don’t know.”

“Oh.” I don’t know what to say. I had no idea that she knew about the arrangement but that’s probably my fault for not asking. And now I feel bad for the lies I told to make Asher and I look more credible.

“Reason number three for coming here was that you looked like you might need to talk away from work. I felt that whatever was on your mind might be to do with him.”

“It’s… complicated. Who else knows about us?”

“To my knowledge, only Hunter. Asher wouldn’t keep something like this from him.”

I don’t think he would keep it from Olga either. The same way I couldn’t keep it from Beth.

“What about Luna?”

“No. I haven’t told her and if Hunter had she would have spoken to me about it by now. Hey, like I said, please don’t worry.” She squeezes my hand again. “Also, me knowing about your arrangement doesn’t take anything away from the truth.”

“What truth?” I thought we were already talking aboutthe truth.

“That you genuinely like Asher.” She keeps her gaze fixed on me. “Look, I know we haven't known each other long but I'm the kind of person you can be real with, so you can talk to me if you need to.”

I press my lips together, instinct wanting to deny her assumption but the desperation in my heart longing to relieve some of the angst living in my soul.

Layla also looks like the kind of person you can’t lie to. Or fool. So I don’t try. “It’s silly right? To like him. It’s like falling for your own act.”

“No. Not really. You seem to have liked him well before theact. Have you spoken to him?”

“No. I can’t do that.” Nervously I fumble with my fingers in my lap.

“Why not?”

I shake my head and relax my shoulders. “I can’t.”

“Haven’t you two known each other for a lifetime?”

“We have but it’s best if I don’t go there. I understand that I’m just helping out. And besides I know there’s someone else he really likes.”

Layla’s eyes widen slightly. “You mean Alexis?”

Alexis.

Is that her name? “He never told me her name. There’s always a steady stream of Asher Le Blanche wannabe girlfriends. She’s probably one of them.”

Layla chuckles. “Alexis is a very good friend of mine. I actually set her up with Asher.”

Oh great.I just put my foot in my mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch.”

“It’s okay. You weren’t being bitchy. She’s my friend but I get it.”

“She must be nice.”

“She is. And so are you. Just talk to him. You have two more months. I don’t think you want to be in the worry zone that whole time. Do you?”

“Not really?” I’d go crazy.

“Then maybe you should think about it.”

“Okay.” I say that but I know I won’t. The last thing I need is to complicate things more and make myself look like some desperate loser.

“Let’s go get our manicures.”

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