Page 14 of Baby for My Billionaire Rival

“It’s not obsessing!” I grab my phone. “I’m done talking about this.”

Jude giggles. Nothing fazes her these days. “Fine, I’m going to get a snack. Want anything from the kitchen?”

I give her a pouty face.

“Oh, the silent treatment, huh? No wonder Jake Simmons thinks you’re a spoiled –”

“Jude!”

My friend snickers and saunters out of the foyer.

I tap around my phone errantly, trying to distract my boiling brain with memes and TikTok and shopping. An email comes through from Fig which I eagerly tap on. “Finally…” I mutter. Fig told us we’d be getting an email this weekend about our partner assignments for our first big project of the semester. We’ll have to make a business plan culminating in a pitch at the end of the semester.

Class,

Partners are as follows. Projects start next cycle. If you have a problem, take it up with your therapist, not me.

Fig

I scan the list of names, head buzzing with excitement. Amy and I asked Fig if we could team up to work on our idea for a biodegradable cosmetic packing component. Fig merely said, “We’ll see.”

However, that “We’ll see” is quickly dashed when I see Amy is paired up with Schwartz who always sits in the first row and I’m….

No.

There has to be some mistake.

I jump to my feet and scream.

Chase and Jude both come running. “What is it? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

I hold my phone out toward them. “Jake Simmons is my fucking partner!”

Chapter 6

Jake

Iarrive at Trilby an hour early. I need all the time I can get with Fig to tell her how absolutely ludicrous it is, the idea of me and Caroline working together. This isn’t just a small project. This is the defining moment of our first semester. And I can’t risk our disdain for one another fucking it up.

As I navigate the winding halls of the upper floor of Trilby, I practice my argument to myself over and over.

Fig –

Good start.

If our projects are meant to mimic the real world, this premise is already flawed with how you’ve set the scope.

Might be too many buzzwords, but given how nervous I am, I doubt it will come out like this.

Goldstone and I would never, and I repeatNEVER,get into a situation where we would be partners in business. Consequently…

I approach Fig’s door. It’s cracked just enough to let her office light into the hallway.

Consequently…

There are voices coming from inside.

Consequently what, genius?!

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