Page 27 of Falling for My Billionaire Fake Date

Then he continues. “So, the situation of the mistaken identity is totally your fault,” he says, while grinning widely.

I punch him feebly on his shoulder while claiming my innocence. “I did not get jealous at all! That is absolutely ridiculous! I was only angry because I thought you were engaged to Bella and you wanted to get out of it, and that was why you asked me to be your fake girlfriend!”

“Hmm . . . okay, whatever helps you sleep at night,” he says, laughing, while wiggling his brows.

I findmyself laughing and thoroughly enjoying the nice and casual atmosphere. The truce is seemingly longer than I expected it to be.

“Did you know Alex? And were you aware of his engagement to Sophia?” I ask, after a moment, the reality of the situation dawning on me, settling in my stomach like a heavy stone. I gulp down the invisible rock in my throat and wait for his response.

“Honestly, no. I never knew Alex, and I didn’t know he was engaged to Sophia, either. And I definitely did not know Sophia would tag along with my family today. And certainly not with a fiancé.” He goes silent after that, a small frown settling on his face. I lick my lips and ask the next question.

“And why, Jake, do you not want to be her date to Bells’ wedding so badly that you’d spin up a fake girlfriend just to escape that?” I ask, wearily. Initially, all I planned to do was clear the air with his mom and sister, stay away from all the drama, and drive Alex away from me as fast and as forcefully as I could. I was never going to be a part of this complicated situation.

As crazy as it sounds now, I’m hoping I can be of help. Seeing him frown and being roped into a complex situation because he didn’t want to disappoint his family stirs something in me. And if I am going to be of help, I should at least know how intense the situation is.

“I really think that is none of your business, Aurora,” he says, with a steely edge in his voice that slashes through me. I recoil from his reply and suck in a sharp breath.

THIS is what I get for momentarily thinking we could be a team. That we can face the situation together as a team, that I can help him with the situationhe has gotten himself into with his family and the mess I have been accidentally dragged into, even if it means being a fake girlfriend.Jake runs a hand down his face in distress.

“Look, Aurora, that isn’t quite what I meant, I didn’t mean it that way, I . . .”

I hold out a hand to stop him from completing whatever cliché line he is about to come up with.

“You’re right. It is none of my business. None of this is, in fact, my concern! Everything about the situation concerns me not! But now, the whole situation practically revolves around me! Your mom thinks I’m your girlfriend—supposedly in love with you—your sister loves me already, and your ex-girlfriend has daggers glinting in her eyes every time she stares at me.

“But you’re right, itisnone of my business. I hope you get the situation fixed soon. I want my life back!”

I stand up and angrily snatch my bag from the office chair.

Jake stands up too and moves to stop me, but I shoot him a look, and he steps to the side

As I reach to open the door, he grabs my hand and jerks me back to him, but I refuse to fully face him. The embarrassment and the anger of his harsh response are still burning through me.

“I didn’t mean it that way, I was only . . .”

Three loud knocks reverberate on my office door. I wiggle out of Jake’s grasp and open the door. I hear Jake sigh at the presence looming at the entrance like some sort of gargoyle. Jake steps forward, placing himself behind me, and leans a supportive hand on my shoulder. I blink once, twice, and then a thirdtime, like some sort of cartoon, just to be sure the image at the entrance isn’t a mirage.

“What are you doing here?” Jake asks, with undisguised contempt. Sophia stares at us with narrowed eyes.

“I need to talk to you, Jacob,” she says, in a sickly-sweet voice and the razor smile of a constipated crocodile.

Her eyes zero in on Jake’s hand on my shoulder and she glares at it, and to my shock, Jake removes his hand as if my shoulder is fire ant infested. My stomach drops, and I don’t even know why the act affects me so, it’s not like there’s anything special going on between us. Sophia locks her gaze with mine, and she smirks at me triumphantly, giving me a sweet smile.

I push past her, not sparing Jake a last glance before I leave my office, not caring that it’s my personal space they both have no right to in my absence. I hear him calling out my name, but I make no move to stop.

The sound of the beginning of an argument is the last thing I hear, as I escape from the small passage leading from my office.

Chapter nineteen

Jake – Just Go Away

“Aurora, please come back,” I call out, to no avail. I might as well be yelling at a wall. I just see the back of her running out of her office. She didn’t turn to my call, but I guess I can’t blame her. I have put her into not one, but two or more difficult situations that she had no say in. If I weren’t being nearly pinned down by this unwanted woman from my past I would go after Aurora. But it’s just not going to happen.

And maybe it’s for the best because I could swear, I sensed that she was just about ready to take me down. I’m a good sized, strong guy, but right now I’m actually a little afraid of what Aurora could do to me. There’s something to be said for the power of a woman’s ire and I sure don’t want to test it today.

But now I have to deal with yet another woman, this very unwanted woman. Sophia is staring into my eyes with such a smirk on her face that I just want to wipe it off her face, that is,if I wanted to touch her face. I need to get a grip on my emotions or I could say or do more than I should.

‘Sophia, what are you doing here? You have no reason to be here, nor do you have the right to be in Aurora’s private office. I’ve told you over and over that I want nothing to do with you. What about that can you not understand?”

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