Page 9 of The Runaway Bride and the Billionaire

It was hard to make sense of what he was saying. Joseph Pierson wanted me to house his daughter. Only a few years ago, he’d done everything possible to keep Amelia away from me, now he wanted her to live with me.

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Joseph continued. “But I’m willing to compensate you greatly for your help. I really need someone I can trust to look after my daughter and I’d really appreciate you doing this.”

He reached over and handed me a manila folder similar to the one he gave me when we first met in this office. The document inside was a detailed contract that offered five times the initial investment we’d agreed on. It was an irresistible deal but deep down I knew this wasn’t the reason I was considering this.

“So what do you say?” Joseph’s question interrupted my thoughts. He looked at me expectantly and asked, “Will you do this for me?”

It would be crazy for me to agree to this, but I couldn’t turn it down. “Yes, I will.”

When Joseph left my office that day, the only thing on my mind was what the next four months were going to look like. I’d agreed to let Amelia live in my house and who knew what that would be like for both of us?

I wondered if I’d made a mistake by accepting the deal, but I couldn’t bring myself to truly regret it. Maybe because a part of me wanted to live with Amelia. It was the part of me that still loved her even after years of trying to hate her.

I hoped that living together would finally allow me to get her out of my system. Hopefully, this was the closure I needed.When the four months were over, Amelia and I would go our separate ways. We’d never have to see each other again.

Is that what you really want?A voice in my head asked.

I let the question go unanswered.

Chapter 5

Amelia

Istared out the window as the plane descended. I’d finally done it. I stood up to my parents and I made a decision entirely on my own. I was in a new city and here, I would have the fresh start that I needed. Well, as fresh a start as I can get while living with my ex.

I still couldn’t believe that my dad was forcing me to live with Matteo for the first four months of my stay here. I knew he only set this up because he doesn’t remember who Matteo really is. If he knew Matteo was the same man that he’d forced me to break up with five years ago, he would never have suggested this arrangement.

I wanted to tell him the truth. Telling him would get me out of living with Matteo but I was worried that my father would prohibit me from coming to New York altogether. He’d use thesituation with Matteo as an excuse to keep me in California and under his watch for the rest of my life.

Living with Matteo wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was a small sacrifice for a better future. Once those four months were over, I would be free to finally live my life on my own terms. All I had to do was endure these four months.

I took a deep breath as I walked towards the crowded area of the airport where people waited to welcome their loved ones. I expected to see Matteo standing somewhere in the crowd but instead, I saw a young man holding a sign that read ‘Amelia Pierson.’ I quickly realized that Matteo had sent a driver to pick me up instead of coming here himself.

I told myself it was for the best. The less I saw him, the better I would feel. I still hadn’t recovered from our encounter in the park. I was so humiliated watching him walk away while I stood there in my wedding dress. I hated him for how he rejected me, but I also knew I couldn’t complain because I did the same to him and even at the same location. It was like life had come full circle for us.

I rejected him and he rejected me which was why I didn’t understand why he’d agreed to let me live with him for four months. A small part of me wondered if he’d agreed because he still had some residual feelings for me, but I knew that was impossible. After the way he treated me at the park, it was clear that he had no feelings for me whatsoever. I supposed that was my own fault.

“Miss Pierson. I’m Eddie. Mr. Hayes sent me to pick you up and take you to the house,” the man said as he placed the card with my name under his arm.

“Nice to meet you, Eddie. You can just call me Amelia.”

He nodded and smiled. Eddie took one of my suitcases and walked in front. “The car is parked outside.”

“Okay,” I said, walking behind him and pulling my other suitcase with me. I felt tempted to ask him about Matteo, but I bit my tongue. If I asked him, the man in question would likely find out.

The last thing I wanted was Matteo thinking I was still interested in him. He’d made it clear that he didn’t love me anymore and I had no desire to have him reject me a second time.

Eddie stopped beside a sleek black car and opened the backseat door for me. I thanked him and got inside. It was becoming increasingly clear to me that Matteo was not the man I remembered from five years ago. It was obvious that he made a lot of money in the years we were apart. So much so that even my father was eager to do business with him.

I wondered if he started the company that he used to tell me about back then. I couldn’t hold my curiosity anymore, so I asked Eddie. “What does Matteo do, Eddie?”

“Mr. Hayes owns a construction company. I don’t know much about what the company does, but I know it’s doing really well. He’s quite successful for a man his age.”

“And how long have you been working for him?”

“Almost three years now. A friend of mine got me the job.”

I bit my lip to hold back my next question, but it came out anyway. “What’s he like?”

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