Page 27 of The Billionaire's Heart

She doesn’t answer me, but she at least goes into the other room. The last thing we need is a hotel staffer letting the reporters know what room she’s staying in.

Quickly, I hurry the attendant into the room and then tip him very well as he leaves. “Thank you, sir.” He says as I close the door.

“Mia?” I find her sitting on the bed with her phone in her hand and the most confused look on her face. “Let me explain.” I try to defend what’s she’s reading.

“Explain what, Ian?” Oh sure, now she calls me by my first name. “What happened? How on earth did they get this nonsense about us being engaged?” She paces the room. “What is Mr. Sutherland going to think? Oh! The merger. Do you think he’ll still want to do business with Gallo Enterprises?”

“Mia… wait, what?” Now, I’m confused. She’s worried about my company and not what is happening to her? She has no clue.

“This is all over the internet, Ian. The whole point of me being your date last night was to get yououtof the tabloids so that Mr. Sutherland would want to continue doing business with you, right? That’s what you said last night. That he’s old school. Isn’t this…” she waives her phone in the air, “bullshit going to hinder that? Do the complete opposite?”

“Well, to be honest, he texted me this morning to wish us congratulations on our pending nuptials.”

“What? You put him straight, right?” She recognizes my hesitation. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“Mia…”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, IAN?!”

I hold up my hands in surrender and step into her path as she’s pacing the bedroom. “I just haven’t answered him yet, that’s all. But there are more urgent issues to address right now.”

“Like what? What could possibly be more important than setting Mr. Sutherland straight about us?” Her phone dings an incoming text and she opens her phone. “You have got to be kidding me right now.” She mumbles.

“What?” I move closer to read the text, but she closes the app before I’m able to read it.

“Nothing. It’s nobody.”

It’s most definitely somebody, and the jealousy and rage I’m feeling inside makes no sense to me, but we don’t have time for that now. “Come on. Let’s eat some breakfast and then we can head to the airport. The tour will have to wait until next time.” I lead her into the other room where the breakfast is getting cold.

Mia looks at me funny and I can’t decipher what that look means. “I’m not hungry. I’ve lost my appetite, but thank you for the offer. What time are we leaving? I’ll meet you at the airport.”

I place my hands on Mia’s shoulder and look directly into her beautiful blue eyes. “Mia, you’re going to have to trust me right now. You cannot go anywhere without me or by yourself. Do you understand me?” She’s not getting it – not understanding how complex this is.

Her head flinches back slightly in confusion. “No. Why?”

“Because those people and news vans outside,” I point towards the windows, “are here for you. I wasn’t kidding.You’rethe reason they’re here. I’m so sorry that this has happened, and I promise to fix it when we get back home, but right now, you have to promise me you won’t go anywhere without me or one of my security team. Okay?”

"Ian, I don't understand. What do they want from me? What security team?" her eyebrows knit together in confusion. This has got to be a lot to digest all at once.

I sit her down on the couch, “Right now, your entire world is going to be under a microscope. I should have predicted this, but I didn’t, and I’m truly sorry about that. They think that you’re dating, engaged to,” I correct myself. “one of the most eligible billionaires in the world. My money is a blessing and a curse. This is the curse.”

I pull open a few more news articles on my phone. “See? You’re going to be the most envied and hated woman for the next few days until I can get this fixed. But I promise you, Iwillfix this.”

Mia nods and is looking at me with the most trusting eyes, and I vow to myself that I will protect her at all costs.

At all costs.

Chapter 13

Mia

This is the last thing I expected, and it was definitely not covered inPretty Woman.

Ian has been on the phone with Mrs. Wilcox, his security team, and many others trying to coordinate our departure from the hotel for the last hour. In the meantime, I’ve just been sitting here on the couch, strolling through my phone and reading the headlines.

I mistakenly opened up some social media apps and immediately had to close my accounts. The hatred and vile things people are saying about me are scary. I had over two thousand friend requests. How did they even find out my name?

Closing the accounts was the best option. Besides, I only use social media to watch videos of cats and dogs and to look at wedding dresses. I can always open new accounts when this is all over.

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