Page 15 of “Not” Engaged to the Grumpy Billionaire

And that’s the hardest part.

Chapter four

Nate

I leave the police station, my fists clenched, my jaw tight. The air outside is stifling, or it could be the rage simmering inside me. Janet, my secretary...How could she have done this?Betrayal doesn’t even begin to cover what I am feeling.

Liam had called me this morning with the news. “She’s the one, Nate, I’m sorry.” he’d said, his voice tense but certain. Clayton had backed him up with photos of her. There is mytrustedsecretary, handing a USB drive to Jensen Kirk, my biggest competitor. A damn USB. In that moment, it had taken everything in me not to smash the phone against the wall.

Now, standing in that small interrogation room with my attorney Tony, I watch her fall apart. She's crying and trembling but offers no answers. No real apology. It's useless tears. She isn’t sorry because she’s betrayed me; she's sorry because she’s been caught.

Her pitiful display disgusts me.

I’d hired her when she didn’t have much work experience, gave her a shot when no one else would. I’d treated her fairly, like I do all my employees, and this was how she repaid me. The betrayal sits heavy in my gut, festering. I gave her opportunities, respect, and she sold me out to Kirk like I meant nothing.

I’d left the station, my lawyer handling the rest. I couldn’t stomach looking at her any longer.

As I drive, my knuckles white against the steering wheel, I try to focus on anything else. But her face, the guilt, the fake remorse—it keeps playing over in my mind. How did I miss it? I should have acted when I lost the first deal. How had I let her get that close to something so important? The deal I’d spent months working on, gone. Just like that.

I grit my teeth, turning down a quiet street, my mind a storm of anger and betrayal. But then... something catches my eye.

What the—

A flash of movement—a little boy darting through the park, laughter trailing behind him. I almost don’t recognize him, but then I realize it’s my Max. My heart stops. I slam on the brakes, my car jerking to a halt as I stare out the window.

What on earth is he doing here?

My eyes scan the park, and there she is. Liz, running after Max, calling his name with a lightness in her voice that makes something twist inside me. She’s chasing him, her hair loose and wild in the breeze, her laugh carrying across the open space.

I feel a rush of anger—no, more than anger, fury. What is she doing with my son at the park without telling me? Without even asking?

I park the car, watching them from a distance. Max is grinning from ear to ear, his small arms flailing as Liz chases him. Boomer, ever the loyal dog, bounds behind them.

Max looks... happy. He’s laughing, his cheeks flushed, the kind of pure joy I haven’t seen in him in a while. And Liz, she’s right inthe middle of it, her face bright and carefree, as if this is the most natural thing in the world.

I take a deep breath, trying to control the heat bubbling in my chest. I don’t want to admit it, but there’s something about seeing Liz with Max that softens the edges of my anger. She’s so at ease with him, like she’s always been a part of his life. It’s a feeling that makes me want to believe in something I’ve sworn off. That's something I can’t afford to let myself believe in again.

But I can't let this slide. I can’t let her take my son without asking for permission. Boundaries. They need to be set.Firmly.

I walk over, my shoes crunching against the gravel as I approach them. Liz is standing, a bit out of breath, her hand resting on Max’s shoulder. She doesn’t see me until I’m practically right next to them.

“Hi Max, why don’t you go play with the other kids for a minute?" I say, keeping my voice calm. The storm inside me is anything but.

Max looks between Liz and me, his brow furrowing. “

But—”

“Go on, buddy. I’ll be right here,” I say, forcing a smile. He hesitates for a second before nodding and running off toward the playground, Boomer at his side.

I turn to Liz, my expression hardening. She’s watching me carefully, her face falling as she sees the look in my eyes.

“Why did you take Max out without telling me?” My voice is low, but the anger cuts through each word like a knife.

Liz straightens up, her eyes narrowing.

“Max wanted to go to the park. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Well, it is a big deal, Liz. You can’t just decide what to do with my son without asking for my permission first.”

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