Page 254 of Billionaire Temptations

“Excuse me?” I asked in confusion.

“I would like to talk to you about your mother.”

“What about her?” A look of concern swept over my face.

He drew in a sharp breath. “We were very close at one time and—” He paused.

“And what?”

“I think you may be my daughter.”

I gulped and whipped my head around when I heard something hit the floor, and Katie stood there staring at me as the jewelry rack she was holding fell from her hands.

“I know this may shock you,” Gregory softly said.

“Shock is an understatement. Whom do you think you are coming into my shop and saying something like that? My mother didn’t know who my father was. She was a single woman who hooked up with a lot of guys. As horrible as that may make her sound, she was the best goddamn mother in the world,” I shouted. “Now, please leave my shop.” I pointed to the door.

“Your mother was the love of my life. I’m sorry to have bothered you.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card, and set it on the table. “I’m sure your mother never mentioned me, and I don’t blame her. I’ve lived with my decision for the last twenty-seven years. Have a good day, Emily.” He walked out the door.

I stood there, literally shaking at the news he had sprung on me. My heart was pounding out of my chest. The only person I could think of at that moment was Jackson.

“Emily, are you okay?” Katie asked as she walked up to me.

“I’m fine.”

“Do you think what he said was true?”

“I don’t know,” I spoke as I walked behind the counter and grabbed my purse. “I’m going out for a while. Noelle will be here in about thirty minutes.”

While I was in the back of the cab, I sent Jackson a text message.

“Are you at the office?”

“Hi, and yes, I’m here. Why?”

“I’m on my way. I need to talk to you.”

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.”

As soon as the cab driver pulled up to the fifty-six-story glass building, I threw some cash at him and took the elevator to Jackson’s office on the thirtieth floor.

“Hi, Emily.” His secretary smiled. “Mr. Caine said to go right in when you got here.”

“Thank you.”

Opening the door to his office, I took one look at him sitting behind his desk, and instantly, my eyes filled with tears.

“Hey.” He got up from his chair and walked over to me.

The tears started to fall uncontrollably, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop them.

“What happened?” He clasped my shoulders and then pulled me into an embrace.

“This man came into the shop.”

Breaking our embrace, he looked at me with a seriousness in his eyes I had never seen before.

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