Page 372 of Billionaire Temptations

I was shaking so badly that I couldn’t walk down the street to my car, so I took a seat on a bench outside the restaurant. As I sat there with tears streaming down my face, trying to make sense of the last nine months of my life, Corey sat down beside me.

“I’m so sorry, Chloe. I never meant to hurt you.”

“Go away, Corey.” I wiped my eyes.

“I love you. You have to believe me. We are so good together as friends, and I don’t want to lose you.”

Even though I was hurt and angry as hell, a sincerity in his voice calmed me.

“What’s his name?” I asked.

“Travis.”

“I hate that name.”

Corey chuckled.

“How long have you known?”

“Pretty much my whole life. I just kept trying to deny it, and every day, I became more miserable.”

“Thanks.” I shot him a look as I sniffled.

He hooked his arm around me, and I laid my head on his shoulder.

“Don’t take it like that, Chloe. You make me happy, but not in a romantic relationship way. Does that make sense?”

I nodded my head. “I guess.”

“You’re a beautiful, smart, and fun woman, and you deserve someone who is not gay and who will love you like you deserve to be loved. I wanted to tell you now, not for my own sake, but for yours. With you leaving for London in a couple of weeks, I wanted you to be free in case you met someone.”

“That was kind of you,” I spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“Hey. I know it hurts, babe. It hurts me too. This is the last thing I wanted to tell you. But I had no choice. I couldn’t live like this anymore.”

“I get that. I really do.” I lifted my head. “But I’m so hurt right now, and I need a couple of days to process all of this.”

“I understand.” He looked at me as sadness filled his eyes.

I got up from the bench, and as I started walking away, Corey grabbed my hand.

“I don’t want to lose our friendship. You’re too important to me, Chloe.”

I pursed my lips together and slowly gave him a nod before heading home and collapsing into my bed.

Chapter One

TWO WEEKS LATER

Chloe

“Cheer up, Chloe,” Sienna, my best friend, pouted as we sat and sipped coffee in the airport.

“I am cheery. See?” I displayed a fake smile.

“Did you bring your list?” she asked as she held out her hand.

I sighed as I pulled it out of my purse and handed it to her. She took a pen from her purse and wrote something on it.

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