Page 49 of Falling For The Billionaire Rockstar

My phone buzzed just then, and I quickly turned the screen, hoping for a callback. When I saw it was an unknown number, I dropped the phone in frustration. The number continued to call a few more times, making me wonder if it was Samantha trying to reach me. I picked up immediately and placed the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

No one spoke for a moment until a familiar voice came on. “Why are you ignoring my calls, Alexander?”

Fuck.“Mother, why aren’t you calling me with your actual number?” I asked and instantly regretted my question as soon as it came out.

“Are you being serious right now? You’ve practically ignored me for over eighteen hours, and I called your secretary, but she told me you had stepped out. I did what I could to reach my son.” Her tone was dramatic, so I did not bother countering her. I knew better than anyone else that a dramatic Nina Steele wasn’t one I’d want to argue with.

“All right. What is so important that you almost blew up my phone?” I asked, acting oblivious.

“Talk to me. Who is this runaway bride you’re dating? Why are you involved with someone who would cause you problems? I’ve tried my best to set you up with the best girls in the country, but you’ve chosen to lower your standards once again.” She stopped, and the phone fell silent for a moment.

Here we go again.“Finest girls according to your standards, not mine,” I said, wishing I could avoid this conversation. So much for taking a break.

“What more do you want? They’re beautiful and smart, attended the best schools, and have reputable families. Do you know how many men would beg to marry them? And even if you had to pick someone, why must it be a girl with a stained reputation for crying out loud?”

“I’ve heard you, but I promise Olivia is not all the media says. I’d love to explain it to you, but let’s save it for when we meet,” I spoke calmly, unwilling to give her a reason to argue further.

“And when would that be?” she asked again, her voice a bit calmer now.

“Very soon, Mother. Goodbye.” I hung up shortly after and relaxed when she didn’t call back again.

My short holiday was suddenly ruined, and as I started to head back, my phone rang once again. I felt relief seeing the call was from Samantha.

“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you since last night,” I said before she had a chance to speak.

“Yeah, we need to talk right now, Alex. Your place, please. I’ll be there in an hour.” The line went dead before I could ask any questions, but the urgency in her voice prompted me to rush toward my car and drive at full speed.

Upon reaching my apartment, I found Olivia waiting on my front porch and hurried toward her. She looked pale, and the dark circles around her eyes were more visible than before.

“Are you okay, babe?” I asked, gently cupping her face in my hands. My heart sank when she immediately pulled away.

“I’m fine. Let’s go in,” she replied without looking at me, and I opened the door, holding it wide open to let her in.

“Samantha found out about our relationship, and she wasn’t too happy,” she said as soon as I shut the door. She was pacing around my living room now, looking more tense than I had ever seen her.

“I suspected something was wrong when I spoke to her earlier, but she wouldn’t say anything, so I couldn’t make sense of it,” I said.

Olivia didn’t respond. She continued to pace around until I placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Sit, please.”

She shrugs me off. “I love Samantha, and I can’t lose my best friend because of a make-believe relationship.” Her words felt like a blow to my face, and I suddenly realized how right she was. Painfully so, but still right.

With our recent development, I had forgotten about the circumstances surrounding our relationship for a moment. Of course, this was just a big arrangement to help her get back at Greg. In my defense, we had both gotten carried away, and everything had felt real.

“Right, you’re right. But we have an objective, and we’re not there yet. When the time is right, we’ll tell her if there’s a need to.” My last words caused Olivia to stop pacing, and she turned to face me.

She didn’t ask questions, and I didn’t bother explaining myself because I wasn’t sure what I’d say if I had to.

Chapter nineteen

STILL FAKING?

Olivia Sanders

Iwoke up to the strong aroma of pancakes and fried eggs. The air had been filled with it for a while now, but I was trying to get some extra sleep, so I refused to get out of bed.

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