Page 125 of Knocked Up by My Fake Fiancé
"I'm telling you—I didn't do it!"His voice is heated now, harsh, his words delivered louder and faster. He lowers his tone when he catches people watching us. "Do you think after everything I already did with Marina, after how shitty I felt about the whole thing, I would try to ruin your happiness again a second time?"
"I'm sure greed helped to drown your guilt, just like the first time."
"Greed? For what, the Wolfe Group?" He gives me a bitter laugh. "I didn't even want to be CEO in the first place. I didn't want to leave London. I'd built a life for myself. I had friends and a home, and a great lifestyle. I was perfectly happy running the European branch. It was our parents who forced me to come back here and deal with this bullshit."
I pause, staring at him, his eyes blazing with heat. I've not seen him this mad since we were kids, when I teased him endlessly about the stupid bowtie he was always wearing.
It was our mother's doing, and he was very sensitive about it, but of course, I didn't know that at the time. I was just saying stupid shit, and he finally tried to hit me in the face, and we fought, and I think that was pretty much the first time I ever respected him.
It was the most I'd liked him too.
Because I'd finally seen his true face, instead of the passive mask he always donned.
I see that same face right now.
He just might be telling the truth.
"If you didn't want to be CEO, then why did you say yes?" I ask. "Why didn't you talk Pops out of it?"
"I tried, but then Marina told me it would be a good opportunity. She thinks like they do. She thinks that since we're going to have a child together, this would be a good opportunity for our son-to-be to eventually take over as head of the family."
"Wait…Marinatold you to take the role?"
"Yeah. Don't tell anyone that, though, especially not Dad. It apparently makes me look weak to have done something simply because my future wife wanted it."
"Ah. Let me guess—Marina told you that as well."
He doesn't answer, but the look on his face is enough. "Look, I didn't leak that article to the newspapers, I swear it, but if you want, I can help you find out who did."
At that moment my phone buzzes, interrupting us. I open it expecting a message from Jenna, but it's from an unknown number.
I want you and you want me.
"What the fuck?" I mutter.
"What?"
I shake my head and tuck the phone away. "Weird message. Anyway, you were saying?"
"I said I can help you find out who hired those reporters to write the hit piece."
I narrow my eyes, wondering if I can really trust him. "They said it was a woman," I tell him.
"Did you ask for the number of the person who called them?"
"Not yet."
"Hmm."
While George thinks, something clicks in my head.
The weird text I just got is almost the same phrase Marina used in my office. She's tried to show up at my workplace a few more times to get my attention, but I haven't let her in. The last time she tried, I told her I would tell George.
Is this latest text from Marina? She could easily have changed her number since we were together. In fact, she probably has, after all, she's been away in Europe and only recently came back. It fits the pattern.
Maybe I should tell George. For all that we're not that close, he's still my brother, and I don't want him to be tied up with someone like that. On the other hand, they have a kid on the way, which complicates everything even more.
Christ. This is going to be a shitshow.
