Page 87 of Bestie's Bossy Billionaire Brother
“Did he tell you how he found out about Jason stealing our proposal?” Fred asks as he follows behind me.
I nod. “I’ll explain in the car. There’s somewhere we need to go.”
Fred and I quickly make our way outside to his car. We both get in, and Fred starts the engine.
As we’re driving, a call comes in through Fred’s Bluetooth. My eyes sweep over to his Car Play, when I see Erica’s name flashing on the screen.
“Why is Erica calling you?” I ask, then check my phone to make sure it didn’t connect to Fred’s car.
Fred clears his throat. “It must be an accident.” He reaches for the disconnect button, but in his haste, presses the answer button instead.
“Shit,” he mumbles, still trying to hang up.
“Hey, baby,” Erica says through the car’s speaker. “What’s going on?”
“Baby?” I growl, my heart pounding in my chest. “Fred, what the hell is going on?”
Fred grimaces, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the road.
“Oliver?” Erica says, realizing I’m in the car. Immediately, she hangs up.
“I can explain everything,” Fred tells me, and flashes me an anxious smile.
I have no desire to speak to either of them, but Erica and Fred refuse to leave my house. They’ve joined me and Alice at the kitchen table, watching me as I give them the silent treatment.
“Oliver, we’re just trying to offer you some support,” Erica quips. “Do you have to be like this?”
I roll my eyes and release a heavy sigh. “Do you really have to hold hands so openly like that?”
Alice looks up from her plate, confused. “What hands?” She whips her head toward Fred and Erica, but they’ve placed their hands under the table.
I grit my teeth, regretting my choice of words. “Nothing, sweetie. I was just talking to Aunt Erica and Fred. Why don’t you go eat in the living room?” I suggest. “You can watch TV.”
Alice’s face lights up. She scampers off to the living room, grabbing a plate of food on her way.
I turn back to both of them, my arms crossed over my chest. “How long has this been going on?”
“A couple of months,” Fred admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I’m sorry.”
I narrow my eyes on both of them. “All this time? Lying behind my back?”
Erica drops Fred’s hand and looks away. “I didn’t intend to hurt you.”
Fred clears his throat, obviously guilty about the situation. He looks at me apologetically. “We were going to tell you eventually,” he admits. “It wasn’t our plan to keep it from you.”
I flash them both a stern look. “You should have been honest from the start. It would have saved us all a lot of trouble.”
“As if you’re any better,” Erica retorts. “You and Catherine kept your relationship a secret, too. I only know about it now because of this whole mess with Jason.”
The words hit me like a physical blow, and for a moment, I can only stare at Erica in stunned silence. “Really, Erica? You’re such a nasty little sister, throwing my secret relationship around to deflect from discussing yours!”
“We aren’t here for our relationship,” Erica tells me. “That’s just something you’re going to have to deal with. We’re here to persuade you to work things out with Catherine.”
I clear my throat and speak more calmly. “Look, I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to see Catherine right now. She won’t forgive me after I assumed she betrayed me and I fired her.”
“Don’t forget you kicked her out on the street,” Fred adds.
“I didn’t do that,” I retort. “I offered her a place to stay, which she didn’t want to take. But yeah, that, too, though. Besides, she’s young. I doubt she wants a relationship with someone who has a kid right now. She’d want to focus on her career and get some experience.”
