Page 5 of The Fake Dating Plan

“To be his girlfriend.”

“And before that, he was threatening to pull his money. I can't be with that guy. At least you told him about the Axel thing, right?”

“Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“We have an ace now, at least the appearance of one. I don’t want to jinx it until we’ve signed the papers. Who knows what he might do?”

“He who? Axel or Heron?”

“Both.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I hoped so too. When Laura left the office, my phone rang. It was a number I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was Ax.

I gave up the pretense of working as soon as she waltzed out. Trying to do anything else when she had been here, sitting directly opposite me, was difficult. How could I concentrate when all I could see was her face? Part of me could not help get excited. And aroused. It was a long time since I had seen her and boy, did she still look good. The other part, the more rational part, was telling me to get out of this deal now.

I looked at the business plan she had left. It looked like a good business now that I took time to go through it. But who cares. Emilia fucking Harris was in my office and here I was trying to act cool about it when deep down I was feeling ten thousand emotions all at once. And what she said about Silvester Heron. I hate how she knew me. She knew the moment she mentioned his name, I would lose all rationality and focus on one-upping him. That she could still read me was something that had to be rectified. Because Emilia and I were going to rectify what happened nine years ago. She could still scatter my brain, yes, but I had a better hold on myself than I did before. I was more experienced and better equipped to handle a woman like her.

I wonder how she got into business with him. He was a venture capitalist, yes, but he was interested in big companies, not struggling startups. Unless it still had to do with him. Were they still dating? Is that why his father invested in her company? Whatever their relationship was, I had to find out first before I completed the deal. I picked up my phone and made several calls, one to Bonnie, my investment advisor, and another to my accountant.

With that, I was done for the day. There was no use trying to force work when I couldn’t stare at a screen for a few seconds without wondering about the good old days.

“Where are you going?” Caiden asked when he saw me putting on my jacket.

“Out. Gone for the day. It is five o’clock, you know.”

“Not working late today, I see. Anything wrong?”

“No,” I said too quickly.

“Riiight,” he stepped in slowly, casually, as if daring me to send him out. “So, I shouldn’t ask why you had Emilia waiting outside your office for the better part of the day.”

How did he know about that? Probably from his nosy assistant. “Mind your own business.”

“I am. I’m looking out for my friend.”

“Your friend is fine. Stop poking into his personal life. He doesn’t poke into yours.”

“So, it was personal, huh? The reason she was here?” Gosh. Ever since Caiden had let go of his vendetta against the Lyndells, he was more nosy.

“Don’t you have a pregnant wife you need to take care of?”

“That’s why I’m here actually.” He plopped himself into my chair. “I’ll be taking paternity leave for the next few months so you’ll be manning the ship.”

Paternity leave. Caiden never took a day off his entire life, not even for my birthday, and now he was taking vacations and paternity leaves. He truly was lovesick.

“I’m doing it as an example for the other men in the company of course.”

“Of course.” It had nothing to do with him wanting to spend all day and night with his new wife.

“Will you be fine handling things?”

“Caiden, I handle myself. The question we should ask is if you can handle things without me.”

He chuckled. “So, Emilia, huh?”

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