Page 54 of Cinderella Hired for His Revenge

“It matters,” Grant interrupted hotly. “Alexandra, the woman you’ve become, all the things you’ve accomplished—”

“Hey, the same applies to you!” she interrupted, her brow furrowing. “How dare you question what you’ve built? You’ve done everything you ever set out to achieve. The Pearson Group is going to be a monumental success and one of the most trusted financial firms in the city.”

“But also one that puts people first.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Because of you. I had become so fixated on numbers, on milestones, that I nearly became what I hated. I wanted the title of billionaire so badly while you were barely scraping by and still making donations to the victims’ fund.”

Alexandra ducked her head, a becoming blush stealing over her cheeks.

“How did you know?”

“Your stepbrother told me.”

She frowned. “Finn? When did you talk to...?” Her voice trailed off and she muttered something under her breath. “That little toad! He was in on this whole thing, wasn’t he?”

“Not the spoiled brat I used to think him. He was very amenable when I asked how best to get you here.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “It’s also when he told me all the incredible things you’ve done over the years.”

Twin spots of red bloomed in her cheeks.

“Donating was the right thing to do.”

“And I love that about you.” He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “It’s why I made a donation to the fund and brought the total compensation up to one hundred percent yesterday.”

Alexandra’s mouth dropped open. “But that...that was several hundred million! What about your billion-dollar goal?”

“I’ll reach it someday. This was more important than some arbitrary benchmark.” His fingers slid into her hair, gently combing through the silky strands. “You make me want to be the man you fell in love with that summer, Alexandra. To be worthy of your love.”

Fear flickered across her face as she unwrapped her legs and slid down his body. He sucked in a breath, willing himself to stay focused on their conversation.

“I don’t feel worthy. I feel...scared.”

“Scared?”

“Scared I’m going to let you down again. Or myself. Or both.”

He kept one hand in her hair, the other resting gently yet possessively on the back of her neck.

“Do you love me, Alexandra?”

“With all my heart.”

“And I love you. One of the mistakes I made that summer was putting you up on a pedestal, one so high you would have fallen off at some point. That was my fault, not yours,” he said as she started to interrupt him. “Yes, you made mistakes, but I did, too. Yet, here we are, both willing to forgive, both still in love and, I hope, still wanting to move forward. Together.”

Her lips slowly stretched into a smile.

“Together sounds very nice.”

“Good.” He released her and stepped back, then dropped to one knee. Her gasp filled him with pleasure as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small navy box. He flipped the lid to reveal a green tourmaline ring, diamonds winking up at them from silver roses carved into the band.

“Alexandra Moss, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

She hesitated. “Grant, I want... Lucy Hill was so kind to me when she found out who I was. But what if there are others who aren’t so forgiving? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then they’re not worth a place in my life. Not if they can’t see you for who you are.” His voice softened. “Alexandra, you are one of the strongest people I know, if not the strongest. Don’t let fear stop you now. We can do this. Together.”

The last vestiges of worry eased from her body. Tears fell once more, but the smile that accompanied them made his heart nearly burst from his chest.

“Yes, Grant. I would be honored to be your—”

He surged to his feet and cut her off with a kiss that nearly burned the clothes from their bodies. His hands drifted down, cupped her rear and pressed her flush against his growing hardness.

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