Page 71 of The Next Door Billionaire's Deception

“What do you want an explanation about?”

“Hmm. Let’s see. Why not everything, Richard? Your relationship with my brother. Youractualjob. Yourrealpurpose for getting closer to me. Where should we start?”

I rub my forehead. Goodness. This is getting out of hand.

“I’m sorry I lied about some things, Melissa.”

“Some things?Richard, even our relationship was a fucking lie! You just wanted to get closer to me for whatever fucked up reason!”

“Melissa, I know I’ve hurt you by not being honest. But believe me, I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to protect you – ”

“Protect me? From what? Your bullshit plans? Oh, spare me that crap!”

My fists are balled so tight they’re aching. I clench and unclench my fists at regular intervals to lessen the pain.

God, Melissa can be so infuriating! If only she’d justlisten.

“I did want to protect you, Melissa! I wanted to keep you safe! But I can’t do that if you know everything because you’ll eventually try to either stop me or help me! You’re a good person, and you can’t stand injustice, so I couldn’t risk putting you in danger!”

“Oh really? Well, newsflash; I’ll be involved anywaysbecauseI’m part of it all. Or do you think I didn’t know? That you wanted to take over Emerald because of your self-righteousness? The irresistible spur from your ego to handle things because you feel you’re the only one that can?”

“Melissa, you’re taking this too far.”

“Then tell me one thing. And be fucking honest. What were you doing in my room that day?”

“I … I was looking for evidence.”

“Evidence linking me to Emerald’s criminal dealings, isn’t it?

“No.”God, no.“At the time, I didn’t know who you were. It was before I got to know you. You’re not part of them.”

“If you deemed me sogood,then why did you continue to lie? About my brother, for instance. Or were you also trying to protect me from my brother? And about thefreelance firm.A freelance firm trying to take over an established one? How didn’t I see through that? What a greenie I am!”

“You’re not a greenie, Melissa.” I stretch out an arm to hold her, but she slaps it away.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch me, Richard Burnes!”

“Melissa … I care about you too much to see you like this. Don’t you get it?”

Tears fall from her eyes. Wiping her face with my palms, I draw her closer, and she starts sobbing.

“I’m sorry, Melissa. I’m sorry for lying to you all this time. I could have done better. I know that.”

She shifts away from me, stretching out her arms to keep a distance.

“You could have done better. You didn’t. It’s too late to change that now.”

“Don’t do this, Melissa. Don’t turn me into the bad guy.”

She shoots me a lethal look. “I didn’t have to. You already did.”

Melissa walks out, slamming the door so hard my nerves jump. Every chance of reconciliation disappears with her. I sink into a chair and run my fingers through my hair.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I keep screwing everything up?

“It’s been a while, Richard.”

Seeing Alex for the first time in a while, I can’t help but appraise him with a glance. With his Harry Potter-like glasses, combed-back hair, and formal suit, he looks the same as he did months ago, except for the patches of beard on his chin.

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