Page 15 of My Fake Lover

»I eat everything.«

»You disappoint me; I thought you’d say Ivy’s Lobster Dinner!«

He smiled, and I couldn’t describe what that expression did to me. »Even though you’ve always defied me and spread mayonnaise on the buns?«

»And you have to admit that it tasted much better that way.« He grumbled. »I know it’s true; you can admit it. Come on, you probably work out every day; a little mayonnaise won’t ruin your six-pack.« I was sure he had one, and immediately my treacherous brain imagined what he looked like under the expensive fabric of his suit. His broad shoulders, that perfect rear.

»I don’t work out for that reason; I just want to be resilient. Besides, I can think better when I’m moving.«

»Thinking about whose life you want to make difficult next?«

»Why make it difficult?« he asked, genuinely puzzled.

»You work in that massive tower with countless subordinates beneath you, crushing dreams daily. People come to you with their ideas and want your opinion on them, right? And they want your support. How many of their dreams do you fulfill?« Of course, I had researched his profession. He was known everywhere as a tough business partner, and when you typed in his name, the internet was teeming with search results.

»Two percent.«

»Two percent? That’s even worse than I thought!«

»I can’t invest in every project. If it’s bad, it harms my company and my employees. Should I risk that?«

»Maybe the people who present themselves to you would put in even more effort if they had been given a vote of confidence?«

»I didn’t get that either, and I’m still one of the richest men in the country.«

»And there’s Mr. Big Shot again,« I announced like a radio host. »But I get the message you’re trying to convey. You care about your employees, not just your penthouse, your chauffeur, and your private jets, right?«

»The luxury is just a pleasant side income.«

»So, you’d be happy in a two-bedroom apartment in sixties Brooklyn?« I thought of Low’s and my apartment.

»I’ve lived in worse places.«

»What do you mean?« I had assumed that he and his family had always had money. But now I realized that he never talked about his parents. He turned on the indicator and turned off.

»We’re here,« he said coldly, and I knew he wouldn’t tell me anything more now. I exhaled and looked outside. My gaze wandered over a beautiful, old estate with ivy vines on the facade and round columns at the entrance. I instantly liked it.

The gravel crunched under the tires as Max rolled onto the driveway and parked the car there. As we got out, it felt like we were entering another world. And when I looked at Max, I noticed that he seemed genuinely nervous. Could that be possible?

14

Max

»Wow, what a beautiful house,« said Ivy, and I clenched my teeth.

»And far too expensive in terms of heating and electricity costs.«

»Right, everything has to be efficient with you. You don’t have an eye for the beauty of things, do you?«

I looked at her and was lost for a tiny moment in her attentive gaze. She asked so many annoying questions. I would have thrown anyone else out of the car by now. Expectantly, she raised a curved eyebrow. I did have an eye for beauty. I found her beautiful.

»My brother could save a lot if he didn’t live in a half-crumbling house.«

»You’re rich, why don’t you pay his electricity bills?« I was about to tell her that I had offered Ian that more than once when she grinned, and I knew she just wanted to tease me. I sighed and got out of the car. Before I could open the door for her, she had already gotten out herself. Something else that the women before her hadn’t done, who had embraced the luxury and all the amenities it brought with open arms. But I kept forgetting that Ivy was not one of them. That’s precisely why she was here. I didn’t have to worry that she was only after my money. Although that wasn’t entirely true, considering our arrangement. But that was different. We had both entered this deal fully aware and in possession of our mental faculties. It was nothing more than a business agreement and therefore safe.

I locked the car. We would get the luggage later; I wanted to say hello to Ian first and get Ivy’s introduction out of the way. Would he buy into this performance? Why not? My brother had always been preoccupied with his own stuff instead of seriously thinking about other things, and this was, after all, the week of his wedding.

We walked towards the main entrance and climbed the tall staircase. I pressed the doorbell and put a hand on Ivy’s back. Her body pressed against my touch as if on autopilot. Even though we couldn’t stand each other and had completely different views concerning the world, our bodies were attracted to each other like strong magnets. Even I couldn’t deny that she intrigued me in some way.

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