Page 23 of My Billionaire Casino Boss

I wake up with a pounding headache and a heavy sense of regret. I replay the previous night’s events in my mind, wincing at the memory of my fist connecting with Rick’s face. It was a moment of lost control, and I don’t like it.

I know I need to handle this situation before it spirals out of control. The last thing I need is a lawsuit or any negative publicity for the casino. I make a call to Rick, asking him to meet me at my office.

When Rick walks in, his nose is swollen and bruised. He looks pissed, but there’s also a hint of fear in his eyes. I guess he’s not used to being on the receiving end of a punch.

“Rick,” I start, trying to keep my voice steady. “About last night…”

He cuts me off. “Are you going to fire me? I’m sorry about what I said.”

I stare at him. This isn’t how I expected it to go. I’ve clearly scared him, and instead of threatening me, he’s worried about his job.

I consider it for a moment. I’ve wanted to fire him for a long time, but I know that doing so now would only make things worse. Instead, I offer him a different solution.

“I’m willing to offer you a generous severance package,” I say, “if you agree to resign quietly.”

Rick looks taken aback. “You’re paying me to leave?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” I reply. “I think it’s best for both of us if we part ways.”

Rick considers it for a moment before nodding. “All right, I’ll take the deal. But I want it in writing.”

“Of course,” I say, feeling a sense of relief. I hate having to do this, to pretend to be sorry for punching him when I’ve wanted to do it for a long time. But I also know how lucky I am that he won’t press charges. It’s the best solution for now.

After Rick leaves, I sit back in my chair, rubbing my temples. This whole situation with Lily is turning my life upside down. I need to figure out what I’m going to do, and fast.

ten

The Public Eye - Lily

Iwakeuptoa text from Thomas, asking me to meet at a coffee shop to discuss the details of our arrangement. To my surprise, Eric is there too, sipping on a latte and scrolling through his phone.

“Eric?” I say, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“Hey, Lil,” he greets, not looking up from his phone. “Thought I’d join you guys.”

Thomas gives me a shrug as if to say he didn’t know either. We sit down, and I feel a knot of anxiety in my stomach.

“So,” Eric starts, finally putting his phone down. “I’ve been thinking about this whole situation.”

“And?” I prompt, feeling a sense of dread. Nothing good ever comes from my brother thinking about anything too hard.

“I think we need to publicize your relationship,” he says, and I nearly choke on my coffee.

“What?” I splutter, wiping my mouth with a napkin. “You want to…what?”

“Publicize it,” he repeats as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You know, post some pictures on social media, maybe a few public appearances. Really sell the whole ‘smitten couple’ thing.”

I feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. “Eric, this is a fake relationship. We’re not…we’re not actually together.”

“I know that Lil,” he says, rolling his eyes. “But Hillary doesn’t. And if we want her to believe it, we need to make it look real.”

I glance at Thomas, who looks just as uncomfortable as I feel. He doesn’t say anything, just takes a sip of his coffee and avoids my gaze.

I feel a lump in my throat. This is not what I signed up for. I agreed to a few public dates, not a full-blown media circus. “Eric,” I argue, my voice rising in frustration. “You know I don’t even post about myactuallife. I don’t want to be plastered all over the internet.”

Eric just shrugs, his attention already back on his phone. “You should have thought about that before you agreed to this.”

I feel a twinge of irritation at his dismissive attitude. “I agreed to help Thomas, not to become a social media spectacle.”

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