Page 38 of My Billionaire Casino Boss

twenty-one

Regret - Thomas

Thesilenceinmybig, empty house is deafening. It’s been days since Lily left and her absence is palpable. Without her laughter, her voice, and her presence, the empty stillness reminds me of the mess I’ve made. I’ve been through breakups before, but…this is different. I’m filled with regret, pure and unadulterated, gnawing at my insides. I’ve hurt Lily, the one person who saw through my facade, who cared for me despite my flaws. Now, I want to make it right.

I find myself at Eric’s doorstep, my heart pounding in my chest. I’ve never been one to seek advice but I’m out of my depth here. I need help, and Eric is the only one who might understand.

Eric opens the door, his face hardening when he sees me. “What do you want, Thomas?” he asks, his voice icy.

“I…I need to talk,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “About Lily.”

His eyes narrow, but he steps aside, letting me in. We sit in his living room, the tension between us palpable. I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts.

“I messed up, Eric,” I admit, my voice heavy with regret. “I hurt Lily, and I…I want to make it right.”

Eric studies me for a moment, his gaze piercing. “Why should I believe you?” he asks, his voice hard. “After you lied to me and hurt my sister?”

“Because I love her,” I say, the words slipping out before I can realize it or stop them. It’s the first time I’ve admitted it out loud, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest.

Eric looks taken aback; his eyes widen. “You…you love her?” he asks, his voice softening.

I nod, my heart pounding in my chest. “I do. And I know I don’t deserve her after what I’ve done but I want to try. I want to make things right.”

Eric is silent for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. “Lily is my sister, Thomas,” he says finally. “I don’t want to see her hurt again.”

“I know,” I say, my voice sincere. “And I don’t want to cause her pain. I just…I need your help, Eric. I don’t know how to fix this.”

Eric sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You need to be honest with her, Thomas,” he says. “Tell her how you feel. And for God’s sake, be sincere. Lily deserves that much.”

I nod, taking his words to heart. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes. For Lily. For us.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I need to say next. “Eric, I…I need to apologize to you, too.” My voice is steady. “For not being honest or telling you what happened between me and Lily.”

Eric stares at me, his expression unreadable. “Whydidn’tyou tell me, though?” he asks after a weighted silence. His voice is quiet.

I run a hand through my hair, frustration welling up inside me. “I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. You’ve always been my best friend—usually my only friend. And I…I didn’t want to admit how much Lily meant to me even then.”

Eric is silent for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. “And now?” he asks, his voice soft. “What does she mean to you now?”

I look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “Everything,” I say, my voice filled with conviction. “She means everything to me, Eric.”

Eric sighs, leaning back in his chair. “Then you need to tell her that, Thomas,” he says, his voice firm. “You need to be honest with her about everything. And you need to show her that you’re serious about making things right.”

I nod, taking his words to heart. “How do I do that, Eric?” I ask, my voice desperate. “How do I show her that I’m serious?”

Eric shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. “You’re the casino–mogul, Thomas,” he says, his voice light. “I’m sure you can think of something obnoxiously grand.”

I chuckle, despite the situation. “Yeah,” I say, a determined glint in my eye. “Yeah, I think I can.”

After I leave Eric’s house, I sit alone in my office. My thoughts are restless and full of Lily. I need to make things right with her, to show her how much she means to me. I’m lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzes, a news alert flashing across the screen.

“Local Casino Owner’s Engagement a Sham?” the headline reads. My heart drops into my stomach as I open the article. There, in black and white, is the whole sordid tale. Hillary, in a fit of spite, has spilled the beans to the local press. The article is filled with quotes from her, painting me as the evil mastermind. I am the manipulative jerk who was so afraid of commitment that he engineered a fake life to scare off a sweet woman who only wanted to be given a chance at love.

I can’t believe what I’m reading. Hillary has turned on me in the most public way possible. I feel a surge of anger, but it quickly fades, replaced by a deep sense of dread. If I thought I had a mountain to climb to win Lily back before, now it feels like I’m staring up at Everest.

I dial Eric’s number, my fingers shaking slightly. He picks up on the second ring. “Thomas?” he says, his voice filled with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Hillary,” I say, my voice tight. “She’s gone to the press. She’s exposed the whole thing.”

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