Page 18 of The Billionaire's Off Chance

“I’ll be careful, brother. I can’t explain how she makes me feel. With her, it feels like coming home. I can’t walk away from this. I refuse to. I have hope and trust that this thing I have with Chasmin won’t backfire. Look, I can’t let rumors or fear keep me away from her.” I mean each word I say.

He sighs, smiling fondly. “Right. It’s great to see you this excited about a woman again, brother. I know how Claudette hurt you. Now that I’ve made you aware of these rumors, you should use this time wisely and get in front of it. Office romance rarely plays out how we want them to. I should get going; those documents won’t disappear if I’m not there.”

When he leaves, shutting the door behind him, I rise from my seat, keeping myself from pacing. For Igor to have heard therumormeans it has gotten around the company. I better see how Chasmin is doing. Jealous female colleagues can be quite vicious.

Her office is connected to mine with a door. I open it and step into a professional space. It reeks of Chasmin’s personality in the color of the furniture. She’s by the window, on a call. She doesn’t seem to be aware of my presence.

I hear her saying, “Paul, stop threatening me. I’m working on it and will get the money to you as soon as possible. Bye!” she yells, ending the call angrily.

What the hell is going on?She turns to see me and grows pale with fright.

Chapter 9

CHASMIN

Oh,myGod,whyis Lance here and how much did he hear? I stare long and hard at him. He must have come from his office through our connecting door. I am too deep in my conversation to even realize that he had come in. He stands there, imposing and calm, without the slightest inkling that he had been eavesdropping.

“Chasmin, what is wrong with you?” He speaks with a soft voice, his eyes filling with care, but he is still a bit distant. His concern begins to break my walls.No.He’s been involved in my family troubles, and if I ask him to help, he'll do it without hesitation. I feel guilty using him.

I wipe my face and try to look presentable, but I’m failing horribly. He’s in front of me, his hand on my shoulder. With his other hand, he lifts my chin. I look into his cool tender gaze. It makes me want to cry into his chest and tell him what’s wrong.

“I…am fine. Something just got into my eye, irritating it. I’ll be fine,” I say without conviction in my voice; from the look in his eyes, he isn’t buying it.

“Really?” He clenches his jaw. “Come on, we’ve come this far together. You can’t keep something that makes you sad from me. Keeping things from me makes no sense, Chasmin.” He turns his back, and my heart clenches in my chest. He heaves a sigh, turning back.

“Let’s sit and talk. You look shaken.” He takes the long couch, making me sit beside him. His hand goes around my waist, holding me close.

“How much did you hear?” I ask, keeping my gaze from him, while looking out the window as if the view is more interesting. I trace the Christmas lights on the wall up to the ceiling.

“A bit, and from what I heard, it seems to be quite an issue with Paul. If he is indeed the issue, I don’t mind having him out of your life. Maybe another country will be better suited for him?”

I realize that he’s making a joke and I laugh, a bit of mirth breaking through the sadness I feel. Since he heard about Paul, he must have heard about the money as well. It feels like I’d be a gold-digger to ask for money outright. He might get the impression that I’m using him, coupled with the fact that if I don’t get the money, Mom will be put out of the house.

Regardless of our disagreement, I can’t let that happen. She worked all her life to give me the best; this is the least I can do for her. I settle on a better plan that won’t hurt my conscience or give Lance the wrong impression.

“Mom will be sent out of the house if she doesn’t pay the mortgage on time.” Saying this out loud isn’t easy. “I have to settle this before that happens. I’m at my wit’s end.” I sit, facing him. I can’t look away now.

Lance sits there carefully, holding my hands. “And you kept this from me, why?”

“I…” My words get stuck in my throat. What will I say? “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought this up… I–” I’m flustered.

He shrugs. “I’ll settle the mortgage…you don’t…”

“No, you shouldn’t do that. I want to solve this myself without a handout. I don’t want to take advantage. How about you lend me the money; and when I get my salary by the end of the month, I’ll pay you back?” I’ll resolve the mortgage issue faster that way, without feeling like I’m using Lance.

He gazes at me for a moment. I see he’s considering what to say. Eventually he says, “I’ll lend you the money, and it’ll be deducted from your salary.” I beamed, squeezing his hand gratefully. “Hey, were you afraid to come forward and ask me this?”

His tone is somber and hurt. I squeeze his big hands, not knowing how to answer the question. I am not afraid. I just feel that I might become a burden, the more I let him into my uncomfortable family life. Adding money to the equation makes it tricky.

“Look at me,” he says in a gruff voice. I look up, working my mouth to say something. “I’ve said time and time again that you should come to me if you have an issue…even if it’s the slightest inconvenience.” He caresses my cheek, a fond look crossing his features.

We bring our heads together, our foreheads touching, and we share the same breath. I speak, my voice slightly above a whisper, “You’re too good to me, Lance. I hate to be an inconvenience. Hold on…” I stop him when I see he is about to refute what I had just said. “I know you don’t see me that way, but I do, especially when I come to you every time I have a problem. That’s why I held off on talking to you about this. I was thinking of better ways to solve the issue. I want to solve my issues on my own sometimes.”

His lips graze my cheek, bringing his lips closer to my ear. He whispers, “You know you’re so cute, right?”

“Lance!” I exclaim in a whining voice. “Focus.”

He bursts out laughing. “Okay. Jokes aside, I understand where you’re coming from. I remember when I was younger that I used to get mad when my brothers solved my problems for me when all I wanted was a helping hand to solve them myself. Do you have any siblings?”

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