Page 42 of The Billionaire's Off Chance

With this house being our choice, I inform Igor to take it off the market and fast track the process. I get Eric and Chasmin back home. I have to go out again for an impromptu meeting with a distributor. We meet at an exclusive bar and talk at length for an hour. The distributor leaves when we’re done. I settle the tab and get ready to leave. On my way out, I see Claudette drinking with a guy in a dark corner of the room. I avert my gaze, not wanting to initiate any interaction. She smoothly slides out of her seat and heads to me.

“Hold on, Lance. I don’t bite,” she calls after me.

I ignore her, stepping out into the cold night, marching to my car. She stops at the door, watching me. I look back at her face. I wonder what she’s playing at and enjoying from this.Is this her twisted form of revenge?

“How’s Chasmin? Or better yet, how are things with both of you? She’s quite a fascinating woman. I can tell. A pure woman that’s…easily corrupted.” She laughs, hiding her lips with one hand.

I don’t take the bait and get into the car. “It’ll all come crashing down, Lance. One little piece at a time. Your fantasy will end soon, and Merry Christmas to you.” She closes the door and returns inside.

Her words linger. Although they seem like vain threats, it gives me a glimpse of what might have transpired between her and Chasmin.No! I must talk to Chasmin about this.Claudette is slow-acting poison!

Chapter 21

CHASMIN

It'sabitlateinto the night when Lance returns. I see his car driving into the parking lot. I leave the room, heading to the parlor to wait for him to come up. Eric is asleep; this might be a good time for us to talk. Keeping my doubts and discontent in my heart is eating me up inside.We can't go on this way.

The door gives a beep before it swings open. Lance steps in, a few snowflakes rest in his hair, which he shakes off. “Hey, baby.” He smiles as he sees me. He takes off his coat and hangs it in the coat closet and walks over to me.

He leans down and kisses my cheek. “Hey. How was your meeting?” My eyes follow him as he walks to sit beside me. He taps on his thigh with his fingers and flexes his jaw.Did something go wrong?He shrugs and glances at me. He's no longer smiling. I see a faint look of hurt flash in his eyes.

“I saw Claudette after the meeting,” he replies simply. My heart tightens in my chest. What does he mean, I wonder. Is Claudette now making a move on him. He sees my confusion and shakes his head. “No, I did not go to see her. She was at the bar where I had the meeting. She came up to talk to me. From ourconversation,it seems she might have threatened you when you interacted at the ball.” He sighs and continues, “So, I want us to talk about it. I don’t know what she has up her sleeves, but I do know she’s up to something. Seeing you, after your interaction in the bathroom at the ball and her comments today at the bar has reinforced my belief that she tried to manipulate you in some way. I know what she is capable of.”

I glance at him and clasp my hands. “I also want to talk to you about everything that has been happening. I realize that I've been unreasonable and hot headed these past few days. I'm truly sorry.” I watch him relax, sigh and fix his warm gaze on me. Swallowing, I continue, “I've had doubts about where I stand for a while now, and Claudette’s presence amplified it. I thought I could ignore it. I really did try to believe that she no longer means anything to you, but…”

I shake my head sadly, feeling ashamed. “But your doubts got the best of you. I can tell,” he adds, his lips drawing into a thin smile.

“Yes. I felt insecure. You and Claudette have more than just your old flame going for you. You and she have Eric. I felt threatened about your past with other women. I thought I'd be the next one you’d soon throw away. I guess Claudette saw right through me.”

I glance up at his face to see his reaction. His face holds no expression, and his eyes have a far away look. I bite my lower lip in distress.I might be the one to end this relationship.What is he thinking? I don't know. I push through my discomfort. “At the ball, she ambushed me in the restroom. She said things that made my doubts grow. I began to feel like just another one of your playthings; and everything I saw after that seemed to confirm my doubts. I know it sounds silly now, but in the heat of the moment, it made sense. I didn't know what to do or believe. I… am sorry Lance. I ought to have…” Have what? Said something and come clean?

I don't know how to go on anymore, and his being so silent makes me even more nervous. “Please, say something, Lance.” I plead. I try touching him but hold back.He might be disgusted with me at this point.

“A part of me understands how you feel. I am much older than you, more experienced, but Chasmin, I have to ask, "Do you think this lowly of me?” The hurt in his voice breaks me.

In panic, I hold his hand, staring wide eyed at him. “No, don't think like that, Lance. When you took Eric and me to look at homes where we can live together as a family, it made me realize how foolishly I was…how inconsequential my doubts were. Hearing all the things said about your past with women and the threat of Claudette made me lose my mind. Please…” My voice breaks. I tighten my hands on his arm, fighting back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

“You'll break my arm if you squeeze any tighter.” He touches my hands, almost like he is petting me.

“What?” I blurt out.

He smiles, sadly. “I understand your plight. This doesn't mean I agree with how you went about things. When I was your age, trusting was easy. As I got older and more experienced, the lessons I learned made it harder. Still, I'd have loved for you to trust me enough not to let your doubts get the best of you, but we can still work through this.” The sigh that escapes my lips deflates me. I sag into his arms, and he places a hand on my back gently.

When I look up at him, joy and wonder emerge at this man in front of him. He uses his thumb to wipe my left cheek. It's wet. I don't know why I am crying.

He continues, “I admit that I've had a wild past with women, Chasmin. I was young and ready to take on the world. Getting women to surround me was the easiest thing. I wasn't fulfilled in any of those relationships. Most times, the women were in it for the money and rarely did the relationships go beyond wild sex and fun highs. It was empty and fake.”

He groans, sitting easily on the couch. I listen closely to him. “The older I got, the more I needed something real in my life. I thought I had found the right one when I found Claudette.”

“But it ended tragically.” I comment.

“You're right. When my relationship with Claudette ended, all I wanted was to go back to my old ways. I was the black sheep of the family with how many scandals I was involved in. Years later, I met a wonderful woman in the company elevator…”

I smile and put a finger under his chin. I shake my head. “Not exactly.”

He arches an eyebrow in confusion, so I explain. “Actually, you bumped into me in the lobby and didn't even apologize; the next time we met, you kissed me.”

He chuckles and kisses my lips. “I don't regret it. If I could go back in time, I'd do it all over again. So, I can understand you being wary of my past, but I'm not that man anymore. I don't tell lies, Chasmin. They do me no good at my age. I'm sincere when I say I want you in my life.”

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