Page 6 of Seduced by Her Billionaire Fake Fiancé

“I retain my position as CEO.”

“You’re acting CEO.”

Andie’s eyes widened.

“My interest in your company is legitimate. I’ve also done my research.”

Her throat shifted as she swallowed, a delicate movement that drew his eye despite himself. “It’s my company.”

“Not for much longer, unless we find a way to work together.” He tapped his pen on the edge of the desk. “I’ll be General Manager,” he said thoughtfully.

“That’s basically the same thing.”

He nodded once. “We can carve out our separate duties later. I have no interest in stepping on your toes, but if I come onboard, it will be with the specific aim of building Acto back to what it used to be. As you said, the potential of the company is enormous.”

“So, this isn’t just a vendetta for you?”

“While I enjoy the thought of that, no. I would never make an investment for the sake of revenge if the business sense wasn’t there.”

He could see the unguarded curiosity in her expression, but she didn’t push him for more information. He turned his attention back to the paperwork.

“I would have thought you have your hands full,” she said, coming around to behind his desk and leaning her forearms on the back of his chair. “You have quite a lot of other businesses.”

“And two siblings I work alongside,” he pointed out. “We share the load equally.”

“You don’t strike me as someone who’s very good at sharing.”

His grin was unknowingly wolfish. “Not particularly. But I’ll work on it for you, how’s that?”

When he glanced at her, it was to see an expression on her face a little like a deer in the headlights.

“You came to me with this deal,” he reminded her. “If you’re regretting that, now’s the time to back out.”

“I’m not,” she said, the words thick in her throat. “I’m regretting the necessity of it,” she added after a beat. “But there’s nothing you or I can do about that. My company’s future is bleak without intervention.”

He nodded decisively. “Then consider my intervention assured.”

She visibly deflated, her shoulders slumping, as if she’d been carrying the weight of the world on them for far too long and had finally conceded defeat, accepting help and relief.

“You’ll really do this?”

“It’s the perfect deal: mutually beneficial, in different ways. Our shared goal though is what all good business deals are founded on: we both want Acto to succeed.”

“Yes,” she whispered, nodding. “We do.” Then, after a pause, “Thank you.” Her hands, slender and feminine, with short, unpainted nails, lifted to the necklace at her throat. The pendant was unusual: under further examination, he realized it wasn’t a pendant, but rather a solitaire ring. Curiosity sparked in his gut, but he ignored it.

His mind was already spinning around, working on the logistics of this. First, he had to notify his siblings. He couldn’t predict what their reactions would be, only he knew hatred for the Santoros ran as deep in their veins as it did in his. He suspected they’d be all for this plan.

Only, would it be easier to pull off this engagement ruse if they perpetuated the lie to everyone?

After all, the only way to truly keep a secret was to minimise the number of people who knew of it. And while he trusted his siblings implicitly, it wasn’t impossible to imagine a simple slip of the tongue that could let the real story out.

“It’s safest if everyone believes us to be engaged,” he said slowly, thinking it through, not looking at Andie now. “My brother and sister will regrettably need to be in the dark as to the true nature of our deal.”

“I don’t mind if you tell them.”

“This is easier,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Tomorrow, we’ll fly to New York, speak with your father, and then I’ll call them. We can stop at Cartier and pick up a ring—either here in Rome or in Manhattan.”

“Actually,” she toyed with her pendant again. “I have a ring.” Her cheeks flushed pink, and her eyes misted over. He stood where he was, staring at her, as she reached behind her neck and attempted to unclasp the necklace. Only, her fingers were shaking; she couldn’t do it.

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