Page 40 of The Billionaire's Temptation

“What has you so down?” Martha asked, sliding a plate of warm biscuits and gravy in front of Joseph.

Clarissa wanted some too, but the thought of eating made her stomach cringe. “I don’t know what to do,” she replied.

“About what?” Joseph asked in between bites of his breakfast.

“I spoke with Mandy the other day and she explained so much about my father’s assets, how his businesses worked, and their financial statements. But…” she slid her fingers into her hair.

“But you think you’re just a factory worker and you don’t know what kinds of decisions to make to direct your father’s companies.” Martha wasn’t asking. She pulled out a plate of beautifully cut fruit and slid it across the counter to Clarissa.

Joseph grunted. “You want to ask Levi what to do, but something happened between you two and you’re keeping your distance from the one person you truly trust.”

“I trust you and Martha,” Clarissa countered, stabbing a strawberry cut into the shape of a rose with her fork. But she didn’t eat it. Joseph was right. She had so many questions that Mandy couldn’t advise her on. Levi would know. Levi had several businesses in the same industries and would know what she needed to do.

The doorbell rang and Clarissa jumped off the stool. “I’ll get it,” she announced, relieved for the break. Because Joseph and Martha were right. She should just reach out to Levi. He would give her good advice.

But the way he’d justlefther!

That had been sex, Clarissa reminded herself for the one hundredth time. Levi was a smart business man. Plus, he’d been sending her flowers every day for the past week, texting and phoning her constantly. But she’d ignored his efforts, too hurt by what she seen as a rejection.

“Look before you answer!” Lance called out, jerking Clarissa’s hand back from the knob.

Clarissa glanced over her shoulder at the bodyguard, who appeared directly behind her. “In fact, let me answer the door for you.”

Clarissa groaned, but stepped back, letting Lance check the video feed. “It’s Mandy,” he announced. “Are you okay with letting her in?”

“Of course!” Clarissa replied, eager to talk to the woman who had quickly become her friend and confidant. “She’s always welcome.”

Lance grunted, but checked the other cameras, just to be sure that Mandy was alone. Clarissa stifled a sigh. Lance was just doing his job and he was very good at it. She just wished that there wasn’t a need for his services.

Clarissa missed the simplicity of her previous life. She missed being able to take ice cream and frozen pizza to her neighbors. She missed having a daily schedule. She certainly didn’t miss her job at the factory or the sexist comments and attitudes she and the other women had endured. Nope, she didn’t miss that at all!

“Thank goodness you’re here!” Mandy blurted as soon as Lance opened the door for her. “Thanks, Lance. You doing okay?”

Lance nodded, watching her carefully. Mandy wasn’t affected by Lance’s glower, and turned her focus to Clarissa.

“What’s wrong?” Clarissa asked, waving Mandy into the office where they’d been reviewing the accounting documents over the past week.

“Mr. Montrose is going to suggest that you sell off several of the commercial buildings you own.”

Clarissa nodded, adding a shrug. “I don’t think that’s such a bad idea. I’ve often thought that I should sell off a lot of the assets to someone who actually knows how to run them. I’m a faker, pretending that I know what I’m doing.”

Mandy frowned and shook her head. “First of all, now isn’t a good time to sell anything. There are several reasons, including the fact that the buildings that Mr. Montrose and his ilk are going to suggest you sell are actually doing extremely well. The buildings they’re going to suggest that you sell are at one hundred percent capacity at the moment, and the rents are high. Plus, the tenants have long-term leases, so the property has a profitable future. They’re all in downtown areas where real estate values are on the rise.” She paused to take a breath and Clarissa was able to get in a question.

“If they are so profitable, why would Mr. Montrose suggest that I sell them?”

Mandy’s eyes hardened. “Because Montrose and three of the other partners, as well as five of his cronies, have a personal interest in the buildings. And those interests are not yours. In fact, I overheard that Montrose and his group of investors are forming a separate entity that will propose to buy up the properties at one hundred and fifteen dollars a square foot.”

That sounded like a lot to Clarissa. But from the look in Mandy’s eyes, Clarissa slowed down and asked, “How much square footage is in each building?”

She named the amount of space in each building, earning a gasp from Clarissa. “But, if I sold those buildings at one hundred and fifteen dollars a square foot, that would mean…?”

“A lot of money for you,” Mandy confirmed, adding in a nod for emphasis. Then she leaned in. “The thing is, I’ve done some research. There aren’t many comparable buildings for sale in the areas in which those buildings reside, because buildings just don’t sell in this kind of market. The owners of those buildings keep them because they are so profitable.” She named the amount of rental profit from each of those commercial properties and Clarissa gasped, her hand slapping over her heart.

“That’s an enormous amount of profit. How much every year?”

Mandy touched the notebook she’d brought with her. “Clarissa, that’s the annual profits from the building rents.”

“Woah!” Clarissa replied softly, then looked down. She tried to absorb that number. Then she did the math in her head. “So, I would earn significantly less from the sale of those buildings than I earn in the annual rental profits.” She looked at Mandy. “Am I calculating that properly?”

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