The Wager: A Billionaire Romance (16 page)

"If you're as bored as you say you are, then why are you here with her tonight?" he asked, still suspicious. "Why not just ditch her when you knew she was easy prey?"

"Let's just say I felt sorry for her," I lied.

I relaxed a little as I saw the calculation and skepticism recede from his eyes. He must have realized there was nothing he could use for ammunition, and I hoped my little act was enough for him to turn his attention elsewhere.

"I guess I should thank you for saving me the trouble of parting with my Bugatti then," he said. "I must say, when you told me you could make her fall in love with you in a month's time I was sure she'd prove a challenge to you. But I guess she's like all women, eh?"

"Exactly," I said. I was getting anxious thinking Lily would be back at any moment. The last thing I wanted was for her to come face to face with Warren. I decided I needed to end this conversation, and quite possibly leave the ball earlier than I anticipated. There was just too much danger in staying longer. The evening was rapidly losing its appeal, and I shuddered to think how it would be if Lily was somehow made aware of the bet before I could break it to her myself.

"It's a shame though. I was looking forward to hanging that Cézanne in my office."

"Just be glad you've still got the car," I said before excusing myself.

Chapter Eleven: Lily

"It was too easy to make her fall in love with me. There was no challenge in it."

I slumped against the pillar I'd been standing behind. My knees felt weak and I thought I would collapse at any moment. Hearing those words come out of Roman's mouth felt like a sucker punch right to my gut. I was in shock at first, not believing it, but the more he talked about this "wager", the sicker and more horrified I felt.

I hadn't meant to eavesdrop on their conversation. Coming out of the restroom, I had headed straight for the bar where Roman said he'd be waiting. He wasn't there, but I spotted him almost immediately. He stood by the side of the dance floor talking with some man I'd never seen before. I managed to work my way towards them unnoticed. As I was about to make my presence known, I caught a snippet of their conversation and paused behind the pillar.

"I simply came to check on your progress with the lady. Our wager ends in one week..."

"Oh don't tell me you actually have feelings for the girl?"

"Now you're really letting your imagination run away with you..."

"Let's just say I felt sorry for her..."

I clutched my stomach as a wave of nausea hit me. Everything had been a lie, a cruel bet to see if Roman could make me fall in love with him. And it was all for a stupid car. I was angry, humiliated, hurt and devastated. Here I was, stupid naive Lily again, believing someone like Roman actually had real feelings for me. But all this time he'd been playing some cruel game with my heart.

It felt like high school all over again. I had a sudden flashback to prom night, and standing on my front porch as my "date" not only stood me up, but drove by my parent's house with his friends taunting me and laughing at how stupid I was for thinking anyone would want to go out with me. The pity in my parent's eyes as they looked at me was too much to bear. I felt like an idiot for not realizing it was a prank earlier. For eight years, they'd done nothing but make my life miserable, and all of a sudden, one of them says I was pretty and wanted to take me to the prom, and I was so desperate to believe it that I just forgot all the torment they'd put me through.

I'd closed myself off after that, never fully trusting or believing whenever anyone showed interest in me. In college, there were guys who liked me, but I never really gave them the chance to get close. But all of that was nothing compared to how I felt now. This was a special, extraordinary kind of pain I never knew existed. My early suffering looked like a paper cut in comparison to the huge gaping wound that was my heart being ripped out of my chest.

My instinct was to flee and run out of the ballroom and never look back, but my legs wouldn't move. I felt rooted to the spot, forced to listen to Roman's cool dismissive voice say how he'd felt sorry for me. Suddenly Helen's words made sense now. She had known about the bet! Roman had dismissed her so quickly and I thought it was because he was trying to put me at ease, but it was because he didn't want her to reveal the wager.

I wondered if everyone there was in on the joke. Did they all know Roman and this man, Warren, had made a bet to see if I'd be stupid enough to fall for Roman? Were they all laughing at me too? Feeling pity for me? I had to get out of there. The longer I stayed, the harder it was to breath.

I pushed myself off the pillar and forced my feet to move. There was no way I would break down and cry in front of all these people, and especially not in front of Roman. I'd never let him know how much he hurt me, the bastard. He didn't deserve my tears. Oh, I knew they'd come eventually, but no one would ever witness it but me.

"There you are darling."

I stopped walking, my body stiff with anger and tension as that familiar and once so beloved voice called out to me. Now all I felt was hatred. I composed my features into some semblance of calm before turning around. There'd be no scene here tonight. They'd all have to find some other chump to entertain them. I was done playing the part of the fool.

"Are you all right?" Roman asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost and you're shaking." His face took on the mask of concern, and if I didn't know better, I would have thought he really was worried about me. But I did know better.

"I'm actually not feeling well," I said, through gritted teeth. "I'm going to go home now. I don't think I can stand to be here one more second." I turned back around to head out the doors, but I heard Roman's steps behind me.

"Let me get our coats and I'll meet you outside," he said.

Before I could shoot him down, he'd already gone, leaving me standing there in impotent rage. The last thing I wanted was to be forced to be in Roman's presence again. I wanted to be as far away from his as possible, but I knew it'd be easier and quicker to get back home if he drove me.

He appeared soon after with my wrap and we headed for his limo. During the car ride, he'd tried to put his arm around me, and grab my hand, but I'd rebuff him at every turn. Just the proximity and physical nearness was wreaking havoc on my equilibrium. My traitorous body still responded to him and longed for his touch, but the knowledge of what he had done and been a part of was too much to overcome. I didn't think I'd ever be able to look at him the same way again.

"Are you feeling okay, Lily?" he asked, watching me intently.

"I'll be fine once I get home," I said.

We arrived at my apartment shortly after and I shot out of the car, not even waiting for him to open the door for me. I hurried up the steps and dug into my clutch for my keys. Roman was quick on my heels and grabbed my hands to stop me from sliding my keys in the lock.

"Okay Lily, something's happened. Why are you acting like this?" he said. His eyes looked so sincere and his voice sounded worried, I almost believed for a second that he cared. Then I remembered his cold words and the anger I'd been trying to suppress finally came bubbling out.

"Let's stop with the act now Roman," I snapped. "Don't pretend to care."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I'm talking about your little bet." I had the satisfaction to see his face go pale at my words. "Don't even try to deny it," I continued. "I heard everything you said."

"Lily, you don't understand. It's not like that at all. Let me explain--,"

"Don't try to bullshit me, Roman. I'm not an idiot. I might have fallen for your lies before, but never again. You're nothing but a selfish, egotistical prick and I never want to see you again!"

I wrenched my hand free of his grip and put my key in the door and slammed it shut in his face. I hurried up the stairs to my apartment. Roman didn't try to follow me, which was just as well. I wanted nothing more to do with him. It was all I could do not to crumple on my floor and just sob. My heart was breaking into a million little pieces and there was nothing I could do about it. The anger that I felt earlier was quickly fading into a deep bottomless sorrow.

I couldn't believe it had all been a lie. My heart didn't want to believe it. Roman had seemed so sincere, and so genuine in his feelings for me. The past three weeks, we'd practically spent every day together. How could I have not known or seen any sign of his deceit?

Maybe there really was some other explanation? I hoped. As soon as it crossed my mind, I slammed the door viciously on that line of thought. No, Roman Conrad was a heartless bastard who deserved an Oscar for his performance as a caring boyfriend. I was just too stupid and blind to see what should have been clear to me from the start.

I should have listened to my suspicions instead of being caught up in the charade that Roman had orchestrated. All our dates, every minute spent with him was gone over with a fine toothed comb. Everything he ever did for me was seen in a new light--the Jane Austen book, the opera, even his kisses and caresses--it was all part of a plan to make me fall in love with him just so he could win a car. I felt sick to my stomach, used in the worst way. It was like I was nothing but a means to an end; a pawn in his little game.

My phone began ringing, but I ignored the call. There was no one in the world I wanted to speak to at that moment. I just wanted to be left alone, to curl up in a ball and just fade away. The incessant ringing didn't stop. As soon as it would go to voicemail, my phone would start ringing again. I got up and grabbed my phone from my purse and looked at the screen. Roman's face popped up as the caller ID. I shut off my phone before throwing it against the wall in a burst of anger.

***

The next morning, I woke up stiff and sore from sleeping on the couch. I still had on the dress from last night. It was crumpled and wrinkled and I groaned at the fact that Colette was supposed to come by later today to pick it up. I had promised her I would keep it in pristine condition, but after last night, the dress was the last thing on my mind. I still couldn't muster much emotion or regret over its less than pristine shape.

I didn't think I had any more emotions left. I was cried out and spent from sobbing last night. Now I felt nothing but hollow and numb. It felt like I was in a bad dream, but this was very real. I walked into my bedroom and took off the dress before heading to my bathroom. The sight that greeted me was horrifying. My hair was a rat's nest and my eyes were swollen and puffy. Black streaks of mascara ran down my face. I quickly turned away and turned on the shower.

My instinct was to lock myself away and hide, but I knew it would only prolong the misery. I had to get back to my routine--back to my life before Roman. The shower was nice and hot and I was able to, for a moment, relax and close my eyes. I felt a little better after my shower but I knew I needed a plan.

There was no point trying to hide my heartbreak. I was sure everyone who knew me would see it as soon as they saw me. I decided I would have to tell Doris and Miguel about my breakup. I didn't need to get into the details, but I needed their help to keep Roman away if he ever decided to stop by the shop.

The next day, as soon as I entered the store, Miguel and Doris stopped what they were doing and looked at me worriedly.

"You look like hell," Doris said in greeting.

I bit back my sharp response that was on the tip of my tongue and walked over to the front counter. After I had taken off my coat and put my purse away I turned back to face them.

"I feel like hell," I replied. "There's no use keeping it from you, since I know you'll just badger me any way, but Roman and I broke up."

Doris sucked in a surprised gasp. "Oh no! What happened?"

I shrugged my shoulders trying to come off as indifferent. "We just weren't meant to be. You know how it is, one day everything is great and the next day everything goes to shit."

"Did you get in a fight?" she asked.

"You could say that. Listen, I really don't feel like talking about it right now, but I just wanted you to know because I might need your help."

"How so, boss?" Miguel asked.

"I really don't want to see him again, so if you two could keep him away from me or keep a look out and let me know if you see him coming to the shop, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure thing," Miguel said.

Doris looked like she wanted to say more, but I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "I don't want to talk about it anymore," I said. "I'm going to the back to take care of some paperwork."

I walked off, without another word and headed to my back office. Once there, I closed the door and leaned back against it, releasing a heavy sigh. It had been harder than I thought to talk about our breakup and I hadn't even told them the full story.

I knew Doris had more questions, but she knew I needed my space now. She might be nosy and a busy body, but she did always have my best interests at heart. If she found out what Roman had done, she'd probably march right into his office to give him a piece of her mind.