Billionaire’s Trust(29)

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

After flashing a quick smile, he looked out towards the partygoers.

“It is with great pride that I announce before all of you here tonight, my engagement to Maddie Olsen. She has done me the great honor of agreeing to become my wife.”

Once again, applause broke out, only this time much louder. Tugging a strand of hair behind my ear, I kept my attention riveted on Grey. I didn’t dare look as I felt the nearly five hundred pairs of eyes in the room glued on me. If he hadn’t been up there with me, I might have fainted. Instead, I managed to keep my composure as he quieted them again.

“Maddie,” he said as he did a half-turn in my direction. “Here, come stand next to me.”

I nodded and walked towards him. As I did, he looked past me towards Katy.

“Katy,” he said with a nod. “You handled that thing we discussed?”

She smiled and nodded. “Should I take care of it now?”

Grey smiled. “Yes, I think we’re ready.”

I frowned as Katy disappeared from sight, making her way behind the stage.

Baffled, I turned towards him. “Ready for what?” I whispered. “Grey, what’s going on?”

“Maddie,” he said with a wink. “Shut the hell up. Smile and enjoy yourself.”

Grey turned his attention back towards the crowd. “Just one second folks.”

As he finished talking, Katy reappeared and I did a double take. Because, she wasn’t alone. For trailing right behind her were my mom and dad. My hands shot to my mouth as I covered it. I snapped my head in Grey’s direction.

“I hope you don’t mind, baby.”

Tears clouded my gaze as I turned back to look at them. With Katy’s help, they made their way up on to the stage and without wasting a second, I ran towards them.

“Mom? Dad?” I gasped. We hugged for several seconds before breaking free from one another. I leaned away from them, doing my best to keep the salty rivulets from completely ruining my makeup.

“W-What are you d-doing here?”

Puzzled looks flashed across their faces. They glanced at one another for an instant before turning back to face me. My mother reached in my direction and touched my arm.

“Dear, what do you mean?” she began. “Where else would we be?”

My father nodded as she spoke. “Yes, sweetheart. We wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

I felt as if I might pass out. I still couldn’t believe they were even here. In all the years I’d been in Los Angeles, I’d hardly spoken to them and now here they’d come all this way. And for what? I had no clue. So I asked.

“Miss… what?”

As we spoke, Grey appeared from behind us.

“Mr. and Mrs. Olsen,” he began. “Thank you for coming. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Talking on the phone is such an impersonal thing. It’s great to have a face-to-face, at last.”

Talk on the phone? What the hell was Grey going on about?

“Wait, wait.” I said as I raised my arms. “Grey. How do you know my parents? Phone conversations about what?”

Just as I finished speaking, Grey nodded at my father. “Mr. Olsen. Are you ready, sir?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Okay then.” Grey nodded.

As Grey spoke, my father hooked his arm inside of mine.

Baffled, I turned towards him. “Dad, what is happening?”

He smiled and nodded towards Grey who had walked several feet away from me once again, taking a position in the middle of the stage. As he did, the throng began to draw in around us, gathering close.

“I don’t need to wait any longer, Maddie. I hope you feel the same way.”

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!

My eyes heated with liquid. If not for my father holding me, I would have blacked out. This couldn’t be happening, it wasn’t real!

“Maddie, dear,” my dad said, as he leaned in towards me. “Are you ready?”

Unable to speak, I fought to swallow a ball of joy down my throat.

“Yes,” I whispered. And then, I couldn’t help myself. The tears escaped and there was nothing I could to stop them. Or rather, there was nothing I cared to do. With my father’s steady hand, I wobbled my way towards Grey and as I arrived, Armando appeared from out of nowhere.

“Mr. Sinclair,” he said with a polite nod. “Miss Olsen.”

“Armando?” I said with a rasp. “What are you doing here?”

Grey chuckled. “Well it seems our trusty employee also happens to be Justice of the Peace. Isn’t that right?”

Armando smiled as he looked at us. “Yes, sir. That’s correct.”

“Justice of the Peace?” I stammered, as I looked at Grey. “Do you mean? Right now? Tonight?”