The Billionaire Game 2(33)

A bet. He’d done it all on a bet. Is this what rich people did for fun? Still, if it wasn’t that much, it might not mean anything…“How much?

Asher looked away. “Ten.”

Relief washed through me. “Ten dollars?”

Asher shook his head. I couldn’t see his face. “Ten million.”

I froze.

Brody’s leering triumphant grin seemed to expand until it was the only thing I could see. It was the only real thing in the world; the party and the customers and the success—they were all lies. They were all bought for me. They were tissue paper and veneer, and they would fall apart in seconds without Asher to prop them up.

I hadn’t really achieved anything at all.

And our relationship—what I’d thought was our relationship—it was just more manipulation to get me to follow all of Asher’s big money business plans. And I’d bought it. I’d bought it all, had it wrapped up in pink tissue paper with a pretty bow, and then skipped home swinging it in my hands.

That fucking bastard.

“The bet is beside the point, Katie, it always has been—” Asher was trying to protest.

“You never cared.” I heard my voice as if it were coming from far away. “It was all just—you were only ever protecting your investment. Whatever it takes.”

“That’s not true—” Asher started to say, but I couldn’t stand to listen to his lies any longer.

And that’s when I broke two of my biggest rules: I burst into tears in front of dozens of people, and I ran from a confrontation.

One of my shoes fell off, and I could hear Asher calling out after me. But I kept running, tears streaming down my face, my heart in a thousand sharp pieces that stabbed me over and over.

I never wanted to see Asher Young again.