The Daring Billionaire’s Wife by Lypstical

Dominic

Seeing Patrick again in less than twenty four hours after | shoved him to the ground only makeswant to do it again, but | can't

as this is a more public space compared to our meeting place yesterday.

Since it's early in the morning, the outdoor restaurant barely has any customers. I'm sitting with him in the corner, hating the fact

that | had to show up here just to hear what he had to say, but it seems to take a while.

"Are you going to talk or not?" | glare at him. "If you keep wasting my time, I'll just have to leave."

He scoffs, taking a sip from his coffee. "There's no way you're going to do that when you're curious about why | wanted you to

meet me."

Even though he still tries to act as cocky as he did yesterday, | can sense that something is off about him from his subtle

movements of unease.

"Get straight to the point because | need to make arrangements for my father-in-law's treatment."

"Really?" He leans forward in curiosity. "What kind of treatment?"

"That's none of your business."

Shaking his head at my hostility, he says, "Whatever is going on right now, he has nothing to do with this. I'll always be grateful to

him because he's the reason | have a job today. He gavea chance and his well-being means a lot to me. That's why | only want

what's best for him. So, tellabout the treatment."

"I'm not doing this with you. Just tellwhy you wanted us to meet. If you want to know about the treatment, ask him instead."

He nods in understanding, raising his hands in defeat. "Fine, | guess I'll get straight to the point. | can get Shane off your back."

My eyes widen in shock. "What?"

"Yes. | know what's going on with him and that you're late with the payment. | know how to get him off your back for good."

"How the fuck do you seem to know everything?" | ruffle my hair with a deep exhale.

"I know about Shane because I'm the one who told him your secret."

"What? It was you?" | pause and glare at him as it takes everything innot to reach my hand across the table and grab him by

the collar.

"Look, | had no choice. He found out that | knew your secret by accident. He and | go way back when he bulliedand it's never

really stopped. That's why he took advantage of the situation and decided to make money off of you, but | can help put an end to

that."

"I can't believe I'm even considering this, but why now?" | ask.

"I've always been powerless but with someone like you, one of the most influential billionaires in the world, this will be one of the

easiest things to do."

| lean back in my seat and cross my arms, suspiciously narrowing my eyes as | say, "In exchange for what?"

He smiles a little and intertwines his fingers. "I want to be with Vanessa."

My heart suddenly starts racing, rage consumingas | process his condition. "You must be out of your fucking mind with what

you just said."

"lI mean it."

| clench my fists under the table. "What makes you think I'm going to let that happen?"

"Con. You know the answer to that. There's nothing to your relationship with her apart from it being an agreement between

you two. The sway you were openly seeing someone else and she was okay with it, is the sway you're going to be okay

with her dating me."

| poke my cheek, looking around as | try so hard not to break his jaw with my fist.

"So, what's it going to be?" He confidently raises his chin. "I know how desperate you are to get rid of Shane. That's why I'll give

you what you want and you givewhat | want. It's just like | said, there's nothing special between you and Vanessa."

"You're just saying this because you don't wantto-"

He squeezes the empty cup of coffee in his hand and | can tell | just struck a nerve.

"Why are you tellingthat part?" He sneers.

Clenching his fist on the table, he bitterly says, "So what?"

"I couldn't give you an answer yesterday because | didn't know how to put it in words, but now | do. | like Vanessa, so you're wrong

to think that everything between us is fake."

It takes him a moment to process everything and he pokes his cheek, then shakes his head firmly.

"Do you really think I'm stupid?" He sneers again. "You're obviously putting on an act."

"This piece of shit." | whisper to myself as | rub my forehead. "Didn't you hear a word | said? It's not an act. | know how | feel about

Vanessa."

"You can't possibly expectto believe that when you couldn't say it yesterday."

"Like I said, I just didn't know how to put it in words."

He sighs. "And does she know about this?"

"No." | shut my eyes for a second.

"Fine, let's say whatever you've just said is true. It doesn't change anything because | still want to be with her. You claim that this

isn't an act, but that's just on your part."

"Listen here." | tilt my head, trying so hard not to slam the table in frustration. "I won't allow you to go out with my wife."

He scoffs. "How about you let her decide?"

"No. I don't want to stress her out with shit like this."

"You don't need to givethat lexcuse because | know you feel threatened by me. For the longest time, Vanessa was deeply

in love with me. I'm certain she still is and has just been putting on an act. That's why she doesn't like you back, so let her decide if

she wants to be with me."

"You're shameless."

"Oh, really? But wait, how is this any different from what you put her through? Just let her decide. For now, I'll help you get rid of

Shane and then afterwards, you're going to witness her real feelings for me."