Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 32776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32776 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“Are they still around?” I asked. “Have you told them?”
“If it gets approved, I’ll tell them when I visit their graves,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll be quite happy about it.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be,” he said. “They got to see me become a billionaire and crush everyone who ever hurt us.”
“By chance, does that include the cop who arrested your dad?”
“Of course not.” He smiled. “I would never blacklist him from every agency in this city so hard he had to move elsewhere.”
“I’m sorry for ever starting to think that your ruthless reputation was overblown.”
“You’re forgiven.” He laughed, pulling me against his chest. “We can finish this discussion later, though. You owe me another PR plan for next month, and we also have some unfinished business from last night.”
“I’ll work on the PR plan first then,” I said. “That’s more important than more sex with you.”
“I agree, Chloe.” His mouth crashing against mine made it clear that he didn’t.
THE AGENT
CHLOE
Is this the part when you can finally admit you were wrong about Dante?
Marie
Hell no.
It’s okay to be wrong, Marie. I’ll still love you.
He *might* be turning into a halfway decent person, but I still don’t 100% trust him. And you shouldn’t either…
Close enough.
THE AGENT
CHLOE
On a Monday
“Good afternoon, Miss Sterling.” Sarah smiled at me as I stepped off the elevator. “You’re a bit late for the ceremony.”
“What ceremony?”
“Funny.” She waved a hand. “The mayor approved The Holden project this morning. The press and the zoning officials are all in the boardroom…Didn’t Mr. Hudson call you?”
“Maybe I missed it…”
“Well, don’t miss out on the cake and champagne,” she said. “I had it flown in from Napa Valley.”
“Noted. Thank you.”
I walked down the hall and rounded the corner, just in time to catch photogs snapping pictures inside the boardroom as Dante shook hands with the mayor.
Smiling, I pushed my way through the chairs to get a closer look.
I was feet away when I spotted the mockup of The Holden standing at the center of the room.
Stopping in utter confusion, I did a slow double take.
This proposal looked nothing like the one Dante had shown me earlier.
Gone were the open parks and tree-lined walkways, along with the community center and the affordable residential wings. The public rooftop gardens with custom statues and beautiful benches were paved over in exchange for a private pool and row of cabanas.
The Holden now reflected another cold and soulless glass tower wrapped in black steel and private entrances—another billionaire monument that looked exactly like every other Hudson property in Manhattan.
What the hell?
My stomach dropped as the guests sipped from champagne flutes and devoured Empire State cupcakes. I circled the model again and again, as if one of my spins would magically transform it into what it used to be.
By the time the last executive left the room, Dante was loosening his tie by the window and flashing a smile he didn’t deserve.
“Good afternoon, Chloe.” He looked over at me. “Did you enjoy the cake?”
“You honestly think I want to talk about cake right now?” I scoffed, pointing at the mockup. “What happened to the community center and affordable condos wing?”
“Those things didn’t make it to the final drafting stage.”
“Since when?”
“Since three days ago,” he said.
“I was with you three days ago.” I looked up. “We’ve been together all freakin’ weekend.”
“And?”
“Don’t you think you should’ve told me about this?” I asked. “Like, out of us becoming close?”
“No. Which is why I didn’t. I prefer this version, and since it’s my money, I don’t have to ask permission from anyone.”
“So, our relationship means nothing to you?”
“I wasn’t aware we had a relationship…”
“Seriously?” I swallowed. “Then what the hell are we?”
“Two people who ended up in each other’s orbits due to extremely comical circumstances,” he said. “We also have sex and spend time together.”
“That’s literally the definition of a relationship, Dante.”
“Maybe in your dictionary.”
“I don’t appreciate you changing the mockup without telling me, and I would appreciate you putting it back before any of the residents who’ve been cheering you on see it.”
“I’ve invested hundreds of millions in making the residents happy,” he said. “I think they’ll be okay if I focus on making money for myself again.”
“So, you’ve learned absolutely nothing after all this time?”
“All this time?” He glared at me. “I’ve known you for what—a few months at best?”
“Yes.”
“And you honestly think that means I owe you something?”
“It means you promised to consider something that would be in everyone’s best interests, including mine.”
“I did consider it,” he said. “The answer is no, and contrary to what you think, the old model doesn’t do much for me at all. It won’t make as much money.”
“Because you’re in desperate need of more of that?” I hissed. “You’re already a fucking billionaire.”
“And I intend to keep it that way.” His voice was terse. “I didn’t get here by giving money away.”