Page 2 of My Forbidden Billionaire

Is this what it’s all been about? Has he been seeing someone else behind my back?

Tom finishes up his call with Stacy and puts his phone away before looking back up at me, his smile fading as he sees the tears streaming down my face.

“I’m sorry,” he says, reaching across the table to take my hand. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I pull my hand away from his, shaking my head. “How long have you been seeing her?” I demand, my voice laced with anger.

Tom looks down at the table, his face flushing with guilt. “A few months,” he admits.

I can feel the rage building inside of me, and before I know it, I’m standing up from the table, pushing the chair back with a loud screech. The other patrons are looking over at us, but I couldn’t care less. I throw down some cash on the table to cover my half of the bill and then put on my coat as fast as I can.

Tom tries to grab my arm, but I shake it off.

“Josephine, wait. Please, let me explain,” he says.

I turn around to face him, tears streaming down my face. “Explain what? You’ve been cheating on me for who knows how long, and you decide to break up with me on our anniversary? No, Tom. I don’t want to hear it,” I snap.

I feel like a fool for not seeing the signs sooner. All those times he was distant or on his phone, I should have known something was wrong.

“Wait ... please don’t leave. I don’t have any money left to pay the bill,” he admits sheepishly, looking down at the floor.

I glare at him, unable to believe the gall he has to ask for anything from me now. “You brought me to a fancy restaurant to break up with me, and you didn’t even bring enough money to pay for the meal? Unbelievable,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m sorry,” Tom says, looking up at me.

I shake my head, feeling nauseous. “Save your apologies. You’ve made your choice, and you can deal with the consequences. Goodbye, Tom,” I say firmly before grabbing my cash from the table. “Stacy can cover your bills from now on,” I add with a bitter laugh before storming out of the restaurant, leaving him to deal with the mess he created.

As I walk out onto the street, the cold wind hits me, sending shivers down my spine. I pull my coat tighter around me, trying to block out the pain I feel inside.

I can’t believe I wasted six years of my life with a man like that.

I keep walking, even though I have no idea where I’m going to go, or how I’m going to get there.

Tom and I live together—our lease isn’t up for another three months. But there’s no way I’m going back there, not after what he’s done. I’d rather live in a tent than endure three more months in an apartment with him.

I walk through the emptiness of the night, tears streaming down my face.

The only thing I can hear is the sound of my own sobs.

I’m heartbroken. Embarrassed. Ashamed. I can’t decide who I’m more angry at—Tom for cheating, or myself for staying and trying to make things work with him for far longer than I should have.

As I turn a corner, still reeling from the breakup, I suddenly find myself running face-first into a solid mass of chest and shoulder.

Startled, I take a step back and look up at the face of a tall stranger who catches me before I fall.

I blink rapidly, trying to refocus my eyes and take in the sight before me.

The man is wearing a black suit that fits his muscular frame like it was tailored specifically for him, and his dark hair falls in tousled waves over his forehead.

“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice deep and comforting.

“I’m fine.” I sniffle, trying to sound more confident than I actually feel, not wanting to bother a stranger with my problems.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re fine,” he says, looking at me with concern.

I let out a hollow laugh. “What gave it away? Was it the tears, or the fact that I’m walking alone in the middle of the night?”

He gives me a small smile, and I feel my heart flutter a little in my chest. “Both,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine.