The Billionaire's Revenge (The Blank Check #6) - Jeannette Winter Page 0,31

to date him and make her jealous. I didn’t care. I had nothing better to do. We went out a few times, and actually that’s when I met you for the first time. We went out to eat and you were there with some of your friends. I’m not sure you even noticed me back then.”

“I did,” he said. How could I not? You were stunning. Yet so…innocent.

“Well after that, Marvin said we needed to step it up and make people think we were in a serious relationship. But once again, he made me promise not to tell anyone that it wasn’t real. But when you spend so much time together, like what Marvin and I did, it wasn’t that hard for people to accept our relationship. He was at my house having dinner with my parents and me when he popped the question. Marvin had stepped up the game without even consulting me. Things were moving so fast and I couldn’t even keep track of the lies any more. And we all know what happened from there,” she said.

“You said yes,” Jordan stated.

“I did. I got to spend the next six months planning a wedding but Marvin had to have it just the way he wanted. I didn’t pick out the dress, flowers or anything. It didn’t really matter, because it wasn’t ever going to really happen. He was supposed to stand up in front of everyone at the church and tell them he wasn’t husband material and tell them I deserved someone better.”

That’s the fucking truth.

“But he didn’t show up and instead”

“He fucking sent me,” Jordan growled. It was all making sense now. Marvin bailed at the last minute because he didn’t have the balls to stand up and admit to everyone she was too good for him.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I even came back to check on you and you never said anything,” he said. She had the opportunity, but kept up the lie. “Why?”

“He made me promise not to. I never told anyone. Not my parents. Not my best friend. And I…didn’t even understand why you were there.”

He pulled his hand away. “Because I cared. I couldn’t stand knowing he’d just ripped your heart out like that. I was there to console you. Joke was on me. You didn’t need consoling at all, did you?” he said, unable to bite back the bitterness.

“Not in the way you thought. But I was hurting. I had to deal with the fact it wasn’t just me that was hurting. My mother was crying, my father swearing, and Mary-Lou, well I think she wanted to beat his ass.”

“Why didn’t you just tell everyone the truth at the church?” he asked.

“At first it was because Marvin changed the plans and I was caught off guard. After that I was ashamed of my involvement and for being so stupid to have even gotten involved with him in the first place.”

Jordan put his mug on the table, and got up. He wasn’t able to sit a moment longer. A shit load of things had run through his mind when she said she had to talk to him, but not this. He’d always looked at her as an innocent victim, never Marvin’s partner in all this. He was angry with her, pissed off at Marvin and overall, just confused as hell about how he even felt right now. It’d been twelve years of watching over her, making sure this didn’t break her spirit. Had it all be for nothing? Was she just as good at the game as Marvin?

I’m not sitting here waiting to find out.

“Jordan, where are you going?” she asked.

“I need to think, and I can’t do that here.” He walked to the door and before opening it he turned to her and asked, “Gianna, is there anything else you want to tell me before I go?”

She sat and quietly shook her head. He pulled out his cell phone and called the driver back. What he’d hoped to be a long lovely evening with Gianna, was now a disaster.

And this is why I try not to care. It only gets you fucked over in the end.

Gianna could see that Jordan was hurt. There was no avoiding it. No matter what she said, it was bound to upset him. But he was right. She should’ve come forth all those years ago. Was it pride or fear that had kept her silent? Most likely it was a combination of both. And it was funny, because