Marrying My Billionaire Hookup - Nadia Lee Page 0,133

I’m punishing her, making her pay for my parents’ sins.

Yuna’s right. I should let Jo go.

But I can’t. Not when I just realized the reason she’s perfect isn’t because I could never fall in love with her…but because I’m already in love with her.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Edgar

I get up early the next morning. I made a plan last night.

Project Convince Jo I’m Not a Fuck-Up.

It’s going to require a lot of work. More honesty and vulnerability than I’ve ever thought I’d show anybody. But I’m okay with that. What I can’t tolerate is losing her.

When I’m out of the shower with a towel around my waist, I realize I don’t even have a change of underwear. Shit.

I should order them delivered immediately. I pick up my phone to place a same-day order and spot a text from Tony.

–Tony: Left you a new set of underwear outside your door, plus some clothes. My suit won’t fit you, so just a T-shirt and shorts.

True. Tony’s slimmer than me. I text him a thank you, open the door, grab the clothes and change.

My phone rings. I check the screen instantly, wondering if it’s Yuna, although hoping it’s Jo. But no. It’s Susan.

“Yes?” I say, surprised my assistant’s calling me.

“Good morning, Edgar. You have a meeting in half an hour. Did you get my executive memo about the agenda? There’s been a change.”

Huh. She should’ve been in the office for at least an hour by now. “Didn’t you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“I quit.”

“You what?”

“I quit. I told Father yesterday. Didn’t you see him?” It isn’t like him to skip work.

“I did, but he didn’t say anything about you quitting.” She sounds bewildered. “On the contrary, he asked me to make sure you didn’t miss the meeting because it’s important.”

I grit my teeth. Typical Dad. “I’m sending in my official resignation.” And I’ll make sure to CC everyone on the board so he can’t pretend I never left.

“But…this is so sudden.”

“It really isn’t. I’m sure the board will do a great job whether or not I’m there,” I say, doing my best to keep sarcasm out of my voice. The staff doesn’t need to be aware of the family drama. I’m doing the right thing for me and Jo and our unborn baby.

“I see…”

I sigh. “I’m sorry to tell you like this, Susan. If you were local, I’d ask you to work for me, but I don’t think you want to uproot your kids.”

“Yeah. You’re right. I don’t.”

“You have stellar evaluations, so you shouldn’t have any problem transitioning to whoever’s going to replace me. And if you ever need a reference…”

“Thanks, Edgar.”

After we hang up, I type a quick and concise resignation email and fire it off. Then I go over the information Linda sent me about Aaron Korvid. I didn’t read it too closely, but I remember she had a section on scandals and more in the back of the report on him. It’s about time I get myself up to speed on Korvid’s…activities in detail.

My phone rings again. I don’t have to check the screen to know it’s somebody from Blackwood Energy.

“Edgar,” I say, still skimming the report to find the dirt Linda put at the end.

“What the hell is the meaning of the email you just sent!” Dad is actually hissing. And that means he’s furious enough to consider physical violence.

“I thought I used very simple English words,” I say calmly. “Besides, I already told you yesterday.”

“You were emotional.”

I laugh, the sound cold and brittle.

“You’re walking away over a woman you don’t even love!”

My jaw tightens, but I have no one to blame but myself for the hateful way he speaks about Jo. “You’re wrong. I do love her. I just didn’t realize until now.”

“Is this her idea?” he demands.

“No. It’s mine. I’m tired of you trying to rope me and Jo into your idea of what family legacy is. I don’t care about it. Neither does she. And neither of us appreciates Mom stalking her and threatening to blackmail her.”

“Blackmail her? Is that what your girlfriend claimed?” Outrage bristles in every syllable.

“Oh, yes. Apparently, Mom got hold of a sex tape from an ex-boyfriend of Jo’s. I would never have thought that your wife, Margot Blackwood, pillar of the community, would go that far.”

He makes a strangled sound because he wants to disagree with me, but can’t. It is beneath us to use tactics so crude and insulting.

“She shouldn’t have done that,” I say, my voice frigid. “If she gets in my way like she