My Family Faked Mom's Death to Stop My Wedding—My Adopted Sister Had My Fiancé's Baby novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Bruce's POV: Fifteen Million

Bruce's POV

Her father asked to see me alone at ten on Thursday night, and I didn't tell Livia.

I told myself it was because she was asleep.

It was because I wanted to see his face with no one else in the room.

He had taken a table at the back of a steakhouse on Third Avenue where the waiters called him Chairman.

He stood when I came in.

He did not offer his hand.

"Mr. Rayne. Thank you for coming."

"You have ten minutes."

"I only need five." He sat and folded his napkin. "I've had my people look at you."

"I assumed."

"Thirty-five. Thirty-one billion in assets. A first company funded by an old woman's handshake." He smiled. "My mother-in-law had a habit of buying men."

"She lent me four million, and she never asked me to do a thing for it."

"Until three years ago."

"Until three years ago," I said.

He nodded.

"I'll be honest. I don't know what she told you. But whatever your reason, you've spent three years holding my debt for a girl you've met twice. That is not love, Mr. Rayne. That is a debt of your own."

"I know exactly what it is."

"Then let me end it for you." He took an envelope from his jacket and set it on the cloth. "Fifteen million. In your account tomorrow. You withdraw the notice, you go back to your island, and you stop standing in my daughter's doorway."

I did not touch the envelope.

"She doesn't love you," he said, almost kindly. "She loves the first man who's been gentle with her. It's all she's ever wanted, and I know because I made sure nobody was. In a year she'll look at you and see a banker."

The restaurant was loud around us.

A waiter put a basket of bread on the table and went away.

"You made sure nobody was gentle with her," I said.

"I made sure she stayed where I could manage her."

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