THE BILLIONAIRE SECRET BABY

LASHING AT MY EX

LEVI BROWNSTONE

Kira cleared her throat, the sound sharp and impatient. Her eyes, usually bright and inviting, were now narrowed and icy as they locked onto mine. I pushed through the crowd toward her, their murmurs fading into a dull hum.

"What was that?" she muttered through clenched teeth, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile for the onlookers around us.

I’d always marveled at how Kira could keep on her charms even when seething. It often unnerved me, but today, I was grateful. It gave me a moment to process my own shock—Adriana was here.

I followed Kira as she strode purposefully toward my office, curious eyes boring into us as they tracked our movements.

I glanced over my shoulder. Adriana still stood motionless, her face laced with confusion.

As soon as we stepped into my office, Kira’s bright smile dropped. Her eyes blazed with fury, and a scowl appeared across her face.

"Levi, what was that?" she demanded, her voice low but forceful. Tension filled the air, making the room hot.

I leaned against my desk, folding my arms nonchalantly. "What was what?"

Her jaw clenched, the muscles flexing beneath her skin.

“I hate it when you deflect, Levi," she thundered.

I also hate it when she throws her jealousy tantrums, but she kind of had the right to be angry, though.

No fiancée would want to see her partner’s Ex girlfriend lining up for a job interview—especially a job that would have them working closely together. But Kira didn’t know who Adriana was, and I intended to keep it that way.

"Don’t play dumb with me, Levi. You know exactly what I’m talking about," she said, stepping closer, the scent of her perfume enveloping me.

"Kira, I—"

"I saw the way you were cuddling that lady," she interrupted, her voice rising. “Don’t you get enough hugs from me?”

“Kira, stop it,” I snapped, my tone sharper than I intended. The sudden silence was suffocating.

I’d never raised my voice at her before, and I could see the shock on her face.

“I wasn’t hugging her. You can see she nearly fell," I muttered quietly, dropping my hands to my sides.

Her expression crumbled into disbelief as she took a tentative step toward me. “Levi,” she whispered, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable. “Do you know her from somewhere?”

The question hit me like a punch to the gut. “Of course not,” I answered quickly.

“Like I even know anybody in this complex.”

Kira’s eyes darted across my face, looking intently as though searching for cracks.

“Then why did you call her by her name? And don’t even try to deny it. I saw you mouth ‘Adriana.’”

“Oh." I ran a hand through my hair, feigning surprise. “I must have seen it on her visitor’s tag,” I said, tapping the spot on my chest where a name badge would be.

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I expected her to storm out, grab one of the tags, and shove it in my face to prove they didn’t have names on them. Instead, to my surprise, she sighed and took a step back.

“Ugh, I need to work on my jealousy,” she murmured, brushing her lips against my cheek. The gesture was warm, and it assured me that the worst of her jealousies were most likely over.

She stepped back, her perfume lingering. “I’ll head back to my office. See you at lunch,” she said, moving toward the door.

Just before stepping out, she paused and glanced back, her brow furrowed as though she was recalling something. “You remember Irina, right?”

I frowned, my face laced with confusion. “Irina?”

“The pretty intern with the oval face and perfect teeth,” she added, subtlety coating her words.

Of course I remembered Irina, and I was sure everyone on the fourteenth floor remembered Irina. She was one of our interns—bright, intelligent, and jovial.

We'd been friends, even though Kira would hear nothing of it.

Irina was convinced that Kira hated her, but I knew that wasn’t true. Kira had always been jealous of every other woman in my life—not a big deal.

“I wasn’t just being paranoid then,” Kira continued, her eyes glinting. “She was actually into you, you know?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I said, my voice uncertain. “She never showed any interest in me, and I didn’t either.”

Irina had suddenly stopped coming to work, and after a while, she was found in her apartment—dead. The police had confirmed that it was suicide.

But how? Kira and I had asked ourselves for days. She had seemed so happy and vibrant.

I shifted uncomfortably, looking at Kira suspiciously.

“What made you think of her?”

Kira shrugged, her eyes clouded with something I couldn’t place. “Nothing. I was just thinking,” she said, and with a final glance, slipped out of my office.

A sharp knot of anxiety coiled in my chest as I leaned forward, pressing the gold-painted intercom button on my desk, signaling for the first interviewee to enter.

Five seconds later, I heard a knock on the door.

"Enter," I called out, steadying my voice.

The door creaked open, and the last person I expected stood on the threshold. Adriana. The room seemed to shrink as she stepped inside.

Her hesitant smile made my heart stutter, and a wave of disbelief swept over me again. Adriana in Stone Corp.

“Hi,” she said, her voice soft. She wasn't looking as shocked as me. Perhaps she had known for a long time that I was in the States.

“Please, sit.” I gestured to the seat opposite me.

As she sat down, I realized that time had not affected her in the least bit. Her jet-black hair that I loved to slip through my fingers, the succulent lips I'd kissed over a hundred times – they were still there, unchanged.

I tightened my grip on the desk, willing myself back into the moment.

“Get it together, Levi,” I muttered to myself, darting my eyes away from her.

Still, I couldn't help it; her picture was already etched in my mind.

Her face was devoid of makeup, giving her a natural look. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, neither of us moved.

Then she cleared her throat, holding out her résumé.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said. Her tone was formal.

I sat up in my seat, plastering a bright smile on my face, as I took the document from her.

My eyes scanned the pages for a while, then I raised my head.

“High school diploma only?” I asked, clearly surprised. During our time in California, she'd talked endlessly about going to college.

“Yes, sir,” she replied, her cheeks coloring slightly in a nervous manner. Her eyes hardened, and she repeated, “Just a high school diploma.”

Her jaw tightened as I kept on reading her file. “This job requires significant time and dedication,” I said, switching back to a professional mode. “Long hours on the road, demanding meetings, constant calls. If you’re hired, you need to know it’ll require sacrifices.”

Her gaze flickered, and she nodded. “I understand,” she said, her voice firm.

I took a breath, the irony of the situation dawning on me. Who would have thought I’d be interviewing my ex for a job someday?

And not just an ex. One I've offended greatly.

The question slipped out before I could stop it. “Are you married?” I seemed to be holding my breath as she locked her eyes on me.

She hesitated, her expression tightening. “I—” she began, but I cut her off quickly.

“It’s relevant for me to gauge your commitment level,” I explained, even as my pulse thrummed wildly.

“No, I’m not married,” she said, shaking her head, her eyes not quite meeting mine.

A part of me jumped with selfish satisfaction, but it was short-lived.

“But I have a son,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

My heart sank, surprise flickering across my features before I could suppress it. “You have a son?”

Adriana’s eyes darted to me, as though wondering why I was so interested. “Yes, but it won’t affect my work. My sister lives nearby and can watch him while I work.”

I nodded slowly, leaning back in my chair as the truth settled in. A child. Adriana had a child. “You’ve really changed,” I said, the words coming out softer than I intended. “And you moved, too.”

Her eyes flashed, the bitterness evident. “And so did you, Levi. I never thought I’d see you again, let alone in a place like this.”

I clenched my jaw. “I came back two years ago, Adriana. I—”

“Good for you,” she cut in, her voice sharp. “Two years, and you never reached out. Now I find you here, running this place with a fiancée in tow.”

Her words stung, leaving a cold void in their wake. “I’m sorry. I know I…”

She laughed, a hollow sound. “We were together for a month, Levi. And you couldn't tell me. Who knows what else you didn’t tell me.”

I handed her the résumé back, my head hung low. “Addy, you should know that I never actually meant to hurt you.”

“No, you did not,” she said, the venom in her voice increasing.

“You left and never called, and you are telling me that you didn't mean to hurt me?”

The air thickened, and I could feel the memories of our romance coursing through my mind.

“I didn’t abandon you, Addy,” I said quietly, hoping my sincerity would get to her.

“I told you I was going to London, and while I was there… things happened. Things I couldn’t control.”

“Of course.” She nodded, her eyes welling up. “Why didn’t you ever call, Levi? Were you already engaged to Kira while you were deceiving me in California?”

I couldn’t meet her gaze, the weight of her accusation pressing on my chest. “Adriana, I—” I swallowed, “maybe we shouldn't talk about this anymore."

Her eyebrows shot up, and she looked at my left hand, where my engagement ring caught the light. “Really?” she whispered, bitterness seeping through.

“Yes,” I nodded, focusing my attention on something other than her, “I’m engaged now. Whatever we had in the past should remain in the past.”

The silence that followed was louder than any words. Finally, she spoke, her voice sounding like broken pieces of hearts. “How long do you think I waited for you, Levi?”

The tears were falling now.

“Don’t do this, Addy. Someone might walk in,” I pleaded, my eyes darting to the door.

“Someone,” she repeated with a sad smile. “I waited every day, thinking you’d come back. And when you did, it was with someone else.”

“Adriana,” I said, shaking my head. Seeing her like this twisted something deep inside me. “I know I messed up, but you need to move on. You have a son now, and I—” I glanced at my hand again. “I’m getting married.”

She stared at me, her expression blank with disbelief. She opened her mouth to say something, but the door creaked open at that moment.

Kira stood in the doorway, her eyes moving between Adriana and me with barely concealed suspicion. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, “Miss Coleman was just leaving.”

Adriana stood, wiping the wet trails from her cheeks before nodding stiffly. “Yes, I was just leaving.”

As she walked past Kira, the room grew colder, emptier. Kira turned back to me, her eyes searching. “Are you okay?” she asked, gesturing toward the door.

“Like I said, it was nothing,” I muttered, leaning back as the tension drained from my body. “You wouldn’t believe what some people do when they’re desperate for a job.”