The Billionaire Heiress' Love Game

Chapter 14 – End Before Beginning

Marry Brianna?

Neil thought it was impossible for a heart to cease beating, but those two words and the weight of how Robert said them were like a guillotine, beheading him. Cold numbness spread through his body, and he thought he had stopped living because the world around him had suddenly gone silent.

“I can’t.” It came out as a whisper; his mind was on Katie. He squeezed his eyes shut, regret filling him for falling into her trap. “It was… Oh, God!”

Frustration and anger bubbled up toward his mother. His life was planned; every detail was mapped out from beginning to end. After launching the architecture firm with Lili and James, he felt prepared for the next phase of his life. Katie was wonderful; she was a woman just like his mother. She was his first love, and he was hers. Their love—and their future—was everything he had hoped for.

Neil swallowed hard, seeing everything slowly disappearing one by one. “You said… You said…” He met Robert’s gaze, clenching his fists hard. “Nothing happened, Robert. She lied. She -”

“She set you up,” he finished, sighing deeply as he sat on the single sofa. “I know,” he murmured, gritting his teeth but controlling his anger at her daughter. “But I know my daughter, Neil. She won’t stop until I give in to what she wants.”

Neil arched his neck, leaning on the backrest and squeezing his eyes hard. No wonder Brianna was like that, he thought. Either Robert had spoiled her daughter, or he was scared of her. He didn’t want to tangle his life with the Thomson if it wasn't about her mother's will. His mother’s friendship with the business tycoon still confused him.

“I’m getting married.” It was almost a whisper. To Katie. Never to the woman who brought nothing but nightmares into my life. The thought of Katie strangled him, making it difficult for him to breathe.

“Like I said, I know my daughter, Neil. She won’t stop until she gets what she wants.” Robert let out a resigned sigh. “She could…” he paused, not wanting to use Katie, but at this point, he didn’t want to upset Bailey. “You don’t want her going to Katie and…”

Neil’s eyes flew open, and he straightened up in his seat. He felt cold, unsure if it was about the mention of his fiancée’s name; he was still naked, with nothing but the pants covering his manhood. He could not help but wonder how much Robert knew about him. About his life.

Robert stood up and looked at him with despair. “Marry my daughter,” he said, sounding like it was final. When Neil opened his mouth, he continued immediately, not giving him a chance to talk. “It’ll be… Well… Not real.”

Neil scoffed, his eyes blinking rapidly, wishing this was nothing but a nightmare and he would wake up soon. He could not believe Robert was deciding on his life when his mother had never intervened in his choices.

“I’ll do anything to help you get back with Katie,” he promised, his green eyes meeting Neil’s. “You can go abroad while I sort things out. I’ll deal with the bakeshop and your firm.”

Furrowing his brows, Neil asked, “You want me to leave?” Escape?

Robert shook his head. “Like I said, you don’t know my daughter, Neil. She’s a…” He paused.

“b***h,” finished Neil, not minding she was Robert’s daughter.

An apologetic smile curved into the tycoon’s lips. “I apologize for Brianna.” There was another pause, and then he let out a long sigh, finally giving up. “Knowing how wicked she is, I’ll decide for you. If you’re not up to the fake marriage I am offering, you have to leave the country with your fiancée. I’ll have my secretary arrange everything for you.”

Robert meant it, turning around as he thought about what to do with Brianna.

As the older man headed to the door, Neil took it as an opportunity to put on his pants. He growled, realizing Brianna had taken his shirt, and his assistant wore nothing but it on her way out. This was all Robert’s daughter's evil plans, and he knew he had to do something before she found her fingers clawing into Katie’s skin.

“I’m not leaving the country,” Neil murmured angrily, gritting his teeth as he zipped his pants. “I’m not running away. But I won’t let her ruin my life.”

I will ruin hers, he added in his mind, promising it.

“I’ll marry Brianna.”

Those were words that stopped Robert from getting out of the office. He fought the urge to smile as he turned around, studying the young man as he pulled out the drawer, took a white T-shirt, and put it on.

“My terms, Robert,” he said, his heart racing at his sudden decision. But it was for Katie. For him.

The business tycoon nodded once, although he wanted to disagree.

“After the ceremony, I’m bringing her to Mount St. Ignatius.” It was his mother’s hometown, the place where he grew up. “No assistant. No housekeeper. Not even her own driver. She must leave everything behind.”

Robert lifted a brow, tilting his head as he tried to imagine Brianna without Ida or Elaine by her side. It would be a complete punishment. A hell.

“Neil, she doesn’t know anything in life. She’ll go nuts,” he said, folding his arms.

“That’s the idea, Robert.” He would let Brianna taste life without her nannies and worldly possessions with her. He would make her miserable. “I assure you, she’d beg for a divorce and return home in a month.” His eyes narrowed, correcting himself. “Or maybe less than a week.”

There was silence, something Neil didn’t expect from Robert. Then, the older man nodded.

“I assume you don’t want a big wedding,” he said.

Neil shook his head. “Let’s get this over with within the day. I’m sure you can arrange that.”

He wasn’t excited to get married, but he was definitely in a hurry to bring Brianna to Mount St. Ignatius as soon as possible to keep her away from Katie and the press.

“And Katie?” Robert asked.

“I’ll deal with Katie,” he said, almost a whisper. Before his fiancée would know about it, he and Brianna were done. There would be an end before their story begins.