A Game With The Billionaire

Chapter 4:

Jeremy:

I dread closing hours, the suffocation of going to an empty house usually gnaws on me. None of this used to affect me before, but ever since my grandfather dragged me to this fortune seller who predicted that I was going to end up dying alone five years ago, I have been having that feeling.

Even though my cousins confirmed that my grandfather, the Old Master Hart, paid her a huge amount of money to run her mouth just so I can get married quickly, it still doesn’t fix the dread.

My assistant, Kade, knocks gently and lets himself in. “Ready to go, sir?”

“I think so.” I take a quick scan around my office, before picking up my suit jacket that’s hanging lazily on the edge of my office chair. It has been three days since the strawberry incident in which Emma and I haven’t seen each other, but today is move-in day, so I assume she’s already in my house.

Touching my things. The thought of it makes chills run down my spine. The Harts family has been blowing up my phone ever since, excited to meet my girlfriend. Because I have too many cousins, too many uncles, aunts, and even my own siblings, it’s hard to keep count of everyone sometimes.

“Let’s leave.” I tell Kade, leaving the office. We enter the elevator and I adjust my tie. I met Kade at one of my family’s endless parties; he was sitting all alone, playing Candy Crush. I approached him and asked if he wanted to become my assistant. Four years later and here we are.

“You sure seemed shaken off by Emma the other day.” Kade reminds me and I curse inwardly, I knew he was going to bring up that matter, I just didn’t know when. We are always professional in public, but when it’s two of us alone, he sprouts nonsense out of his mouth.

I ignore him, pretending to look at my wrist watch instead.

“It’s like I can feel the tension of hate emitting out of her towards you.” Kade continues, oblivious to my attempt of not bringing it up. “Do you guys have history together, perhaps in the past?” Kade turns towards me, his hazel eyes twinkling.

History. My chest tightens; Emma and I have lots of history together. I can’t afford to mess this up, she hates me, bloody hell, if situations were reversed, I would hate me too. But this is an opportunity I am never going to get again, I have a year to prove myself again, tell her what actually happened.

“I just hate strawberries, and she happened to wear the perfume. She didn’t know.” I say simply and he raises a brow, calling me on my bullshit. Thankfully, the elevator door opens so I don’t have to deal with Kade again. We stride along the lobby, everywhere is empty. I have always been known for working late nights.

When we reach out, Kade and I stand in front of my car. “She’s moving in today, right? Have you thought of getting her something?”

I have thought of it too much in the office, I almost went crazy.

“What do you suggest?” I ask, trying to act like it’s no big deal, but this is huge for me. This needs to work, I need to fix what I destroyed years ago, and the only way is by starting small.

“Well, what does she like?”

I think hard. I know Emma, every single part of her; we were together for so long, everything about her became engraved in my mind. “Doughnuts, those are her favourite pastries.”

“Then get her those. Goodnight, sir.” Kade opens the door of my car and I let myself in, “Don’t get all kissy tonight with your girlfriend.” He smirks as I drive away.

I stop at a nearby pastry shop, getting two boxes of doughnuts ranging in flavour from chocolate and vanilla and then I drive to my villa. As I park my car and enter, the warm scent of vanilla and honey greets me, it has been Emma’s signature scent for a very long time now.

I just stand there, rooted in my steps as I imagine her ruffling through my things, but knowing Emma, she won’t touch anything. My things might even disgust her.

A sound comes from the kitchen and I hurriedly go there. Emma is standing in front of my espresso maker, scowling at it. I doubt she notices my presence because apparently, she’s talking to my coffee maker. “How do you even work? Ugh, rich people and their fancy equipment.”

I chuckle, it reminds me of typical Emma, I only have a vague knowledge of how the maker works, my cousin got it as a birthday gift for me last year. Emma still has no idea that I am in the room because she keeps on talking, scoffing to herself. “Look at how fancy his villa is, nothing is out of place, and everything looks like they cost billions of dollars, I couldn’t even bring most of my stuff.”

“You can bring all your stuff.” I find myself saying and she twirls around in surprise, the scowl on her make-up free face morphs into a frown.

“Jeremy.” She says silently and I take the moment to look at her, she’s wearing an oversized t-shirt and shorts, revealing her long legs, her blonde hair tied into a messy bun. A memory sneaks its way into my mind, Emma and I sprawled in our apartment years ago, making games, smiling over chicken noodle soup.

My chest tightens again. God, I missed her, I miss her smile, her voice, the way she used to look at me. I miss it all, if only she’ll let me explain everything but she won’t.

“Sorry,” she breathes out, brushing past me into the living room. I follow her silently watching the way her frown deepens when she sees the boxes of doughnuts on the table. “What’s this?”

“Doughnuts.” I say, without blinking. They’re your favourite, I want to add, but I don’t.

“What do you think you are doing, Jeremy?” She asks, and the way her amber eyes flashes with anger makes me step back. “Gifting me doughnuts on my first day at your house? All of this is fake, you hurt me, there’s no way in hell that I am going to eat what you made me.”

“Em.” I blow out a breath.

“Don’t call me that.” She shoots me a dagger stare. “You won’t even know that I am here, since we got two separate bedrooms, I will be out of your hair so no need to make something out of nothing. Oh and I am sorry about the perfume incident. Let’s pretend that never happened, okay?”

“Emma, I-”

“Our arrangement is better this way.” She says, can’t this woman just let me say what’s on my mind for once?

The doorbell rings, startling us both. We both turn towards the direction of the door watching as a middle aged woman with charcoal gray hair walks in. My mouth curls into a slight smile. “Aunt Vivi.”

“Jeremy, love.” She walks towards me, her heels clicking on the floor. She embraces me softly, the scent of powder wafting through my nose. Vivienne Hart, almost pushing sixty, is the epitome of fire. She’s my grandfather’s younger sister, she has mostly been away since when I was little, but she used to send letters to everyone for their birthday.

She came back officially two years ago.

She gives Emma a quick glance, before embracing her tightly. “I heard that Jeremy has a girlfriend, everyone in the family was surprised but they already knew you? I guess I am the only one who hasn’t seen you.”

My whole family knew of my relationship with Emma but they assumed we broke up. I am pretty sure everyone’s excited that we’re back together but the media doesn’t know this.

“Hello.” Emma says, “It’s exciting to meet the family, Mrs. Hart.”

“Nonsense.” She barks out laughter, waving her hand. “Call me Aunt Vivi.”

“Aunt Vivi.” Emma repeats, glancing at me with a raised brow. I’m sure she’s wondering why she has never heard of Aunt Vivi, since she knows almost every member of my huge family.

“You see, I just came back from my numerous travels, dear.” Aunt Vivi says with a smile so bright, it can melt the sun. “Are you going to come for Sunday lunch?” she asks, eyes bright with hope.

“Maybe?” Emma says.

“I heard everyone in the family loves you. They want no one except you for Jeremy.” She leans in and whispers something inaudible to me into her ears, Emma pales, but then she tips her head back and laughs.

I watch in awe as both of their laughter rings throughout the room. Aunt Vivi is an outgoing woman, always all smiles. I have a feeling she and Emma will get along perfectly.

“I must take my leave now; it was lovely meeting you, Emma. I have heard so much about the Robert family.” Aunt Vivi kisses Emma on the cheeks before leaving the room. The moment she’s gone, both of us exhale.

“She’s....a lot.” Emma says, but there’s a tiny hint of a smile on her face. “Goodnight.” She says without looking back, she hurries up the stairs leaving the boxes of doughnuts and I alone.