MR BILLIONAIRE, NOT YOUR WAY!

BRIDGES

|Helena|

“Are you coming tonight?” Brian’s voice sounded casual, but the edge in his tone didn’t escape me.

I pressed my phone between my ear and shoulder as I scanned through the files Jude had sent over. “I don’t think I can. There’s too much work piling up, and I have to finish it tonight.”

A pause followed my response. Then, “Helena, this is the third time this week you’ve canceled plans with me.” Came from his end, triggering my guilt a bit

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. “Brian, you know this project is time-sensitive. It’s not personal. I wouldn’t just cancel on you for no reason.”

“Not personal?” His voice sharpened. “You’ve been running yourself ragged for him. Don’t you think I’ve been patient enough?” His voice was getting sterner.

He must have avoided saying it all this while but the tension had always lingered between us. Him and Michael.

I sat up and straightened up myself better, narrowing my eyes even though he couldn’t see me. “What are you trying to say, Brian?”

“What I’m saying,” he continued, his voice tight, “is that it feels like I’m competing with your past. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel when my girlfriend spends all her time helping her ex-husband.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, trying to keep my irritation in check. “You’re not competing with anyone. This is business. I’ve told you that from the start. Are we missing something here?”

“And what if it’s more than business for him?” Brian pressed. “Helena, do you really think Michael Clinton isn’t using this as an excuse to worm his way back into your life?”

My laugh came out sharp, cutting through the tension and seriousness. “Worm his way back? Michael’s the one who filed for divorce, remember? He couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind now that you’ve become the golden ticket to saving his ass,” Brian shot back.

The words stung more than I cared to admit. I tightened my grip on the phone. “You don’t know Michael like I do.”

“Exactly,” he snapped. “I don’t know him, but I do know men like him. They take and take, and when they’re done, they toss you aside. Sounds familiar now?”

“That’s enough, Brian,” I said, my voice low and filled with anger.

There was a beat of silence before he sighed heavily. “I’m just worried about you, Helena. That’s all. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard ever since you joined this project.”

“Don’t be. I can handle myself,” I replied coolly, ending the call before he could say another word. I knew if I didn’t, he would go on and on while masking it with care when he was just plainly jealous.

But as I set my phone down, his words lingered like a bitter aftertaste. He was right after all; I had been canceling on him frequently and it wasn’t the best way to treat a partner. I shouldn’t have gotten angry at him.

****

The next evening, Brian showed up at my apartment unannounced. I hesitated a bit before opening the door because I wasn’t sure if I was ready for any argument.

I opened the door to find him standing there with a bottle of wine and a forced smile. “Surprise!.”

I crossed my arms, blocking the doorway, my hair all over my face and shoulders because I had just woken up. “Brian, what are you doing here?”

He held up the wine like a peace offering. “I thought we could have a quiet night together. You’ve been working too hard.”

“I didn’t ask for a quiet night,” I replied; my tone was flat and unyielding. “I’m busy. I don’t have time for all these. You know better than anyone that I despise to be bothered whenever I am swamped with work so why are you doing this?”

His smile faltered, but he pushed past me anyway, stepping inside. “Come on, Helena. You’ve been avoiding me. I just want to spend some time with you. There should be a separate time for work and another for me. Don’t you miss me?”

I shut the door, my patience already wearing thin. “I’m not avoiding you. I’ve told you that this project is important.”

“And I’m not?” he asked, spinning around to face me. His voice was calm, but there was something simmering beneath it. His anger was already brewing but he was trying hard to play the cool guy.

I let out a harsh laugh. “Don’t twist my words. This isn’t about you.”

“But it’s always about him, isn’t it?” Brian’s voice rose, his calm demeanor cracking. “Helena, wake up. You’re letting Michael pull you back into his mess. Do you think he cares about you? He’s just using you because he knows you’re the best.”

I stepped closer; my gaze was sharp as a blade. I didn’t spare him any romantic stare “And you’re so concerned because you care, right? Because you’re the noble one in this situation?”

His jaw clenched, but he didn’t back down. “I care about you, Helena. That’s why I’m telling you the truth. Michael doesn’t deserve your loyalty.”

“Loyalty?” I scoffed. “This isn’t about loyalty. It’s about my reputation, my work. I’m doing what I do best. Michael or no Michael, I’m not about to let anyone question my skills.”

“And what about us?” he demanded as he dropped all he had brought.

I froze, narrowing my eyes at him. “What about us?”

Brian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You’re slipping away from me, Helena. I can feel it. And I can’t stand by and watch you fall back into the same trap.”

“Trap?” I repeated, and my voice couldn’t hide my disgust. “You think I’m some naive woman who can’t see what’s in front of her? That I don’t know how to handle Michael Clinton?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“No, Brian,” I interrupted, stepping closer. “What you meant is that you don’t trust me. And if you don’t trust me, what are we even doing here?”

His face fell, and for a moment, he looked like he might apologize. But then his expression hardened. “You’re right. I don’t trust him. And maybe I don’t trust the hold he still has on you, either.”

I felt the air leave my lungs, but I refused to let him see how his words affected me. “If that’s how you feel, Brian, then maybe you should leave.”

He stared at me, his mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something. But instead, he set the bottle of wine on the counter properly and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

****

For the next few days, Brian was distant, but he wasn’t gone. His texts were polite but cold, and he didn’t call like he would. I threw myself into work, grateful for the distraction, but the tension between us lingered endlessly.

I knew I was being harsh but I was not in the position to entertain any emotion aside uncovering whatever Steve had cooked with the company’s funds. I might not have gone deeper into this if he didn’t include me in his mud fight. He had articles published to slander me about my time in Clinton’s company. I couldn’t just take the hit and move on; I had to show him that I was the boss at my game.

The breaking point came when I spotted him at a gala two nights later. I had been invited to the event as a guest speaker, and to my surprise, Michael was also in attendance. He stayed on the sidelines, keeping his distance, but his presence was impossible to ignore.

Brian, on the other hand, made his entrance loud and clear. He approached me mid-conversation, his hand sliding possessively around my waist.

“Helena,” he said, smiling at the others in the group. “Mind if I steal her for a moment?”

I excused myself reluctantly, allowing him to pull me aside. The moment we were alone, his smile dropped.

“I didn’t know Michael would be here,” he said, his tone sharp and laced with sarcasm.

“And why would that matter?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because it’s obvious he can’t take his eyes off you,” Brian hissed, glancing over my shoulder toward Michael.

I resisted the urge to look, keeping my focus on Brian. “You’re being ridiculous. Is this why you pulled me aside?”

“Am I?” His grip on my waist tightened, making me stiffen. “Helena, I’m not blind. He’s still in love with you.”

I let out a silly laugh. “You’re paranoid. Michael doesn’t love me. He barely tolerates me.”

“And yet here you are, bending over backward to save him.”

“That’s enough, Brian,” I snapped, stepping out of his grasp. “I’ve told you several times that this is business. If you can’t handle that, then maybe you should reevaluate what you’re doing here.”

His face twisted in frustration, but before he could respond, I turned and walked away.

The rest of the night was a blur. I stayed long enough to deliver my speech and shake a few hands, but the weight of Brian’s accusations stayed with me. He couldn’t take his eyes off me but I pretended not to notice.

I didn’t even give Michael the space to come closer and he respected himself. He only locked eyes with me briefly before he raised his glass up slightly as a form of acknowledging my presence before he moved on to talking with other guests.

By the time I got home, I was exhausted physically and emotionally. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my phone.

A text from Brian appeared on the screen.

“I’m sorry. Can we talk?”

I deleted it without responding.

For the first time, I allowed myself to wonder if Brian was as genuine as I had believed or if he had been playing his own game all along.