Page 188 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

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I rolled over and looked at him. He looked so relaxed. This was real. I wasn't dreaming. I would do anything for this man. I liked being in his apartment. I liked that the sheets smelled like him. And I liked waking up next to him. I suddenly had an urge to make him breakfast in bed. I looked at his alarm clock. It was only 7 o'clock. There was time. I quietly climbed out of bed and went into the kitchen, closing the door behind me.

Someone cleared their throat.

I turned my head and saw someone sitting at the dining room table. I almost screamed, but then I saw who it was. She was tall and thin, and had perfectly straight brunette hair. She was just as gorgeous as the pictures I had seen of her.Isabella.

"How did you get in here?" I didn't mean to whisper, but my voice came out so small. I didn't know anything about her. Was she violent? Would she suddenly be because she had found me here instead of her husband? I was sleeping with her husband.Fuck, I'm sleeping with her husband.

"I'm his wife."

That didn't really answer my question. Had he given her a key? Did she just tell the front desk and they let her up? I was wearing one of Professor Hunter's t-shirts. I pulled the fabric down. Thiswas the feeling I wanted to avoid. This was why we should have waited. "I..."

"Don't embarrass yourself. I know all about you, Penny. I like to keep track of who my husband is currently screwing."

I felt goose bumps rise on my skin. Had Professor Hunter talked to her about me? I looked over at the door.Please get up.

She pulled a manila envelope out of her purse and set it on the table. "Don't flatter yourself. James definitely didn't mention you the last time I saw him. He was occupied by other, more pressing matters."

I glared at her. The last time they had seen each other they'd had sex.What the hell is she doing here?

"Oh, did he not tell you? You were together at the time, weren't you? It was only a week ago." She put her elbows on the table. "I know exactly how he works. I know exactly what he wants. And clearly you can't give him what he needs. If you could satisfy him, he wouldn't have come crawling back to me."

I swallowed hard. "He did tell me."

"So let me guess," she said, ignoring my comment. "You've given him quite the chase. Or is the fact that you're a student enough?"

"What do you mean?"

"He only wants what he can't have. You must see that. As soon as you say you'll stay, he'll leave you."

I thought about everything we'd been through. Him giving up on me after my lie. Right after I told him that I loved him. All of our fights. Even him having sex with Isabella had pushed me away again. Was he purposefully sabotaging our relationship? Giving me just enough to cling onto?

"You do see it. I can see it in your eyes. You just realized that this..." she waved her hand around the apartment, "...is all a lie."

Professor Hunter wouldn't lie to me again. I wasn't going to let her convince me to not believe in him. What we had was real. She was just jealous. "I don't think you know him as well as you think."

She leaned forward and raised her eyebrow. "Is that what he told you?"

"He didn't need to."

"I've known him since we were kids. I know him better than you ever will. And if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to my husband in private." She stood up.

"I think you should go." I was surprised by my own courage. He wouldn't want her here. I felt protective of him. I didn't want her to hurt him anymore. She was cold and manipulative and horrible.

Isabella laughed. "Penny, I'm doing you a favor. Trust me, you don't want anything to do with him."

"If he's as bad as you say, then why haven't you signed the papers?"

She put her hand on top of the manila envelope. "I'm actually here to discuss that."

Thank God.

"You look relieved. You shouldn't be. I can tell that you're just as addicted to him as he is to you. That would be sweet in any other situation, but not in this one."

"What are you talking about?"

"He really hasn't told you?"