Page 422 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

"I try to give you everything and you always pretended like you didn't want it. You played me."

"I didn't play you. I don't care about your money. And this?" I picked up the picture he had of Austin kissing me. "I trusted you when you kissed Isabella. All I'm asking is for you to do the same. She orchestrated the pictures. You can't believe anything she says."

"But the money? Explain that to me. Just tell me who's blackmailing us." He put the word blackmail in air quotes.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my purse and looked down at the text:

"Don't you dare. All I have to do is press enter."

"What could possibly be more important than this conversation, Penny? Unless it's him?"

"It's not Tyler."Isabella must have cameras in here. She's been watching us this whole time."You know this isn't about Tyler. You know that. We're just friends."

He shook his head. "You stole from me. For him. And you don't even have an explanation."

"I didn't steal. You said what's yours is mine."

"Come on, Penny. That's just something people say. And I don't know what love is. Obviously. We're calling the wedding off just in time. Because I just liked fucking you. That's all I know. I need another drink."

"You don't mean that."

"I do. You have a great body. But clearly you're a shitty person. You're ugly on the inside. I see that now." He grabbed a glass from the cabinet. "I'll find another ten to keep the bed warm. Don't you worry about that."

"You're just lashing out. Stop saying things just because you're upset..."

"I mean every word that I've said. Go to hell, Penny."

"You're such an asshole." Yes, I couldn't explain the missing money to him. But there was no reason for him to say that he never loved me. That I was ugly on the inside.

"Sure." He unscrewed the cap to the scotch and took a sip straight from the bottle. "I'm the asshole."

"Yeah, you are." I pulled off the lid to the box I had left on the counter. "Because you still talk to Rachel." I threw the pictures at him. "And cheated on me during your bachelor party." I threw the rest of the pictures at him, the ones of him fucking some random girl and kissing Isabella in his office. "And you loved Isabella. You lied to me. And maybe you still do love her. You left her millions of notes saying how much you loved her. You never left me love letters. You told me you were forced to marry her. That you never loved her. And talking about having children with her? Jesus, James. You never wanted that life with me. So now I know why. Because you just liked fucking me. You never loved me. You're a liar and a cheat."

"Have you been following me?" He held up the picture of Rachel. "What is wrong with you?"

"That's all you have to say to me? After everything I just said? God, you did cheat on me."

"I didn't fucking cheat on you! I already told you that when I got back from my bachelor party. I would never cheat on you. I'm not the one who fucked this up. You are. This is on you."

"Fine. Throw the blame on me. I'll take it, if that's what you need. But, James..."

"What I need is for you to either tell me why you stole from me or get the hell out of my house."

"I already told you! You won't believe me. Because you trust your ex wife more than you trust me."

"Because she never needed my money! God, my parents were right the whole time. You can't trust someone who comes from nothing. All they'll want is your money."

From nothing?I didn't come from nothing. I had a family that loved me. That meant more than all the money in the world. And I thought that's what he wanted from me, to be my family. I was so wrong.

"You kept telling me not to trust Isabella and that I shouldn't talk to her. And I was too naive to see that you were the one I shouldn't trust. So take the money you got your hands on. But you'll never get another dime from me. I'll blacklist your name so you can never get a marketing job in this entire city. I'm done giving you my handouts. I'm done with you. I never want to see your face again."

"Screw you, James." My whole body was trembling. Every venomous word that came out of his mouth broke me a little more. "I'm giving you what you want. I'm leaving." I walked away from him and opened up the front door. "Have fun finding a ten to keep your bed warm." I slammed the door behind me. Part of me wanted him to come after me. To tell me he was sorry. But I knew he wouldn't. He thought I was a gold digger. He thought I was in love with Tyler. And he didn't trust me. I pressed the button to close the doors of the elevator. Apparently he never had.

Ian was leaning against the car when I stepped off the elevator.

I looked down at the ground, hoping he wouldn't look up as I passed him.

"Penny? Do you need a lift?"