Page 107 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

Her eyebrows scrunched. “Then why was he upset?”

I threw my arms in the air, almost causing my towel to slide off me. I quickly grabbed it and secured it back up. Thank God for reflexes.

“He must have had me followed because he knew we had lunch with Marco.” She gave me a blank stare. I shrugged. “I guess he thinks I like him. Heck if I know.”

She blinked at me in wonder as a slow grin spread over her face. “Oh my gosh.”

“What?”

“He’s jealous,” she purred, smiling like a cat that just ate a mouse.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I muttered.

“He totally is.” She was convinced, and I knew there was no changing her mind. “Do you think he realizes he was stupid for letting you go?”

The brief conversation I had with my husband played through my mind. He genuinely seemed interested in what happened in the hospital. If he truly wasn’t aware of his father’s intentions, maybe all the sacrifices over the last six years were for nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“I don’t know, Billie,” I murmured, sitting down on the plush rug of the walk-in closet.

Lifting the hem of her fancy dress, she lowered down and sat next to me. “What exactly happened between you two?” I shot her a look. “Aside from sex,” she groaned. “I don’t need to know those details.”

I chewed on my bottom lip. I owed her the truth. “I have to tell you something,” I whispered, keeping my eyes on her. “Y-you might hate me.”

My heart twitched in my chest. She was my sister. The thought of losing her was unbearable.

Worry entered Billie’s expression. She took my hands into hers and squeezed them tightly.

“I will never—fucking ever—hate you. If you committed murder, I’d have your back. If you burned the entire world, I’d be your alibi and claim you didn’t do it.”

“I killed Dad.” The admission was barely above a whisper, but it might as well have been as loud as an atomic bomb.

Billie stared at me with confusion. “What are you talking about? No you didn’t. You were with me when the gun went off.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Not like that.” Every cell in my body trembled. “After the night with Byron, I woke up and found his father, Senator Ashford, in the room.” A shudder rolled down my spine. I hated thinking about it. “He wanted me gone and out of Byron’s life. At first I thought he was just crazy, but then he got meaner and scarier. He threatened the hospital, vowing he’d destroy everything Dad built.”

Understanding entered Billie’s light brown gaze. “Jesus Christ, Maddy. All this time, you… you have been blaming yourself?”

“How could I not?” I sputtered. “If I hadn’t messed around with Byron, Dad would still be here.”

“Look at me.” My sister’s voice was strong. Unwavering. “You. Didn’t. Do. It.”

“But—”

“Repeat it, Maddy. Or I swear to God, we’ll have it out.”

My tongue swept across my lips. “I didn’t do it.”

“That’s right. Now, does Byron know?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “I thought so. All these years, I was convinced he was playing me too and knew what his father did.” Except, now that I was thinking about all the events, some things didn’t add up. “But earlier when I said something about the hospital and his father, he seemed surprised. Then he said he’d get it back.”

Billie watched me pensively, and I could almost see wheels turning in her head.

“If Byron had a part in it, I don’t think he’d care whether you have it back or not.” I nodded my agreement. “And he can thank his lucky stars because if he had, I’d murder him. Cut his balls.”

I blinked, confused. “Why aren’t you mad at me?”

“Because you didn’t take Dad’s hospital. You loved that stupid building as much as Dad did. It’s like that damn thing was a part of you. Just like it was part of him.”