Page 127 of Rejected By My Shifter Billionaire

Understanding dawned, and his lips twisted in a humorless smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“By the time Ada realized what she had done and called my office to let me know that the emails I were reading were meant for someone else...it was too late.”

Was that why he had been trying to talk to me all this time?

“I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, but I’m going to ask it anyway.”

I started shaking my head.

“I’m sorry for hurting you—”

No, no, no.

“I’m sorry for being a coward all these years—”

I took a clumsy step back.

“—and wasting so much time in the process.”

“I love you—”

The moment I realized what he was saying, I made a run for it.

But of course he was too fast; humans like me never stood a chance when running way from preters like him.

“I’m sorry, Maryah. I’m sorry.”

He hauled me into his arms and wouldn’t let go even when I started to cry as I started kicking and pounding his chest with my fists, doing anything I could to be free of him.

“Forgive me—”

“Please let me go,” I choked out.

“I can’t.”

And then he was cupping my cheeks and forcing my tear-stained gaze to meet his.

“All these years, I ignored you in hopes of making my own feelings go away.”

Was he...was he saying that just like me—

“I also forced myself to pretend that I didn’t notice yours.”

A broken cry escaped me. I couldn’t remember feeling so ashamed, so humiliated—

“But this time, I’m done pretending. I’m done running and hiding. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and that’s why—”

I nearly stopped breathing when Nicolo bent down on one knee.

“Be my mate, Maryah. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up every day, knowing that you’re the first thing I’ll see. I want to go to bed knowing that you’re safe in my arms. You are my heart. My soul. My everything. And this, I want the whole world to know—”

Oh, Nicolo.

The walls of the conference room suddenly lit up, and that was when I realized that everything that had happened...everything he had said...

It was being broadcasted live.

It was Nicolas offering his heart on a platter, and he was leaving it all up to me whether to stab it—