Page 46 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

"That’s what you’re saying now. When it’s time to face the consequences of your actions, you may not feel the same way."

"On the contrary, I‘ve already informed my lawyers that I have no interest in claiming my inheritance. It doesn’t make a difference to me if we don’t have children."

I blink. Is he hearing himself? I shake my head. "You don’t mean it. And even if you do, the day will come when you’ll realize you made a mistake, and then you’ll blame me for being the cause of losing your company."

"I have other companies, other interests. I’ve built enough of a fortune of my own that I’d never let you lack for anything."

"I’m not talking about me—"

"But I am. You’re the most important thing in this world for me, Isla. More than my inheritance. More than my company. More than my future progeny. You’re my soulmate. And I want nothing more than to have you by my side, every step of the way, for the rest of our lives."

I take in his features, the seriousness in his gaze. There’s no mistaking the intensity of his words. Heat flushes my skin. My head spins.

This is not what I expected when I walked into this room. Maybe, at some point, I’d hoped to hear these words from him. Maybe a part of me even believes him.

But he knew my secret all along, and he never mentioned it to me. I agonized over how to break it to him. How to share this very intimate part of myself, but he already knew about it. He knew and he never mentioned it to me, and somehow, that feels like a betrayal.

I tip up my chin, "What if I don’t want to? What if the only reason I agreed to be with you was because of the benefit to my business? It provided me with the perfect platform to share my story with the world. And now that it’s done, maybe I don’t see the need to be with you anymore."

"I don’t believe it."

"Better believe it."

His forehead knits tighter. "Don’t do this, baby. Don’t put yourself down. Don’t give away your power to anyone else, not even to me."

"Easy for you to say. You’re not the one going through this."

"But I want to. Let me be your companion in this. Let me share your pain. Let me hold you and shield you from the worst of it. Let me protect you, baby."

I hear his words, and some part deep inside of me relaxes. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to feel his empathy. And yet, all those days when I stressed about how to share this very personal part of me, he knew. And he never told me. And it’s too much for me.

"Let me go, Liam."

"No."

"You don’t have a choice."

"I always have a choice." He rubs the back of his neck. "Maybe it was wrong of me not to tell you earlier that I knew."

"You think?"

"But I knew if I tried to have the conversation with you, you’d hate me for not allowing you to be the one to tell me."

"I hate you now."

His jaw hardens. "No, you don’t."

"Oh, so now you’re telling me how to feel toward you?"

"Let me help you, Isla. Please."

I hold up my hand. "Has it occurred to you that, perhaps, I need to do this on my own, for my own self-confidence?"

"But you can do it with me by your side, to shield you from the worst."

A part of me understands. And maybe he’s right. Maybe it doesn’t have to be as much of a struggle as it would be if I were on my own. Maybe I don’t have to isolate myself the way I have the last few years. Either way, I need time to think this through.

I rub at my temple. "Let me go, Liam."

He holds my gaze, and he must see how serious I am, for his face falls. The skin around his eyes tightens. The color fades from his features. He looks like he’s lost his best friend, and everything he holds dear in his world. I never thought I’d see this powerful, dominant man brought to his knees.

This is what having a condition like mine does. It not only affects me, but it also affects everyone I come in contact with. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to keep it to myself. It felt simpler that way. It was also the more cowardly way to go.

I don’t have to discuss it with anyone or explain the intricacies of how I deal with it.

I don’t need to have any confrontations with anyone about what it means for the quality of my life.

I mean, it makes things more difficult on a day-to-day basis, but I can manage it.

I’m not dying. I don’t have cancer, although, invariably, that’s what many assume when they see a woman with a bald head.

I know it; I’ve read the stories of other alopecia survivors, so I have a general idea about what to expect, now that I’ve exposed myself to the world.

And it would only be helpful to have Liam on my side. Someone with his power and influence could smoothen the way for me. Even more importantly, he would be emotional support.

But maybe I don’t want that. Maybe it’s time for me to face this on my own. To prove that I’m stronger than I thought. I haven’t come this far to hide behind the protection of another, even if that man is my husband… I mean, my fake husband. The man I love.

If I do this on my own, it means giving up the love of my life, and I might hate myself later.

But if I come to depend on him, if I don’t do this my way, I’ll lose all respect for myself.

Our relationship started out as a mutually beneficial agreement, but depending on him will put me in his debt, and I can’t accept that.

“Liam I don’t want to hurt you—”

“Then don’t.” His shoulders bunch. He glares at me, and I know he has an inkling of where my thoughts are at.

“Don’t do this, Isla,” he growls.

“I have to, baby.” I swallow. “I need to do this on my own terms, Liam. It’s the only way I can prove to myself that this doesn’t define me. I need to stop blaming myself for something that has always been beyond my control. I need to stop putting myself down for my condition.”

The skin around his eyes tightens. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but I shake my head. "You remember what you said earlier about not giving away my power to anyone else?"

He nods.

"I’m claiming my power, Liam."