FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 106

CHAPTER 106

MIE

Lily appeared on the screen with dry cheeks and a crooked tiara.

“Uncle Simon! Look, Chloe braided my hair.”

Simon glanced at me before answering.

“It looks beautiful, sweetheart. Were you crying?”

“I cried because I spilled milk on my dress.”

“You’re not scared I won’t come back, are you?” he asked carefully.

Lily frowned.

“No. You promised presents.”

Chloe quickly appeared behind her.

“She calmed down as soon as she heard you were calling. I think I misunderstood why she was upset.”

“Okay,” Simon said. “Next time, text first. If it’s urgent, tell me exactly what happened.”

Chloe’s smile never faltered.

“Of course. Sorry for interrupting.”

“You didn’t interrupt,” I said, even though she absolutely had. “Take care of them.”

“I will, Jamie.”

She said my name sweetly. When the call ended, Simon kept staring at the dark screen.

“Weird,” he murmured.

“First day.”

“You already said that.”

“Because it’s still true.”

. “And because you don’t want to admit you don’t like her.”

I stepped into my dress and reached for the zipper.

“I don’t know Chloe well enough not to like her.”

“That was an aggressively careful answer. Very proper-lawyer of you.”

“And that expression is very man-looking-for-a-problem of you.”

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Simon put his phone away.

we found enough problems to last me a week.”

He zipped my dress, kissed my shoulder, and dropped the subject.

65

We landed in Honolulu close to noon local time. Warm air clung to my skin the second we stepped off the plane, carrying the scent of salt and flowers. A car took us to the hotel, but there was no time for the beach. rest, or any tropical fantasy. The meeting had been moved up to three.

Inside the elevator to our suite, I checked the file for the third time.

“The performance clause is still too broad.”

“You’re going to tell them that.”

“They rejected two revisions.”

“They haven’t heard it from you in person.”

That made me smile.

“Your faith in me is irresponsible, Simon.”

“Trust me. My faith in you is evidence-based. You’re the best.”

The doors opened. The suite had an enormous living room with windows facing the ocean. Two garment bags were waiting over the sofa.

Simon opened one and revealed my white suit.

“You had someone go through my luggage?”

“I asked them to press our clothes while we checked in downstairs.”

“Hmm. Competent and efficient. I’m almost impressed. Still haven’t forgiven you for choosing my bra, though.”

I smiled.

“I can choose another one tonight.”

I drew in a breath, staring at his mouth.

“We have a meeting, Simon.”

“Tonight, Collins.” His voice dropped, low and teasing. “What, you think we’re a couple of rabbits?”

I rolled my eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn’t get stuck, then planted my palm against his chest.

He only laughed.

At exactly three, we walked into the hotel’s private conference room. Four representatives from Kaimana Development were waiting, along with two consultants and an interpreter. The negotiation covered three

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS. MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

53 Voune

luxury properties and a twenty-year partnership. Everything that could possibly go wrong had far too many zeros attached to it.

Simon shook hands, exchanged greetings, then gestured toward me.

“This is Jamie Collins, general counsel for Hart Enterprises and my girlfriend.”

My heel nearly caught in the carpet.

Girlfriend.

In front of the partners.

Without hesitation.

Mr. Nakamura, the group’s president, smiled.

“So we finally meet the woman who convinced Simon Hart to accept changes to his own contract.”

“She does it to me every day,” Simon said.

Heat rushed into my face.

“Professionally,” I added.

“Not always,” Simon murmured quietly enough that only I could hear.

I stepped on his shoe under the table.

The meeting started tense. Within twenty minutes, Nakamura rejected the limitation-of-liability provision, and one of the consultants threatened to postpone signing. Simon didn’t interrupt me. He simply turned the floor over to me.

I explained that the current clause effectively made Hart the guarantor of permits controlled by local authorities. Instead of weakening Kaimana’s protection, I proposed a reserve account tied to verifiable milestones. The risk would stop being theoretical and have actual money sitting behind it.

The consultant stopped arguing.

Nakamura asked for five minutes alone with his team.

As soon as the door closed, Simon leaned toward me.

“Want to run away somewhere with me?”

“Why?”

“Because that was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen at a negotiating table. You were brilliant, counselor.”

The door opened before I could answer. Nakamura returned to his seat.

“We accept the reserve account, subject to a semiannual review.”

Simon didn’t look at the documents.

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He looked at me.

eal.”

During the preliminary signing, his phone buzzed twice on the table. Chloe. Simon turned it facedown.

At the end, Nakamura raised his glass of water.

“To the deal. And to the couple. When’s the wedding?”

I laughed, already preparing to deflect.

Simon answered first.

“Soon. As soon as she stops running from the courthouse.”

Everyone laughed.

I didn’t.

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