FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 144

CHAPTER 144

MIE

By cleven the next morning, I’d opened my laptop four times.

And closed it four times.

At one, I answered two emails.

At one fifteen, Kelly texted me.

“You are officially off today. Boss’s orders. If you log into the contract system again, I’m telling him.”

I stared at the screen.

“Traitor.”

Her reply came immediately.

“Unfortunately, he signs my paycheck.”

I huffed.

I didn’t know how to take a day off.

Especially not on a Tuesday because I had to attend a fashion show as the CEO’s fiancée.

Fiancée.

Just thinking the word made my stomach twist.

Not because of Simon.

Because of the cameras.

Ever since our relationship had gone public, a lot had changed, especially the way people looked at me.

Deep down, I still wasn’t used to the idea of being the future Mrs. Hart.

At exactly three, the elevator doors opened.

When I saw who stepped out, I thought Simon had hired a small army.

“Miss Collins?”

An elegant woman in her fifties held out her hand.

“Celeste Moreau. I’m your personal stylist for the next few hours.”

Behind her were two women wheeling garment racks, a hairstylist carrying two cases, a makeup artist, an assistant loaded down with shoe boxes, and another person pushing a cart overflowing with products.

I looked at all of them.

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

Then at Celeste.

How many people does it take to make me presentable?”

She smiled. “Presentable? One. To make Simon Hart lose the ability to form complete sentences? Six.”

I took a deep breath.

Two hours later, my apartment looked like backstage at Paris Fashion Week.

I tried on three dresses.

Celeste rejected the first because it “fought with my shoulders,” the second because “Simon needed to survive the evening,” and approved the third.

It was long, black, elegant, and fitted in all the right places, with a neckline that didn’t show too much but definitely didn’t hide everything either.

“This one,” she decided.

The doorbell rang again.

One of the assistants came back carrying a small velvet box.

“Delivery from Mr. Hart.”

I opened it.

And stopped breathing.

A diamond necklace rested against black velvet. Delicate stones formed a line of light that ended in a larger diamond at the center.

“Oh my God.”

There was a card.

I recognized Simon’s handwriting: Saw it and thought of your eyes when the light hits them. Don’t argue about the price. S.

I laughed. “He really does know me.”

“Mr. Hart specifically instructed us not to tell you the price,” Celeste said.

“Then it’s definitely obscene.”

She didn’t answer.

Which answered everything.

When the elevator doors opened that evening. Simon was already waiting in the living room.

1:56 Tue Sep 29 ) MT.

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

He turned around.

d froze.

Completely froze.

I smiled. “Celeste is going to be very disappointed if you manage to form a sentence.”

His eyes traveled slowly down my body before returning to my face.

“Holy shit.”

“I think she’ll take it.” I smiled.

Simon walked toward me.

“You look…”

“Careful. There are children in this house.”

“Beautiful,” he finished, quieter this time.

That hit me a lot harder than the profanity.

His fingers touched the necklace.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s incredible.”

“It suits you.”

“I bet it costs more than the GDP of a small country.”

Lily came running in.

“Miss Jamie!”

She stopped in front of me, eyes huge.

“Oh my gosh, you look like a princess!”

Simon put a hand to his chest. “I picked the necklace.”

Sam appeared behind her. “Where are you going?”

“To a fashion show for one of Uncle Simon’s companies,” I said.

“Can I come?”

“No.” Simon said.

“Why?”

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

“Because you’re nine.”

that’s discrimination, Uncle Simon.”

Jack, sitting on the couch, didn’t even look up from his video game.

“That’s not how discrimination works, kid.”

Simon and I smiled.

Chloe appeared in the hallway.

She wore dark pants and a simple blouse, her hair pulled back.

Simon looked at her.

www

“Like we discussed, we’ll be home late. No sugar after eight, and Sam…” His eyes shifted to him. “Don’t even try negotiating another half hour awake by using Lily as your attorney.”

“Hey!” Sam protested.

Chloe smiled. “I’ve got it, Mr. Hart.”

Lily wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Will you be back before I wake up?”

“We’ll try, princess.”

Chloe stepped closer.

“You two look beautiful together.”

I looked at her.

Her smile seemed completely sincere.

“Thank you.”

“Seriously.” She clasped her hands together. “You can tell how crazy Mr. Hart is about you.”

| Simon slid a hand across my lower back as if to confirm Chloe’s point.

I rolled my eyes.

Chloe laughed. “Have fun. I’ll take care of everything here.”

“Thanks, Chloe.”

We stepped into the elevator.

The second the doors started closing, Simon exhaled.

“What?” I asked.

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