FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 152

CHAPTER 152

JAMIE

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I looked up from the contract and glanced at the camera in the corner of my office. Lately, it had become impossible to ignore.

Was he watching me?

The thought sent an embarrassingly unprofessional shiver down the back of my neck. I rolled my eyes at myself. Simon had a company to run and three kids to take care of. Surely he had better things to do than watch me read a contract.

My phone buzzed. A message from Mom appeared on the screen.

Mom: Dinner tonight? Grandma and I want to see you. We need to talk about something.

I sat up straighter. The message sounded harmless, but something about it felt off.

Me: Is this about Grandma’s health? Has she gotten worse?

Her reply came almost immediately.

Mom: No, honey. She’s okay. Actually, she’s stable. I’d rather talk in person. Seven? I made a reservation at The Sea Fire Grill in Midtown, near Rockefeller Center.

With Mom, mystery could only mean one of two things: wonderful news or terrible news.

Me: You’re making me nervous, Mom!

Mom: I know. I’m sorry. Come hungry. Love you.

I smiled, touched.

Me: Okay. I’ll be there at seven. Love you, too.

The office phone rang.

I picked up. “Jamie Collins.”

“Who are you talking to that’s got you smiling like that?” Simon asked.

I leaned back in my chair and looked straight at the camera. “So you are keeping an eye on me.”

He cleared his throat.

“I was walking past your office.”

“Downstairs?”

“I walk fast.”

“Not even if you were the Flash.” I smiled.

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS. MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

“You sound happy. Were you thinking about your fiancé?”

was thinking about dinner.”

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“Disappointing. I was picturing you sitting in that chair, trying to keep a straight face while you thought about what I did to you last night.”

I tightened my grip on the phone. Heat crept up my neck.

“Simon.”

“What? I’m trying to help. You look tense on the monitor.”

“I’m hanging up,” I whispered, glancing around.

“Don’t be a coward. Nobody can hear us.”

He paused. When he spoke again, his voice was lower. Rough. Filthy.

“If I were there, I’d lock the door, close the blinds, put you on that desk, and hike your skirt up around your waist. Then I’d pull your panties off, use them to gag that smart mouth of yours, and eat that sweet pussy until you came on my tongue. And I wouldn’t stop there. I’d keep going until you were squirming and begging me to take your panties out of your mouth and fuck you right there.”

My thighs pressed together before I could stop them.

“Simon…”

“Still want to hang up, sweetheart?”

My lips parted. For half a second, every thought vanished from my head.

“You’re blushing.”

“You can’t see me that clearly.”

“But I know you.”

I touched my hot cheek. “Try getting some work done, Mr. Hart.”

“I’m multitasking.”

“Then do it quietly.”

He laughed.

“Who texted you?”

“My mom. She invited me to dinner with her and my grandmother. It sounds like they want to talk to me about something.”

The teasing dropped from his voice. “Is everything okay?”

“She said it is. She just wants to tell me in person.” I tried to keep my tone light.

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“Want me to go with you?”

s just dinner with my family. It’s fine. You don’t have to drive me. I can take a cab.”

“I’ll take you and pick you up afterward.”

“I can go on my own. But you can pick me up later.”

“Address?”

“I’ll text it to you.”

“Good. What time did you say?”

“Dinner’s at seven.”

“Then I’ll be outside at nine.”

He needed to get back to work. I hung up smiling and glanced at the camera one more time.

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At seven, I met Mom and Grandma at The Sea Fire Grill, an elegant restaurant in Midtown near Rockefeller Center.

Grandma wore a pale blue cardigan, her silver hair tucked behind her ears. She looked more fragile than the last time I’d seen her, but her eyes were still bright, following every move I made.

Mom stood to kiss my cheek.

“You came.”

“Your mysterious invitation didn’t leave me much choice.”

I tried to smile, but Grandma noticed the tension. As soon as I sat down, she reached across the table and took my hand.

“Before anything else, I need to apologize.”

I looked at her, surprised. “For what?”

“For the way you left my house last time.” Her lingers touched mine gently. “I know I hurt you. And after thinking about it, I realized I put you in an unfair position.”

I lowered my eyes to our hands. “Grandma, it wasn’t your fault. You never asked me to….”

“Let me finish, darling. I have no intention of making you spend time with Vanessa and Oliver, much less making you uncomfortable just to preserve some false sense of family harmony. I should have understood that sooner. I should’ve had this conversation with you a long time ago.”

My throat tightened.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to choose sides.”

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

Mom let out a quiet breath, as if she’d been holding it since I walked in.

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randma smiled again and drew her hand back. “But that isn’t why I asked you to come. There’s something I want to show you.”

Only then did I notice the white envelope beside her plate.

My stomach clenched. “Is this about your health?”

“It is.”

All the relief I’d felt disappeared at once. “Have you gotten worse?”

“No, sweetheart.” She rested a hand on the envelope. “For the first time in a long while, the opposite is

true.”

I looked at Mom. Her eyes were already wet, but a shaky smile tugged at her mouth.

Grandma slid the envelope toward me. “The doctor called this week. My latest tests show the treatment worked much better than they expected. The tumor has shrunk significantly.”

I went still. “What does that mean?”

Grandma took a deep breath, and I watched her eyes fill. “It means he’s not just talking about buying me more time anymore. If I keep responding to treatment this way, surgery may be an option.” Her voice caught for a moment. “Jamie, there’s a real chance I could be cured.”

The words reached my ears, but it took a moment for them to make sense.

“A real chance?” My voice barely rose above a whisper. “Not just… a few more months?”

“A real chance,” she repeated. “There’s still a long road ahead. The doctor made that very clear. But he believes I could go into complete remission.”

I reached for the envelope, but my hands were shaking too badly to open it.

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