FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 156

CHAPTER 156

AMIE

By late afternoon, I’d already reviewed three contracts, settled a dispute with a vendor, and sat through two meetings that could’ve been emails.

The last thing on my desk was a folder containing the renewal of a service agreement for the company’s properties. I needed Simon’s signature before outside counsel closed for the day.

I grabbed the folder and crossed the hall to his office. Kelly was on the phone when I passed reception. She pointed toward the half-open door, and I knocked twice before stepping inside.

Simon looked up from his laptop.

“Please tell me that’s the last thing I have to sign today.”

“It is.” I set the folder in front of him. “Unless someone comes up with an emergency in the next ten

minutes.”

“Don’t give the universe any ideas.”

His smile appeared, then faded just as quickly. There was a crease between his brows I hadn’t noticed

before.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He opened the folder and glanced at the first page. “I just started thinking about Graham again.”

I pulled out the chair across from his desk. “The kids’ father?”

Simon blew out a hard breath through his nose and tossed the page onto the desk.

“That son of a bitch left me with a bad feeling.”

I studied him.

“What exactly bothered you?”

“The way he talked about Abigail.” Simon’s jaw tightened. “I could have every reason in the world to hate a woman, Jamie, and I still wouldn’t degrade the mother of my children like that. He called her every filthy name he could think of while knowing she’s lying unconscious in a hospital bed and can’t even defend \ herself. That’s cowardly.” He shook his head in disgust. “I already thought very little of the man. Somehow,

he still managed to be worse than I expected.”

“Do you think he’d actually go to court for custody?”

Simon slowly ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, thinking.

“I don’t know. But if he does, there may not be anything I can do to stop him. That’s what worries me. I promised their grandmother those kids would be okay. I may end up finding out I made a promise I don’t have the power to keep.”

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FAKK DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

A chill swept over my arms.

Simon held my gaze for another second, then reached out his hand.

“Come on. Give me the folder before I completely forget you came in here because you needed/my signature.”

He picked up his pen, but before he signed, he rested his hand over mine. His thumb brushed once across my fingers.

“Come here.”

“I’m right here.”

“Come here.” His gaze dropped to his chair. “Please.”

That low, unhurried voice did more to me than it should have. I walked around the desk. Simon pushed his chair back slightly and settled one hand at my waist. I sat on his lap, turning sideways across his thighs.

“Was this really necessary?” I asked, even though my arms were already around his neck.

“Absolutely.”

“You could’ve just said you wanted a kiss, Hart.”

“I wanted you here.” His fingers tightened gently at my waist. “The kiss is a bonus.”

“How generous of you.”

I leaned in and kissed him before he could answer. Simon slid a hand to the back of my neck and pulled me closer. The kiss started slow and familiar, but the second his mouth moved against mine, the rest of the office disappeared. I tasted coffee on his lips and felt the heat of his palm against my back.

When I pulled away, his forehead stayed pressed to mine.

I kissed the corner of his mouth. “Finish signing before someone walks in.”

“Kelly knows how to knock.”

“Kelly also knows how to gossip.”

“Then I’ll sign fast.”

I climbed off his lap and went back around the desk. Simon signed both marked spots and handed me the

folder.

“Done. Now you can go back to your office and pretend you don’t miss me.”

“God, you’re full of yourself.”

I grabbed the folder and turned toward the door. My hand was already on the handle when his phone buzzed on the desk.

Simon looked at the screen. His expression changed so fast that I stopped.

09:38 Fri, Oct 2 ·

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FAKK DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

“What happened?”

Ne read the message once, then again. Without answering, he tapped the attached video. I moved back to his side and stood close enough to see the screen.

The message was from the children’s school principal.

“Mr. Hart, one of our parents sent me this video after dismissal. She ran into Chloe and the children at the mall. She stayed with them until our after-school coordinator arrived. The children are here with me at the school now. Chloe is being taken to the hospital. I’m so sorry. I thought you needed to know.”

Simon turned up the volume.

The video started out shaky, filmed from a distance in a crowded mall corridor. I heard Lily crying before I could make out any faces.

“Stop! Let go of me!”

A man moved into the frame. Even through the poor-quality video, Simon recognized him.

“Graham,” Simon said, his tone making my stomach clench.

Chloe stood between him and the children. One arm was wrapped around Lily while the other reached for Jack and Sam, trying to pull them closer as she backed away. Graham kept coming toward them, reaching for the kids.

“Don’t touch them!” Chloe shouted. “Come here, Lily. Jack, take Sam’s hand.”

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