FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 30

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CHAPTER 30

– JAMIE

Simon came out of the walk-in already wearing gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips. In his hand, a white button-down, folded with the kind of precision that came from having people who did that for him.

“Here.” He tossed the shirt in my direction. “Put this on.”

I caught it mid-air, the soft fabric slipping through my fingers. “And you think I’m going to fit into this?”

“It’ll be big on you.” He shrugged, that arrogant smile spreading across his face. “But it’ll look better on you than it does on me.”

I rolled my eyes, but I put the shirt on while he watched. The fabric fell to my thighs, and I had to roll the sleeves up three times before I could see my fingers.

“I look ridiculous,” I said, looking down.

“You look perfect.” He stepped closer, his eyes trailing over my body with deliberate slowness. “Who knew my favorite lawyer would end up in my bed one day.”

“You really should shut up more often.”

He laughed, and the sound filled the room with a familiarity I shouldn’t have felt. “Stay here tonight.”

“Simon, I don’t have clothes for work tomorrow,” I said, already feeling my resolve weakening. “I’m not showing up at the office in the same outfit as yesterday.”

“We’ll swing by your place. Early.”

“And what are people going to think when they see us arriving together?”

He tilted his head, that superior look I knew all too well. “The parking level I use is exclusive to office owners. So what’s the excuse?”

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

He was right. Of course he was.

“You’re impossible,” I said, but I was already giving in, already letting myself sink back onto the bed next to him.

“That’s why you like me.”

“That’s why I always want to kill you.”

“Same thing.”

We were quiet for a moment, both of us lying on our backs, staring up at the dark ceiling. The city glittered

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

beyond the windows, and I could hear the distant hum of traffic far below.

“Your grandmother,” he said suddenly, his voice softer. “Is she okay?”

The question caught me off guard. “What?”

“Your grandmother.” He turned his head to look at me. “You said she was sick. How is she?”

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I swallowed. “She’s… she’s okay. The doctors say she might have a few months. Maybe more, if the treatment

works.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It is what it is.” I shrugged, trying to look stronger than I felt. “Everyone has to go eventually. Some people just go sooner than they should.”

“I know how that feels.”

I turned to him, surprised. “You do?”

“I’m talking about my mom. I can’t even wrap my head around how she just… packed up and disappeared from my life for good. It was like living through some kind of grief.”

“Simon…”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to turn this into a therapy session.”

“You didn’t.” I squeezed his arm. “You just… shared.”

He was quiet for a moment. Then, slowly, a smile formed on his lips. “You know what’s weird?”

“What?”

“You’re the only person I can talk about this with.”

“Maybe that’s because you never let anyone get close enough.”

He laughed, a low, genuine sound. “You know me too well, Counselor.”

That’s when his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Simon grabbed it, and I watched his expression shift. The smile faded, replaced by something more complicated.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“Abby.” He set the phone aside. “I’m not answering.”

“Simon.” I sat up, bracing myself on my elbows. “Answer it.”

“Jamie-”

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“Answer it.” My voice was firm. “I know you want to.”

He hesitated for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he picked up the phone and swiped the screen.

“Hello?”

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I couldn’t hear what Abby was saying, but I could see Simon’s expressions change. First surprise, then hesitation, and then something I couldn’t quite read.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m fine. Yeah. I know, sorry for taking off so fast.” A pause. “Yeah, she’s here with me. Jamie.”

His eyes met mine, and for a moment, something passed between us.

“A birthday?” he said, his voice hesitant. “Which one of your kids?” A longer pause. “I… yeah. I think I can make it. Sure. Jamie’s invited too? Right, right.” He looked at me, a silent question. “Okay. I’ll ask her. Yeah. Talk soon, Abby.”

He hung up and set the phone aside.

“She wants us to come to one of her kids’ birthday parties,” he said, his voice cautious. “Next week.”

“And you’re going?”

“I said I’d ask you.”

I sat up fully, pulling my knees to my chest. “Do you want to go?”

He was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t know.”

“You want to go,” I said, and it wasn’t a question. “You’re wondering if this could be some kind of second

chance.”

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