Heaven or Hell: Loving My Twisted Billionaire novel Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“Mrs. Sterling wants to see you after lunch,” Amy added, composing

herself. “She asked me to tell you.”

My stomach twisted nervously. Had Victoria found out that nothing

had happened between Finn and me last night? Would she be angry

that I hadn’t fulfilled my part of the bargain?

“Thank you for letting me know,” I said, trying to keep my voice

steady.

Lunch was a solitary affair in the small dining room. Finn was nowhere to be seen, which left me with a confusing mix of relief and disappointment. I pushed my food around the plate, my thoughts racing between the brief vulnerability I’d glimpsed in Finn at the piano and my upcoming meeting with Victoria.

After lunch, I made my way to the same sitting room where I’d met Victoria yesterday. She was already there, looking as polished and intimidating as ever. A document lay on the table in front of her.

“Hannah, please sit down,” she said, her expression unreadable.

I perched on the edge of a chair, my hands folded in my lap to hide

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Chapter 23

their trembling.

“About last night- I began, but Victoria held up a hand to silence

1. me.

“I’m aware of what transpired, or rather, what didn’t transpire

between you and my grandson,” she said calmly.

My face burned with embarrassment. Of course she knew. Nothing

happened in this house without Victoria Sterling’s knowledge.

“I’m not going to penalize you for it,” she continued, surprising me.

“These things take time, especially given Finn’s… condition.”

She flipped through the document in front of her, her manicured

nails tapping lightly on the paper.

“Tell me, Hannah,” she said, her voice taking on a curious tone, “if you

weren’t doing this to save Peter Johnson, would you have accepted

this arrangement?”

The question caught me off guard. “I… no,” I answered honestly. ‘1

wouldn’t.”

“So it’s not about the money itself?”

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I shook my head. “I was raised in the Lancaster family. We had wealth

once. I know it doesn’t bring happiness.”

Something flickered in Victoria’s eyes–surprise, perhaps, or

recognition. She carefully closed the file and locked it in a drawer.

“That will be all for now,” she said abruptly, rising to her feet.

Confused by the sudden dismissal, I left the sitting room and decided

to clear my head with a walk in the garden. The afternoon sun cast

long shadows across the manicured lawns, and the scent of roses

filled the air.

What had that meeting been about? Victoria’s questions seemed to

have some hidden purpose, but I couldn’t figure out what she was

trying to learn about me.

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice the two men in black suits

until they were directly in my path. I stopped abruptly, startled by

their sudden appearance.

“Miss Lancaster,” the taller one said, his voice professionally

detached. ‘We need you to come with us.”

“Who are you?” I asked, taking a step back.

Chapter 23

“We work for Mr. Sterling,” the second man replied. “He’s asked us to

bring you to him.”

“Why didn’t he just ask me himself?” I questioned, my unease

growing.

The men exchanged a quick glance. “We’re just following orders,

ma’am. We don’t know the reasons.”

Something felt wrong. If Finn wanted to see me, why send these

intimidating men instead of Amy or another staff member?

“I think I’ll just go find him myself,” I said, trying to step around

them.

Before I could react, they moved with practiced efficiency. One took

my left arm, the other my right, lifting me slightly off the ground as

they began walking quickly toward the edge of the garden.

“Stop!” I shouted, struggling against their grip. “Let me go!”

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