The Billionaire's Pollyanna |2024 ONC|

7-Admitting the Truth

Song for the chapter: Can I Be Him ~ James Arthur

⧫WILLIAM⧫

There's a saying that bad things always come in threes.

And right now, I'm staring down the second bad thing to happen in the last month. But I don't have time to dwell on what could come next.

"Ex-fiance." I correct the she-devil who's still holding Katerina hostage.

Fabiana laughs, winking at the shell-shocked intern she's caught in her web. "Oops, that's what I meant."

Katerina's soft voice filters through the red haze with my temper edging to the point of no return. "It's nice to meet you." She pulls against my ex's firm grip. My blood boils as I begin walking toward them, but she manages to get out of Fabiana's grasp and backs out of my office.

Her eyes flicker in my general direction, but she avoids looking at me directly. "Goodnight, sir." She turns quickly, without waiting for me to respond, and practically runs away.

"Qué preciosa." Fabiana taunts with a dismissive laugh before she clicks her tongue. "Too young and too...what's the word...mousy for you, William. But maybe you like her submissiveness, sir?"

"You know I hate repeating myself. What the hell are you doing here?"

"And yet, you just did. That's something you used to love about me, getting you to do things you never liked doing." Her smile widens as she saunters toward me and tries to kiss my face in greeting, but I move away.

Walking around my desk, I begin shutting things down. My plans to work late are pointless. "I have somewhere to be."

She sets her large purse down in one of the chairs in front of my desk. "I wanted to see you."

"You could have done an online search to see me. But now you saw me, so get the fuck out."

Undeterred, she rests her hands on my desk and leans forward. "With the anniversary coming, I wanted to come and support you. Let's go for a drink and catch up."

"You fucked my best friend in our home, you moved in with him. I'm all caught up. I don't need to know or care to fucking know anything else, Fabiana." She runs a hand through her long hair, a nervous tell she always did, but the blaring rock on her finger slaps me back to the present; they're engaged, maybe even married.

"Please, Will. I just want to talk, that's all." Her voice is soft, sounding sincere. But I've been fooled too many times. My body stills, feeling her hand cup my face. I try to move, but she holds on to me more firmly. "Por favor. Perdóname. Being here with you...I miss you. Don't you miss me?"

Taking her hands off of me, I move her back. "You have some fucking nerve showing up here—asking for forgiveness—wearing his ring. But I shouldn't be surprised, considering you were wearing the ring I gave you when I walked in on you two in our bed. Final chance, walk out of here on your own or I call security."

"Will–"

"Get out!"

She backs away, grabbing her purse and hurries out of my office, crying. But tears are just another weapon for her. Frustration and anger reaching its peak, I pick up a paperweight on my desk and throw it across the room with a loud groan.

A few minutes of collecting myself go by, but I'm still angry for letting her see me lose control. Grabbing my keys, I lock up and take the elevator down to the garage. Joe climbs out of the car to open the door for me and keeps his usual greeting to himself.