Something Gained: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter: 15

ELENA

The footsteps of Ava and Stacey retreated down the hall taking away the last bit of sound with them.

There was deadly silence looming over us as Rylan sat pinning me down with a stare.

Scary. Unnerving. Blank.

"Dog shelter. She meant we are going to a dog shelter." I don't know what made me say it.

No response. Nothing. Not even a muscle movement or a flicker of anything in his face.

"I uhm understand if you don't like dogs or something." I blurted before deciding to shut up. Obviously he wasn't concerned about some dogs at the moment.

Another long second of deafening silence passed.

"What are you trying to do?" The crisp coldness of his authoritative voice slashed through the air thick with tension.

"Huh?" I blinked, not really catching the meaning of his words.

"Ava is referring to you as her mother. What game are you playing?" I blinked again, stupefied by his question. How were the sentences even related?

"Why will it be a game? She wanted to and I—"

"You what? Allowed her to call you 'mommy'? Just like that?" The way his voice was measured, not giving out his emotions, one wouldn't know what kind of an answer he was looking forward to.

"Yes." I muttered.

Rylan slowly rose up from his seat and walked to the back of his chair.

My eyes followed every movement of his.

He was absolutely graceful.

And scary.

"Why?" Another cold question.

"I clearly remember you saying how you're not ready to be her mother and wanting to call off the deal for the same." His eyes clashed with mine in a silent challenge to deny his claim.

"So let me ask again. Why? Why would you let her think that you will be her mother when this is all going to be over in two years?" His words washed me over like a bucket of ice water.

Cold, harsh truth.

"What would I have done?" I had toned down my voice, a part of me feeling guilty of the matter.

He raised a brow in dry amusement.

"Let me think." He drummed his fingers on the wooden chair pretending to think of the options I had had at my disposal at that time.

"You could have told her no knowing what is to happen in future. Do you even know how much it is going to hurt her when you leave?" I knew I wasn't right but he wasn't in the place to accuse me when he was the one to put us in this situation. He should have thought of the possibility that his supposed wife may grow on his daughter.

"You should have thought of that before you came up with this contract." I snapped, which probably sounded immature because he hadn't raised his voice, not even once.

He never did. As if raising his voice was much beneath him.

There was a clench in his jaws.

"So that's what it is? Trying to get back at me because you think your hand has been forced in this contract?" My lips parted in disbelief. Did he just imply that I was using his daughter to get back at him?

I scoffed incredulously. Spare him a second and he could frame you as the most heartless person in a few minutes.

"First, you can't force my hand in anything. I'm well aware that we are mutually benefitting from this contract." I pushed my chair back and stood up. From my seat, Rylan appeared too intimidating for my liking.