The Billionaire's Hired Girlfriend

Chapter 33

DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND

There was only one thing Alex was sure of in her life once the plane landed in Dunedin Airport, and it was that she was not the same person she was two weeks ago. She wondered what her family would think of her once they had seen the changes in her, not only in her physical appearance, but in her character, too.

Her whole family met her at the airport. Her mum, brother, and sister rushed to hug her. Her dad, however, stood back. She could sense the stiffness in his posture as though he were holding back and didn't know who she was anymore. She felt her heart constrict. It hurt to know her father assumed her to be the type of person she was not.

"Sweetheart, so glad you're back," Mali murmured, hugging her tight.

"Me, too," Alex replied.

"I missed you, sis. I admit I missed you teasing me," Emma chimed in.

"Me too, Emma." Alex chuckled. "I miss teasing you too."

Her father refused to hug her. In fact, he refused to say a word to her, not even a "welcome back" or "hello." It was as though he refused to acknowledge her presence.

The drive home was a solemn one for Alex, sitting there between her brother and sister, her mum driving the car, and her dad in the front seat. Home felt cold and empty even though her family was as warm as ever to her.

As days went by, she fell back to her old routine, and her dad soon began talking to her again. Only she wished she didn't miss Jayden so much.

Every lunch break at the hospital cafeteria, her mind flashed back to that fateful day when she had first met him. She remembered their time together in New York. Oh, how happy he had made her feel. And of course that glorious day he made love to her. The thought brought an unbearable pain within her heart, and she was angry with herself for stupidly believing his lies. But why did she miss him so dearly? Why was it that every night before she drifted off to sleep and every morning when she woke up, she'd thought about him? And every spare second she had, she thought about him, about his kiss, his touch, and his smile?

He would never come for her—that much she knew. By now, he and Sarah would probably have gotten married.

It wasn't long before Alex realized there was a person standing right in front of her. She glanced up from her book and saw Mary there, arms folded across her chest, a smirk about her lips.

"Well, well," the woman began, unfolding her arms and leaning forward across the table.

Alex closed her book, preparing for the bitchy onslaught that was about to come her way.

"Back from your conference already, are you? Actually, was it really a conference, Alexandra? In New York City? Surely not?"

Alex gritted her teeth. "What do you want, Mary?"

Mary shrugged her shoulders. "Thought I'd ask just to be polite. After all, we used to be classmates."

Alex stood to her full height. "Oh, really, Mary? Since I've known you, you've never been nice to me. Let me tell you this now, Mary. I don't like the way you treat me or my friends. Yes, I'm a geek. No, my family is not rich, but that doesn't mean you have the right to treat me the way you do. I think I've put up with your nonsense long enough, don't you?" She narrowed her eyes at the pretty woman. Alex knew she was standing on dangerous territory, but she couldn't care less. She was tired. She was frustrated. And bloody hell! She just didn't have time for this stupid game anymore.

"You know what, Alexandra? You're a slut. That's right, Alexandra. You are a slut. You think you're so great? Running off after a billionaire like Jayden? You think he'd really marry you? You think he's really into you? Forget it, Alex. He's a bloody billionaire. He can have any woman he wants, a woman who's a hundred times better looking than you."