The Billionaire's Mask (Book #1) - Unedited Version

Chapter 33

ALAYNA

"Are you okay?" I asked Oliver one time I found him in the library. I placed a cup of coffee on his desk. He had been working non-stop in front of his laptop.

He picked up the cup immediately and took a gulp. "I'm alright."

"Ollie, you've been working all day. You already missed breakfast and lunch."

"I'm okay, Alayna. Don't worry," he said but hadn't stop typing on his keyboard. I walked behind him and took a glimpsed of the monitor screen. He was typing so fast with codes of letters and numbers I couldn't understand, but I knew for sure it was some kind of a program. I stepped away, realizing I'd be disturbing him if I talk again.

Avoiding to make some noise, I stepped away soundlessly and head back towards the door until I heard him screamed a big 'yes!' which made me spun around.

"God!" I watched him as he stretched out his arms and groaned as he relaxed his back on the seat.

"What happened?" I asked curiously.

"Brandon created this program last year, and there's to be an upgrade with the operating system recently, so some functions aren't working. There's no other better programmer than him, so I tried to contact him, and he sent me the full new version in three days, but converting it to fit into another program is another, and it took me five freaking days." He took another sip of his coffee. "Thanks for the coffee, Alayna."

"Oh, wow," I mouthed. I walked back to his desk. "You spoke to him?"

"Well... I... Yes. Kinda."

"How's he? Did he ask for me?"

Oliver couldn't answer right away. As usual, he refused to speak to me again. "I'm sorry, Alayna. I'm sure he's just busy. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Tomorrow will be his fourteenth operation."

I hadn't stopped counting from the day he left and one year was almost over. "How many operations does he need?"

"It should be sixteen or seventeen, I think. Don't worry, Alayna. It will be over soon," he assured.

"I'm tired of waiting like this, Ollie. I don't know what's wrong with him. I haven't been able to think straight since Athens. Can you just tell me the truth that he might not want me anymore?"

Oliver sprang up and walked around his desk then sat on the edge. "Alayna, Brandon loves you. He went there to get treatment because you led him to the right path. I'm sure Cassius says the same thing. You said he calls you almost every week."

I nodded. "I know, but can you believe me that he always says the same thing? I'm tired to listening to sentences that seemed to be scripted. I want to speak to him, Ollie. If you just let me because he won't answer my call."

"I'll try to call him, Alayna."

"You told me that before, but you haven't." I shook my head and finally marched out of the room.

As expected, Cassius phoned me at nine, always the exact same time. We had been speaking over the phone, so he could update me about what's going on with them in Athens, but as always he couldn't tell me more about Brandon. He told me they weren't always together.

"He's often outside, but I don't know where he's going."

"Is it okay for him to go out alone?" I asked, biting my lip as I stared at my ceiling.

"He's not alone. He's usually had ten guards to chauffeur him around. Our grandfather has him worked on something he doesn't tell me."

"Sounds like the typical Brandon. He's very secretive."

He heaved a sigh. "Let's start talking about you. Are you okay? Oliver told me about your nightmares."

"I don't worry about that." I wasn't surprised to hear that he knew about it. Not when I woke up in a hospital after waking up in the middle of the night and losing consciousness. I could've been dead by now if Oliver wasn't there to look after me.

"If you could just let me help you."

I shrugged. "Talking to me like this helps. I'm really okay, Cassius."

"It's not enough. I wish I could see you right now, but things got busier around here. I'll try to fly to Manhattan once I cleared a schedule. Brandon needs me here."

"Yes. He needs you more. And Ollie is here, so you have nothing to worry about. By the way, Casey and I are going to see the movies tomorrow."

He chuckled softly. "That's great. Oh, but don't spoil the whole thing to me the next time. The last time you watched The Archer, you told me the entire freaking ending."

"I won't!" I laughed genuinely this time. Whenever I spoke to him like this, it's as if all the agony and longing that my heart felt did not exist. The feeling never stayed, but for a short moment, I felt like I was alive again.

"Can I talk to you tomorrow?" I asked.

"I'll call you, okay?"

"Promise?"

He sensed his smile. "I promise."