The Billionaire & I

16.

When I reached my floor minutes later, Heather was back on her seat. The silence that followed was awkward and I didn't know how to even explain myself. She must be thinking the worst of me after this morning.

"Joanne and Isabella said hi. They are inviting you to Isabella's cousin's nightclub opening in three weeks," I started with, to diffuse some of the awkwardness.

"Oh, nice. I'll see if I can make it. Maybe make it a date night with my fiance." She said and I nodded. I knew the relationship between my co-worker and l, especially one I worked with so closely, had to be redeemed somehow but I was clueless on how to go about it.

"I think there is an explanation for everything. I think you're a good person and I don't think you would just do anything like that without some kind of plausible reason," Heather blurted out after a few minutes of more tensed silence. A small smile formed on my lips hearing her reassuring words.

"I, I don't even know where to start from." I sighed and sat on the edge of my desk. Heather's ears noticeably perked up and I smiled again.

"From the beginning?"

"He," I pointed to William's office, "is my ex."

"Your ex?" She stood and practically ran to me, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Mmhm, we dated back in uni."

"So are the rumours true then?" She asked eagerly and I quickly shook my head.

"But those rumours did start because of me. I told what I thought was a little white lie to a few friends from college about us being back together and he buying this company and well it all just backfired badly and quickly too. I didn't expect one of them to post about it online but it remains my fault for telling the lie in the first place." I finished with another sigh.

"Wow, just wow." Heather's surprise was clear. Her mouth remained ajar. "That is just wow. I never would have thought! But now when I think about it, something about you two seemed a bit off, but I didn't know there was a whole history between you two!"

My life was starting to feel a little like those soap operas my mom loved watching.

"Will you tell Lilian about this? You should. She believes you have an ulterior motive which I really don't think you do. Regardless of the lie, I don't think you even like him much, like that." she flushed and I smiled.

"I will let Lilian think whatever she wants to and yes you are right, I really don't even like him." I chuckled stiffly.

"How do you manage it? Working for your ex and all?" She asked.

"I don't even know. I'm still trying to figure that out actually." I said and she laughed.

"You probably don't want anyone knowing all this so you can trust I won't be repeating it."

"Thank you Heather," I warmly smiled at her. She returned to her seat and the rest of the day went on smoothly.

***

My phone rang as I dressed up for work Thursday morning and I briskly made a mental note to change the dull bell sound ringtone to something more upbeat. I checked the caller ID, snorted and tossed the phone back onto the bed. The phone rang a total of three times more till frustration and annoyance finally had me answering my sister's call.