The Billionaire's Beautiful Lie Chapter 2

As I stood there, reeling, my phone buzzed. A message from Cole.

Cole: You awake?

I scrambled back to the bed, arranged myself into a convincing just-woken-up pose, and snapped a picture to send back.

His reply was instantaneous: You little siren.

Before I could even process that, a video call request popped up. The moment I accepted, my screen was filled with a landscape of bronzed pectoral muscle. By now, I was immune. I even let a small, unimpressed smirk grace my lips.

Cole chuckled, a low rumble through the phone’s speaker. ""Trying to tempt me?""

Seriously? The way his voice dropped into that breathy, intimate register… who was tempting whom here?

My face went cold. ""Cole, we need to break up.""

If I’d felt a shred of guilt before today, it had completely evaporated the second I heard him dissecting me with his friend.

The other end went silent for a moment.

""Which new collection caught your eye this time?""

""I'm serious. This isn't a joke.""

""The new limited-edition crocodile Birkin is in the walk-in closet. Third shelf from the left. Help yourself.""

I was speechless. Leo really should have been in here to see who the real simp was.

When I didn't respond, he lit a cigar, his eyes holding the camera’s gaze for three long seconds. Then, a slow, knowing smile spread across his face. His voice turned husky, intimate. ""Baby, was I too rough last night? Did I hurt you?""

At the mention of last night, I had to physically restrain myself from cursing him out. I tried to reason with him instead. ""We're not compatible.""

""I think we're very compatible,"" he purred, a deeply suggestive smile playing on his lips.

I started grasping at straws.

""You have a dog; I have a cat. Your Doberman terrorizes my Persian.""

""I love sleeping in; you're up at dawn hitting the gym.""

""I crave burgers and fries; you lecture me about goji berries and kale.""

""It just doesn't work, Cole. Can't we be adults about this and have a clean break?""

I laid it all out in a rush, not noticing the storm clouds gathering in his expression.

The next thing I knew, bang!

The office door was thrown open with violent force. Cole stood there, radiating an arctic chill. His eyes were like chips of ice.

""Ava,"" he said, his voice a low, dangerous hum. ""Don't forget. You're the one who came after me."""