Admit You Love Me (Irresistible Billionaires 2)

“How do you know about this?”

“It’s hardly a secret but admittedly, I asked around after the party. People had stories. She’s had a hell of a time if the gossip is accurate. People say she’s resorted the selling off some of her lands and eventually, she might lose the estate entirely and her son will no longer be in line for the title. There are stories of her consorting with rich men on yachts to make money, trying to weasel her way into another great man’s house.”

I swallowed, hating that people were talking about Eddy like that. So many things made sense suddenly. Her house, almost completely gutted. The story about her redecorating was plausible but this made far more sense. It all fell into place. Her not getting anything at the boutique even when she asked me to take her. Her not wanting me in the house. The state of her grounds when a groundskeeper should have been maintaining it and even the caretaker’s cottage being empty when someone should have been on staff.

Another fucking secret. Why didn’t she tell me?

Her losing money when we were gambling when she could afford to do it. Her pushing our games so that she got the watch. She must have wanted it to sell. Why didn’t she just say something? I would have given her money if she needed it. I would have lent it to her if she felt too proud to take a gift. I couldn’t even keep count of the things that she had kept from me at this point. Why did she hide so much from me?

“Are you in contact with her at all?” I asked Lisbeth.

“No, definitely not,” she said. “I daresay it would shock her to see the woman her boyfriend was supposedly betrothed to seeking her out. Is all this news to you?”

“Unfortunately, it is. She keeps a lot of things close to her chest.”

“Ah. I hope she’s alright.”

“Don’t worry, she will be,” I said.

“I’m sure.” She stood. “Best of luck to the two of you,” she said.

“Thanks.”

She started walking out. “Oh, and just in case it doesn’t work out, you let me know. Your dad has my contacts.” That was appreciated but I wouldn’t be needing it.

22

Edwina

“Madam, the watch is worth thirty thousand.”

“It might have been when it was brought in, but now it's worth less.”

“That is not how it works madam.”

“These things never appreciate in value.”

“Madam, you are mistaken.”

“You can have twenty-five thousand for it. Not a penny more.”

The appraiser rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Madam, please. I cannot give you the watch for less than thirty. That's what it's worth. That's the only way I will part with it.”

“Is that so? You had no problem taking it off of us for ten,” Missy said. I was watching, stunned into silence. I didn't ask Missy to come with me to the pawnbroker, but she insisted. She was appalled after I told her what had happened the last time that I had been to the pawnbroker. Yes, I had been scammed, it hurt to think about, truly but that was the truth. I appreciated that I didn’t have to face the man alone after the last time I tried to buy the watch back. Let me handle this, Missy had said when we got to the place. I was so glad she made me bring her.

“That's your problem, you're too proud. When someone wants to help you, it's not because they feel sorry for you, it's because they love you.”

With that, we went into the pawnbrokers and she had been terrorizing the man for the last ten minutes, trying to get him to take the watch for the twenty-five thousand that she had gotten out of the bank.

“Buying and selling are different matters, madam,” the appraiser said to her.

“A difference of fifteen thousand pounds is not justifiable. You didn't take the watch for its full valuation so I cannot buy it back for its full valuation either. It's twenty-five thousand or nothing.” At that point, Missy had probably just tired him out, more so than convinced him to take the lower price. He gave in and gave up the watch for twenty-five thousand. I still felt like it was a rip-off, but I got the watch back and that was what I needed. Soon this whole debacle would be over.

“Thank you so much for your help, Missy,” I said when we were back in the car, on the way back to her townhouse.

“The man was a bully. He probably gets off on conning people out of their money and belongings.” I looked at the slightly reflective face of the watch, seeing the arms steadily tick. This little piece of jewelry had cost me a lot in the past several days, and not just when it came to money. I thought about how it was a piece of Niall and I would have to give it back. I would feel worse about not having a piece of him in my life if I didn’t have my son.

This watch was supposed to be my meal ticket for the next few months and now, I was back to square one. It was my ridiculous gambling that got us to this point. I needed to figure out my money situation stat. Gambling and pawnbrokers were going to be left firmly in the past from now on. When we got back to Missy's townhouse, I altered the appraisal ticket to reflect the price difference, before getting in touch with Niall. It struck me that this was going to be the last time that I saw him, but I tried to ignore the feeling. It was bittersweet. This was such a mess and I had cocked it up horribly, but resolving the issue meant never seeing him again.