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Home / Romance / FAKING IT WITH THE BILLIONAIRE / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of FAKING IT WITH THE BILLIONAIRE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

65 Chapters

Chapter 21

Frank Morrison was in surgery when they arrived.Maria sat in the waiting room, mascara streaked down her face, rosary beads wrapped around her hands. Danny paced, still in his Marine fatigues from base."Mom." Izzy fell into the chair beside her.Maria grabbed her hand. "He was mowing the lawn. Just collapsed. The neighbor called 911.""How bad is it?""They won't tell me anything. Just that he's in surgery, that they're doing everything they can." Her voice broke. "Thirty-two years of marriage. He survived twenty-five years as a cop, and now a heart attack in our own yard."Alex stood back, unsure where to fit. Danny noticed."You Blackwood?""Yes. I'm so sorry......""Don't apologize. Just get my sister some coffee. She hasn't eaten since breakfast."Alex left immediately.Julian appeared in the doorway. "Sophie told me. I brought food." He held up bags from the deli down the street. "Sandwiches, chips, whatever they had."Maria looked at him. "You're Alex's brother?""Julian. We h

Chapter 22

The wedding day started with rain.Not a drizzle, a full thunderstorm that rattled the windows and flooded the estate gardens where the ceremony was supposed to happen."It's a sign," Maria said, looking out at the downpour."It's weather, Mom.""In Italy, rain on your wedding day means fertility and good fortune.""We're in Westchester, not Italy."Sophie appeared with contingency plans. "We move everything inside. The main hall can hold a hundred people easily. I'll have the staff rearrange.....""Wait." Alex walked to the window. "The rain's supposed to stop at two. The ceremony's at four. We might be okay.""And if it doesn't stop?" Izzy asked."Then we get married in the rain.""Alex—""I'm serious. Lila designed those gardens. I want to get married there, rain or shine."Maria clutched her rosary. "You'll ruin the dress.""The dress is replaceable. This moment isn't."At noon, the rain slowed. By one-thirty, it stopped completely. By three, the sun broke through the clouds."See

Chapter 23

The Monday after the wedding, Izzy woke up to fifty-three emails, twelve missed calls, and Alex already gone.She found him in the kitchen, on the phone, looking stressed."I understand, but we need those permits by Friday or the entire project stalls... Yes, I know it's bureaucracy, but..." He saw Izzy and held up one finger. "Let me call you back."He hung up. "Morning.""You said you were taking the week off.""I am. Mostly. Just one call.""That was one call?""Okay, three calls. But the housing project in the Bronx is hitting permit issues and......"Izzy kissed him to shut him up. "Delegate. You have staff for this.""I know, but.....""Alex. Remember what you promised? About not disappearing into work?"He exhaled. "You're right. I'll have Sophie handle it.""Thank you."They were eating breakfast when Julian appeared, looking rough."Rough night?" Izzy asked."Couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about the wedding, about Lila not being there." He poured coffee. "I'm seeing Patricia t

Chapter 24

Two months after the wedding, the foundation officially launched Lila's Legacy Fund.They'd selected fifty recipients from three hundred applications. Full scholarships, living expenses, mental health support, everything needed to succeed.The press conference was packed. Alex stood at the podium, Izzy beside him."Two years ago, I lost my wife to suicide," he began. "For a long time, I thought the best way to honor her was to bury myself in work. To make the foundation bigger, better, and more successful. But that's not what Lila would've wanted."He pulled out a photo. Lila is at a community center, surrounded by kids."She wanted impact. Real, measurable change in people's lives. So today, we're launching something she would've loved. Fifty scholarships for people who've struggled with mental health and want to help others do the same."The reporters took notes. Cameras flashed."This isn't about me or the foundation's reputation. It's about giving people a second chance. Because e

Chapter 25

Six months into the marriage, Izzy discovered she was pregnant.She stared at the test in the bathroom of their apartment, hands shaking. They'd said they'd wait a year. They'd been careful.Apparently not careful enough."Izzy?" Alex knocked. "You okay in there?"She opened the door and handed him the test.He looked at it. Looked at her. "Is this......""Positive. I took three. All positive."Alex sat down on the edge of the tub. "We said we'd wait.""I know.""We're not ready.""I know.""The foundation's in expansion mode, Julian just started his job, your dad's still recovering.....""I know all of that, Alex."He looked up at her. "How do you feel?""Terrified. Excited. Nauseous. All of it at once.""Me too." He stood, pulled her close. "We're really doing this?""Unless you know a time machine dealer.""We're having a baby.""Yeah. We are."They stood there, holding each other, processing.Finally, Alex said, "Your mother's going to lose her mind.""Oh god. She's going to start

Chapter 26

At twenty-four weeks, complications started.Izzy's blood pressure spiked during a routine checkup. The doctor ordered bed rest immediately."For how long?" Izzy asked."Until delivery. Or until your blood pressure stabilizes.""That's four months.""It's necessary. Pre-eclampsia is serious. We need to monitor you closely."Alex drove her home in silence. When they got to the apartment, he helped her into bed like she was made of glass."I can walk, Alex.""The doctor said bed rest.""Bed rest doesn't mean invalid."But he was already pulling out his laptop, rearranging his schedule, and canceling meetings."What are you doing?" Izzy asked."Working from home. You need someone here.""I have Sophie, Julian, your entire staff—""I'm staying.""Alex—""This isn't negotiable."They stared at each other.Finally, Izzy said, "Okay. But if you hover, I'm kicking you out.""Noted."---Bed rest was torture.Izzy watched from the bedroom as Alex took calls, reviewed documents, and managed the

Chapter 27

Cameron showed up at the hospital three days later.The nurse paged Izzy first, asking if she wanted a visitor named Cameron Hayes. Izzy's stomach dropped."No," she said immediately."He says it's important. That he's an old friend.""Tell him to leave."Five minutes later, her phone buzzed. Cameron's number, blocked for months, is somehow coming through.*I know you don't want to see me. But I have information you need. About Alex's mother.*Izzy stared at the message.She should delete it. Block him again. Tell Alex.Instead, she texted back: *What information?*The reply came instantly: *Not over text. Five minutes. That's all I'm asking.*Against every instinct, Izzy told the nurse to send him in.Cameron looked different. Cleaner, sharper. The perpetual stubble was gone, replaced by a neat beard. He wore an expensive suit that definitely wasn't his."You look good," he said."What do you want, Cameron?""Straight to business. Fair enough." He pulled a chair closer to her bed, cl

Chapter 28

Morning came with the usual routine.Nurses checking vitals. Breakfast. The blood pressure cuff should be used every two hours. Alex texted at 7 AM: *How did you sleep?*Izzy typed: *Fine.*Deleted it.Typed: *We need to talk.*Deleted that too.Finally: *Okay. You?**Not great. Can I come by this morning?**You don't have to ask permission.**After last night, I wasn't sure.**Please come. I'm sorry about last night.**Nothing to apologize for. See you in an hour.*---Alex arrived with coffee. He looked like he hadn't slept."You look terrible," Izzy said."So do you.""I'm growing as a human. What's your excuse?"He sat down. "Spent half the night trying to figure out what I did wrong.""Alex—""Let me finish. I know my family is complicated. I know Vivienne can be difficult. But I need you to trust me when I say Cameron is not a reliable source.""I know that.""Do you? Because last night it felt like you were already believing him.""I don't know what to believe. That's the probl

Chapter 29

Alex came back the next morning with Julian.They both looked exhausted. Alex's shirt was wrinkled, and Julian's eyes were red."What happened?" Izzy asked.Julian set a folder on the table beside her bed. "I showed Alex the therapy records last night.""And?"Alex sat down heavily. "And we need to talk about my mother."Izzy's heart rate monitor beeped faster."The records show Morrison documenting concerns about Vivienne's behavior," Alex said. "Notes about inappropriate involvement in Lila's treatment. Questions about whether Lila was being emotionally manipulated.""Morrison wrote that?""In clinical language, yes. She documented multiple instances where Lila came to sessions upset about interactions with Vivienne. Times when Vivienne questioned Lila's competence, undermined her decisions at the foundation, made her feel inadequate."Julian pulled out specific pages. "Look at this entry from three months before Lila died. Morrison writes: 'Patient reports increased anxiety followi

Chapter 30

Cameron agreed to meet at a coffee shop near the hospital.Alex didn't like it. "He could be recording this. Using it against us later.""So we're careful about what we say," Izzy said from the wheelchair the nurse insisted she use for the brief outing. Her doctor had reluctantly approved one hour away from the hospital. "But we need to know what he wants.""I know what he wants. To hurt you.""Maybe. Or maybe someone's using him the same way he tried to use me."Sophie came with them. "Extra witness," she said. "And I don't trust him not to try something."The coffee shop was quiet, a mid-afternoon lull. Cameron was already there, sitting at a corner table. He stood when they approached."Izzy. You didn't have to***""Sit down," Alex said coldly.Cameron sat. Izzy wheeled herself to the table. Sophie and Alex flanked her."Thank you for meeting," Cameron started."Cut the pleasantries," Sophie said. "Tell us who's paying you."Cameron blinked. "No one's paying me.""Bullshit," Alex s

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