Free The Birthday Deadline (Billionaire Brides) by Ella Cari Page A

being dramatic. A man wasn't the end of the world, though right now it felt like it.
    I walked to the front door of the apartment, slinging the purse over my shoulder. I took a deep breath, trying to ready myself to face the world.
    When I opened the door, I faced Juliet instead.
    Just as I started slamming the door back shut, her hand shot out, stopping the door.
    She didn't look like her usual perfectly poised self. Her hair was thrown into a ponytail, flip flops on her feet instead of pointed heels, and her usual tidy, tight frock was slightly mussed.
    "I need to talk to you." Juliet said, pushing slightly at the door, "Please?"
    I ran my fingers through my hair, closing my eyes for a second before stepping forward, shutting the door behind me so that Juliet and I stood alone together in the hallway. It wasn’t like her to ask politely.
    "What is it?" I asked, adding in a resentful, "Make it snappy."
    She sighed, leaning against the wall across from me, "I heard what happened. I rushed out here as soon as Sebastian told me."
    "You didn't know before?" I asked doubtfully, "Cornelius said he asked you to look into me and report it back to him."
    "I did." She shrugged, "But I swear to you, I just told him facts. He asked what you did for a living, and I told him. He asked about the history of your business, and I told him. He already thought he had the answers, no matter what I would have told him he would have jumped to the same conclusion. He seemed pleased when the conversation ended, so I thought he was happy with the answers...I didn't know..."
    "It was humiliating." I responded, crossing my arms stiffly over my chest, "Completely humiliating and Sebastian just stood there and let me take it all."
    "He was confused and surprised." Juliet urged, her hands grasped my shoulders. Was she really trying to convince me not to blame him?
    "What's going on?" I said, pulling away from her, "Why are you even here?"
    "I wanted to tell you my side of what happened." She said slowly, digging out a small card from her purse, "...and Sebastian wants you to call him. He needs to talk to you too."
    "If he wanted to talk, he should have come here." I snapped, "He could have talked plenty when Cornelius was forcing me to leave."
    "I understand that you're angry." Juliet responded with a placidness that set me on edge, "I would be angry too. I would hate myself, I would hate Sebastian, I would hate everyone."
    She hesitated for a moment, shifting her feet, "But you're not me. You're Delilah, you're a better person than all of us."
    I shook my head, looking away from her. My head spun wildly, trying to pin down exactly what was happening here. Was Juliet really trying to get me back together with Sebastian? After all that she had put me through, after how hard she tried to make me uncertain of my future with him? Was this really happening or had I dozed off on the couch and dreamt up this crazy scenario.
    "Take your time." Juliet offered as she stepped back towards the stairwell, "Just remember what I said, okay?"
    I nodded, leaning against the door as I watched Juliet turn away, her bright red hair disappearing down the shadows of the stairs.
    What the hell just happened?
    Lowering myself down onto the top step, I listened as the personal assistant's flip flops slapped all the way down, door to the apartment complex swinging shut.
    I stared down at the card, reading the numbers over and over again. I could call this and speak to Sebastian. What good would that do now? He'd made it clear that he didn't want me, he'd made it clear that this was just about his company and his money.
    With a resolute glare, I gripped the card between my fingers, ripping it into little pieces in the palm of my hand. I lifted it to my lips, blowing out a deep gust of air and watching the shards of paper flutter away.
    Though I had more answers now, I was more confused than ever.

Chapter Fifteen
     
     
     
    At some point, I dragged myself back up so I was