A Lovely Obsession ( Billionaire Romance Novel )

Chapter 9

Nora's POV:-

It's been a few days since I left my job at Jean Georges. For the last couple of days, I have been busy looking for a job and getting agitated at the thought that I might not get employed any time soon. To make matters worse Kevin's Father is coming to visit. He was disappointed when he heard that the two of us had called our engagement off.

Luckily and to my utter surprise Grandma was on my side and supported my decision to end things with Kevin. Something had happened to her since she heard of Kevin's so-called 'friendship' with Derek Osborne. I had a feeling the reason why she wanted me to end things with Kevin was because she was hoping it would get Derek's attention off me.

" I was so hopeful that the two of them could be happy together. " I heard Jonathan Pierce say in a forlorn voice as he spoke to my grandmother.

The two of them were sitting in the drawing room meanwhile I stood hidden beside the door eavesdropping on the conversation. Grandma had told me that she would sort everything out with him and I didn't need to join them. It was actually a relief because I feared I would feel guilty if I had to face Jonathan.

He had tried to act as a second father to us, especially after the death of our parents. Even though he was a very busy man and barely had time for us before he had to retire last year, he nevertheless always sent us gifts and tried to be there for us. If I hadn't felt so grateful to him I wouldn't have tolerated Kevin's numerous affairs and would have broken things off sooner.

" It is sad indeed. But there's nothing we can do about it." Grandma says politely.

" I was worried about the kids' future. I thought Nora would be a good influence on Kevin. I don't like the sort of crowd he hangs out with. He's never dated a woman that would be suitable for him as a wife. And I also thought that this marriage would secure Nora's future."

I have to smother a laugh at that. The last thing I needed for a secure future was to have a man like Kevin as a husband. Even though Jonathan meant well I felt hurt thinking that he thought my future prospects were so dismal that he would be doing me a favor by getting me married to his son.

" I am grateful that you show so much concern for Nora but she already has me to worry about her. You have enough problems of your own to deal with. I don't want you to tire yourself worrying about us. How are things with the company going?" Grandma effectively changed the subject.

" Not well I am afraid. Kevin was trying to get funding from a couple of people in his social circle. But no one's willing to invest."

I am surprised that he would speak so openly about his business issues. It wasn't like him. The situation must have been pretty bad for him to speak openly like this.

" I thought your son was in contact with Derek Osborne. I thought he was interested in investing. At least that's what I got from what Nora told me." Grandma asks the exact same question I had been wanting to ask.

"Yes, Osborne did show interest in investing in the company. But he refused at the last second. These things happen in business but I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed by what that bastard did. Excuse my language."

So this was Derek's 'revenge'. He decided to punish the Pierce family just because I refused to attend his 'party'. I peek inside the drawing room and I am shocked by how old and frail Jonathan looks.

"There was another reason for my coming here. I was hoping that once Nora would be Kevin's wife I wouldn't need to do this but now I have to." Jonathan says mysteriously.

" Do what?" Grandma asks confused.

"I have cancer. I am going to get surgery but there's still no guarantee that I will recover. I don't have much property to left to leave behind in my will. But whatever remains I want to divide it between Kevin and Nadine. However, if Kevin fails to find an investor there might not be anything left for Nadine to inherit. But still, I have included her in my will. I wanted to let you know. "

I am stunned by his words and I think my grandmother is too because for a while she doesn't say anything. I knew he doted on Nadine the most but to name her in his will was too much. Why was he willing to go to such an extent for her sake?

" I don't understand why you are doing this Jonathan. " Grandma whispers.

"Because Nadine is my daughter." He says gravely.

To say I was shell-shocked would be an understatement. But I don't get the time to process my thoughts. For just then I hear the front door open and both my sisters come in dressed in their school uniforms. I go hide in my room before they can ask me what I am doing standing near the door.

I can hear the girls talking to Jonathan. They may have not liked Kevin but they didn't feel the same way about Jonathan. Of course, Nadine should feel close to him he's her father. Was Nadine my half-sister? Step sister? Did my mom cheat on my dad? No that was unimaginable. The very thought caused anxiety to pool in my stomach. I couldn't imagine my mother doing something like that. She and my dad were madly in love with each other.

I needed to talk to my grandmother alone, soon. I needed answers. I open my phone wanting to get my mind off the shocking truth I had discovered. As if my day couldn't get better I came across a news article about none other than my arch nemesis.

It was a photo of him in a limousine making out with a woman. They were returning after attending the met gala together. The article also included pictures of them earlier in the evening on the red carpet and I recognized the woman to be none other than Clara.

She had a jeweled silver choker on her neck and was dressed in a scarlet mermaid gown. Derek stood beside her looking devilishly handsome in a black tuxedo and bow tie. According to the article Clara was the owner of a boutique though I had never heard of her brand. Her father was also a senator and she was the proud new girlfriend of Derek Osborne. Or at least the woman he was sleeping with at the moment.

It made me angry when I thought how scared I was the last few days. I thought he was insisting on me attending his party because he was interested in me sexually. I was terrified that the next thing he would do was blackmail me into sleeping with him. Was I overreacting? Was he only bullying me because I was 'rude' to him like Kevin said?

Or maybe he wanted to have both me and Clara to himself. But as I looked at Clara's picture again the thought that he would want someone like me felt like a joke. I was a nobody. Neither beautiful nor successful. Derek probably wanted to terrify me because he's a sadist with way too much power and time on his hands. All I knew was that I couldn't understand his motives. The only thing I was sure of was that he loved to make me miserable.

Later in the evening, there's a knock on my door and my grandmother comes in.

" I knew you were listening to our conversation." She says smiling wryly.

" Did Mom cheat on Dad?" I say hoarsely afraid of what her answer would be.

" No of course not! Don't you dare think that way! My child your mother loved your father. Your sister Nadine was adopted. Her birth mother was a stripper who had died after giving birth to her. Your father was the one who brought Nadine home. He said he didn't know who her biological father was. But I think he did. Jonathan was his best friend. I am sure that's why he adopted his daughter."

" Why didn't Jonathan raise her himself? Why ask our parents to raise her?"

"Probably because he was married at that time and didn't want his wife to know of the affair. "

For a while, we both sit in silence.

" Pierce Industries belongs to Nadine as well," I say after some time.

" Yes," Grandmother says wearily.

" That means I need to convince Derek to change his mind," I say dread pouring through my veins.