Epilogue | Anuj

445 45 16
                                    


I look at the crowd of people waiting outside in awe. There's a line outside of the building, and the doors don't even open for another hour.

I hold the bouquet of flowers to my chest as I walk toward the back entrance of the gallery. It's been hours since I've seen Anupama—longer than I preferred. She's been caught up preparing for the event happening tonight, and I let her have her moment. But once this show is over and she's no longer preoccupied, I'm going to keep her locked in our bedroom for days so I can make up for lost time.

The security guard waves me in, my face familiar from the many times I've stopped by since Anupama and Camden came to an agreement for showcasing her work.

At first, it started with one piece of art. It didn't take long until Camden was fielding calls on when there'd be more pieces by this new to the scene artist. He'd called in the friend card, begging me to ask Anupama if she'd complete pieces sooner so they could get an entire showcase on the books.

She didn't take it well at first. Probably because I fired her.

I smile at the people on the first floor of the gallery, all of them setting up a welcome area for the party tonight. The event was supposed to be exclusive to the VIP members, but Anupama kept pushing Camden to somehow make it available to the public.

He eventually agreed. My girl is persistent like that. VIP members will be able to look for an hour before waves of people from the line outside will be let in. Anupama's been a nervous wreck for days, terrified no one will want to buy her art.

She doesn't know she's already had her first buyer—me.

When I make it to the second floor, I stop in my tracks when I spot her.

Anupama Joshi.

The woman who has been the object of my desire for years.

She hasn't noticed me yet, giving me the perfect opportunity to watch the woman I'm compulsively in love with. I knew the moment she came back into my life at The Hamptons house that I'd do whatever it took to make her mine. While my methods were rather unconventional, I can't regret a single one of my choices. Who knew what would've happened if she actually did pick up my phone calls. If I didn't have to resort to leaking information about my dating history and forcing myself into her life as her boss, I don't know if we'd be where we are now. And I'm more than fucking thrilled how everything turned out.

Anupama has her dark hair slicked back. Her normal curls are nowhere to be seen, instead she's styled her hair perfectly straight. It's not a hairstyle I see her do often, but it doesn't matter to me what she does to it. She's breathtakingly beautiful no matter what.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I look down, seeing Ruby's name pop onto the screen. I sigh, backing into the stairwell for a moment before Anupama spots me.

I swipe to answer. "Is it done?" There's no hint of emotion in my voice. I don't want there to be. Not with her.

"That story has been killed," Ruby answers. "Although, I thought the title Faking It With The Billionaire was pretty fucking epic for the name."

I grunt. I wouldn't hate the title if the article on the center of the website tomorrow wasn't originally planned to out everything that's transpired between Anupama and me. All the lies included. I'd be fine with the world knowing the lies I'd told to get her, but I don't want Anupama's name anywhere near it. Especially with how big tonight is for her. I don't want anything clouding it tomorrow.

Faking It With a Billionaire || MaAnWhere stories live. Discover now