Billionaires and Brilliance

Chapter Twenty-Three- Sunscreen Is Gross and So Is Mrs. Cable

    "No."

    "Olivia, don't-"

    "No."

    "He's a good investor."

    "No."

    Tony sighed and rested and his head in his hands. "Fine, you don't have to go. I'll go by myself."

    "Still no."

    "I have self control, you know. She's not going to-"

    "No." Olivia repeated, arms crossed. "She never takes a hint. She puts her hands all over you, and I don't like it."

    Tony took her hand. "Livvia, you don't need to be jealous. Birdie couldn't hold a candle to you. She's not going to do anything, I'll be sure of it."

    "But what if-"

    "Olivia, I promise."

    She stared into his deep brown eyes and surrendered. "Okay. It's just, she's so pretty and rich and stuff."

    "I don't care. I love you." He assured her, placing a kiss on her knuckles. "You're mine, and I'm yours. Birdie doesn't change that. I need to meet with Walter, the stock he's selling me looks fantastic."

    "Then why is he selling it?" Olivia pouted. "It can't be that important."

    "Because the company is on the decline."

    "Then why would you buy it?"

    "Because it's about to gain success. I can feel it." He stated confidently, dropping her hands and going over to his desk to grab a file with the details inside.

    She nodded in understanding. "Oh, you mean your sixth sense?"

    "Yes."

    "Where are you going to meet him?"

    He scanned the page. "Uh... Toronto. Do you want to come with?"

    "Not particularly, but I want to be with you, so I guess I'll go." She answered. "When are we leaving?"

    "Tuesday. We'll only be there a day, it's not a big deal."

    "Okay. A trip might be good for us. We always seem to do well when we're on vacation." Olivia noted.

    "Well, I think that's a universal thing, but alright. In the meantime, though, how are you doing?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "With Anthia. I'm sure her betrayal hurt."

    Olivia looked down, tracing her fingers slowly on the polished wood of Tony's desk. They ran over a bump, the only imperfection she could find. She circled the ridge, running her thumb over it. "I just feel like all my friends turned out to be fake. Except Jess. But I'm wary about her now. After all, if the rest of them didn't care about me, why should she?"

    "I know. I'm so sorry. If it's any consolation, I'm here for you, and I love you."

    She smiled weakly. "Thanks. The only thing I don't understand is why they were fake with me in the first place."

    "When did you meet them?"

    "When I first moved here, before I started college. I met Ryan, who knew Cassidy, who knew Anthia, who knew Jess. We all met up and talked and got an apartment together... oh."

    "What?"

    "Money. We needed each other to pay rent. Then you moved them here so they kept being fake to keep the penthouse."