The Millionaire's Bet [BOOK ONE][#Wattys2015][#SYTYCW15][#CarinaPress]

part six

ALYSSA

"You know, Alyssa, your sister really fucked my brother up," Ben didn't even look up from his phone as he scolded me for the actions of Rebecca. It's not like a forced her to act the way that she did and I didn't demand that she walk out on the man while she was pregnant his baby either.

"I can assure you now that I am not Rebecca. The only reason I am here is for the job and I am aware that the only reason The Board hired me is because of the fact I look exactly like my sister, but I have no interest in helping to bring Andrew down," I sat down on the arm of the chair which Andrew had occupied not five minutes before. Just because first impressions had told me that I wasn't going to like the man didn't mean that I wanted to have any part in his downfall; it all seemed like childish games to me and I really didn't have time for those

"He may be a total dick, but he really isn't the bad guy. In all honesty, our relationship hasn't been the same since he was given the company and I was pushed to the side without a second thought for what I may want, but that doesn't mean I want him to suffer in this way. Truthfully, I just think he needs a friend," Ben's eyes finally found my own and that was the moment where I truly realised just how different the two brothers were from each other; they were nothing alike and because Andrew was such a dick to anyone he met, the only people he really had left now were Ben and Robert.

"I don't think I am that person, Ben. After the way he's treated me today, if he was to jump off the balcony tonight, I wouldn't really give a damn. I would be the first one there to dance on his grave," if there was one thing my parents had taught me as a child, then it's that being brutally honest was better than glossing over the truth. I didn't bother hiding and I certainly didn't tiptoe around behind people's back in the fear that I would hurt their feelings, I told people precisely what I thought of them and I didn't care whether they liked it or not.

"I understand. I more than anyone understand just how hard it is to like Andrew but, please, at least give him a chance? For me?" I had to admire the way in which he was pushing this and how he was insistent that I be the friend Andrew needed, there weren't many people who would look out for their younger siblings in the way Ben watches out for Andrew.

"Why are you so concerned anyway?" curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know why he cared so much. Other than the fact they were family and family was supposed to look out for each other, I didn't really understand why Ben would go to all the trouble he goes to, no matter how admirable it is, when Andrew clearly doesn't give a shit. "I mean, it's not your problem that he's the way he is and, if wants to drink and smoke himself to death, surely you should just let him?"

"If I don't care then he'll have no one, Alyssa. If he has no one, he's got no one to distract him and, if he's got no one to distract him, then I wouldn't put it past him to make an attempt on his own life again," Ben spoke softly and there was so much care in his tone. For a relationship which hadn't been the same for a while, he really didn't want to lose his brother because he couldn't hold himself together.

"S—Suicide?" the word was so foreign to me. I'd had a bad life, but I'd never contemplated killing myself, that would mean that I had allowed everyone else to win. All the people who had brought me down would know that they had gotten to me and they had beaten me, while I was in a wooden box six feet under, they would be carrying on with their smug lives as though they had never done anything wrong.

"It wouldn't be the first time. I've stopped him from killing himself once and Robert managed to get to him just in time on the other three occasions. Running the company, Robert and myself are the only real distractions and, without one of them, I don't even want to think about what could happen," Ben put his head in his hands and I couldn't begin to imagine the thoughts which were going through his mind, but I would assume that they all had to do with losing his brother because of the heartlessness of one bitch who couldn't stand the thought of putting her heart on the line for another.