The Billionaire's Secret (Betting on You Series: Book One)

by Jeannette Winters

  Jon took a deep breath and exhaled. “Lizette, come sit with me on the couch. There’s something we need to talk about. Something I need to tell you.”

  Lizette continued to stand in the kitchen. She was suddenly nervous. Jon had a look on his face she could only describe as dread. What could be that bad? Yes, her memories of their time together were limited, but the last twenty-four hours with him had been wonderful. The way he’d been by her side, so gentle and loving—she couldn’t believe what he had to say could change any of that. “Jon, what’s the matter? You’re scaring me. Just tell me. What’s going on?”

  “Please come sit with me on the couch and I promise I’ll explain everything.”

  She followed him, then reached out and touched his hand. “Just tell me, Jon. We need to be able to share everything with each other.”

  He looked into her eyes and said, “You are the most incredible woman I have ever met, and I care about you very much.”

  “Thank you, Jon, you’re pretty incredible yourself.” She smiled.

  “Well . . . you know Matt just called me.”

  “Yes, is there something wrong at work? If you need to go I understand. I am sure I’ll be fine on my own now.”

  “No, it had nothing to do with work. It had to do with us, you and me. He wanted to tell me that reporters had been to the office, asking questions about our engagement.”

  “Oh, what did he tell them?”

  “Nothing, thank God.”

  “Well, that was nice of him. I was glad my parents hadn’t heard it on the news before I could tell them. But it was bound to get out eventually, right? I mean, you didn’t expect it to be a secret forever. Or is there a reason you didn’t want people to know?”

  “Lizette, please, I want you to promise to hear me out completely before you go off on me.” He paused, waiting for her response.

  “Okay, Jon, I promise. Now tell me because you’re scaring me.”

  “We were together when you fainted.”

  “I know that, they told me at the hospital.”

  “Well, when they took you to the hospital they wouldn’t give me any news about you. I was going crazy with worry.”

  “I’m sorry. It was a rough day for both of us. One I’m sure we won’t forget for some time.”

  “Yes, well, that’s not all. You see, I wanted—no, I needed—to know what was going on, and they wouldn’t tell me. They said they couldn’t because of HIPAA laws. You have no idea what I was going through. The last time I’d seen you, you were you going in and out of consciousness. I needed to see for myself that you were okay.”

  “That’s what love does to people, Jon. Why are you so surprised by your reaction? I would have been the same exact way if it had been you in the ER.”

  “Well, that’s when I told them you were my fiancée.”

  “Okay. So it wasn’t announced the way we wanted. That happens, Jon. So we didn’t get to share the news with family and friends first. Things could be much worse. It really doesn’t change how we feel about each other.”

  “Why are you being so damn understanding? You’re not making this any easier on me,” he said, frustration evident in his voice.

  “Jon, I don’t understand why this is making you so angry.”

  “Please just listen to me. What I’m trying to tell you is I told them you are my fiancée. But that’s not the truth. We are not engaged.”

  What? “What do you mean, we’re not engaged? You mean at all? Not that we never announced it, but we’re really not engaged?” she demanded.

  “Yes, not at all. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, my God, Jon. Why did you let me believe we were engaged? You should have told me right away. Why am I staying here with you, then?” Before he could answer, she remembered she’d just told her parents. “Oh, God, no, what have you done? I just told my parents, the reporters know, everyone knows, and it’s all a lie,” she said in a pitch he had not heard before but had very much expected.

  He stood there and nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry, Lizette. I never meant for it to go this far. I just wanted to make sure you were okay at the hospital and then . . . well, things got out of control, and I didn’t want to tell you until you had fully recovered.”

  “Oh, great, just let me keep believing a lie. And what did you think my reaction was going to be when you finally decided to tell me? Did you think we would just kiss and make up?”

  “No.”

  “I need to know right now if there is anything else you haven’t told me.”

  “Yes, we don’t live together. You have an apartment not far from here, but the doctor said you couldn’t be alone, so I had your things brought here so I could take care of you.”

  “You what? Without asking me? You just went to my apartment and moved my stuff? Who does something like that?”

  “Lizette, you have to understand, I did this because . . . well, because I was worried about you.” He reached out for her, but she pulled away.

  “I have one more question.” She looked him in the eye and asked, “Are we even lovers, or was this all pretend too?”

  “What we shared these last few days wasn’t pretend.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question. Jon, if you really cared, you would have told me the truth. Or is lying something that comes easily to you? Actually, don’t answer that. Right now, all I want to do is go back to my home—in Rhode Island. And if you care about me at all, you won’t try to stop me.” With that, she walked past him into the bedroom and packed her things. Anger was only one of the emotions she was battling. Sadness and heartbreak swept through her as she left the penthouse that only minutes before she’d believed they shared as a loving couple. Lizette stood at the elevator door, which finally opened. Glancing back one last time at the penthouse door, she turned and entered the elevator. As she made the journey to the ground floor, heaviness filled her chest. Jon had respected her request; he hadn’t tried to stop her. There was nothing left to do but go home to Rhode Island.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Her parents met her at the airport and brought her home. They asked her what had happened, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell them. How could she say the engagement had been a lie? No, she needed time to heal from the knowledge herself before she discussed it with anyone else. Instead, she told her parents she needed to get things done at Another Chance right now. “Everything is fine, Mom, I’m just tired.” She could tell her mother didn’t believe a word of it, but one thing she loved about her parents was they respected her enough to make her own choices—some good, some questionable, but at least they were hers.

  Even though the concussion had passed and she was by cleared by the doctor to sleep, it didn’t come easily. She tossed and turned for hours until finally her body gave in. She fell into a restless sleep, haunted by the sweet memories of what she and Jon had shared during the past forty-eight hours. Her heart’s desire battled with her mind, which told her being with him again was risky and could only lead to disappointment and further heartbreak.

  When she woke on Wednesday morning, she could hardly drag herself from the bed to the shower. The hot water beat down on her muscles, aching not from exertion but from stress. Tears began to flow, slowly at first, then uncontrollably as memories of the past two weeks, recently a blank, now began to return. The truth of why she was in New York, the truth of how Jon had used his sponsorship to make her relocate, and the truth of their relationship—or lack of it—all came flooding back. She could have dealt with that, but instead it was clouded by the lie of their engagement, and the genuinely loving and passionate time they had shared together. She had believed all was perfect in the world; she was marrying the man of her dreams, the man she loved. Oh, God, she loved him! Even though he didn’t return her feelings, she loved him. There was a part of her that wished he hadn’t told her the truth, wished her memory hadn’t returned, wished the clock could be turned back to what had been the happiest time of her life. Now it was gone, and she
wasn’t sure what was left. The detailed, mapped-out plan she had made for her life was now derailed.

  The water in the shower had long since turned cold. She toweled dry and slipped into sweatpants, a T-shirt, and jogging sneakers. Exercise normally helped clear her mind, but today she found she could not run from the truth. As she returned home the realization hit her. There was nothing for her in New York without Jon, and now, for the first time ever, it felt like there was nothing for her here, either. Yes, she may have planned to live here, to grow old here, but now she was here without Jon, and her life suddenly felt . . . empty.

  She picked up the phone and called the office. “Hi, this is Lizette. Is Elaine available?”

  Quickly, she was transferred. “Hello, Lizette, how are things in New York? Are you all settled in?”

  “Everything is fine. Mr. Vinchi has been updated with all the financials for the past twenty-four months.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Since my commitments in New York have been addressed for the moment, I was hoping I could use some of my vacation time. Would you mind if I took the next two weeks off? I will be back in time for the month-end processing.” She needed to get away, to think, to plan—and to recover from saying goodbye to Jon, if that was possible.

  “Lizette, in five years you’ve never taken a vacation. Of course you can take whatever time you need or want. It’s about time. Don’t worry about us, you just enjoy yourself—you deserve it. And by the way, let me be the first to say congratulations. I wasn’t sure if you would end up like me, totally absorbed in work and never meeting Mr. Right. I truly am happy for you, Lizette. Happy for you both.”

  “Thank you. I will contact you once I return.” She ended the conversation quickly, worried her voice would crack as she fought back tears. The lie was so deeply rooted there was no place here to hide. Time off would give her the strength to face it later. Maybe after a couple weeks the truth would have been revealed, and she wouldn’t have to be the one to explain it. How could she explain it to others when she couldn’t explain it to herself?

  Shaking off her despair, she picked up the phone and called her parents. She explained she wanted to get away for a few days but she would check in periodically. “Where are you going?” her mother asked. “Is Jon going with you?”

  “No. Things have all changed so fast over the last several days. I just need a little time away, time to adjust to everything.”

  “Lizette, I never butt in, but I have to admit I’m worried about you. You seem to be so torn. For once in your life, let yourself feel. Don’t think so hard and try to rationalize everything. Love doesn’t work that way. Just let yourself feel. You’ll find your heart won’t steer you wrong.”

  “Please, Mom, I don’t want to get into it right now. I promise I will explain everything when I return.” There was a long pause. “I’m okay, Mom. It’s no big deal. I’ll call and let you know where I am.”

  “Lizette, whatever you are going through, I hope you know I’m always here if you need me, okay?”

  “I know, Mom. Thanks, I love you.”

  “Love you too, dear.”

  Her last call was to the local travel agent, who she visited at least twice a year, even though she never actually booked anything. She gave her all the instructions as to where she wanted to go. The agent laughed and said, “Finally!” She confirmed her flight and hotel. There was one last detail, which was the most important: finding out if there was space available at her final destination. She had to spend twenty minutes on hold while the agent checked, but she was eventually able to tell Lizette that, due to a last-minute cancellation, there was one spot left in the class and it was hers. Yes, this was going to be good for her. It was something she had always dreamt about, and soon she would be there.

  She spent the next few hours packing. She was only going to be gone for two weeks but she wanted to make sure she had everything she needed. Funds were going to be tight once she got there, even though she had been saving for this trip for five years. Good thing she didn’t need to worry about sightseeing while there. Everything she needed was going to be provided by the instructor.

  Opening her desk drawer, she pulled out her passport. Flipping it open, she knew it was empty. But after this sixteen-and-a-half-hour flight, it was going to get its first stamp. Japan, here I come.

  ***

  The FDA came back with their approval on Wednesday. That should have been cause to celebrate; however, Jon jumped back into work, planning the next phase of the job. His staff was accusing him of being extra-demanding—well, that was what he was told to his face; he was sure they made much harsher comments once he left the room. No one dared to voice their displeasure too loudly, except Ted, who didn’t seem to get the hint even after Jon told one worker if he weren’t happy at Vinchi Medical Engineering, he was welcome to look for employment somewhere else.

  Once they were alone, Ted asked, “Doc not refill your happy pills, Jon?”

  “If you don’t have enough work to do, Ted, I can arrange for more.”

  “You know, Jon, we’ve been working together since you started this company. You’re my boss, but I would like to think we’re also friends, so I’m going to risk it and tell you the truth.”

  Jon was tempted to jump down his throat, but Ted was right. He was more than just an employee. He was his right-hand man, levelheaded, hardworking, and trustworthy. Over time, yes, he had also become a friend. “Friend or not, Ted, there are things I don’t want to talk about.”

  “You can’t continue to shut out the world. Rumor has it you are deeply involved with a woman named Lizette Burke.”

  “This is one of those things, Ted. Don’t go there.”

  “Jon. What you do here is important. It makes a difference in so many lives, and that is why I love working for you. But at the end of the day, I have my wife and children to go home to. Don’t tell me you built this empire so you could enjoy it alone.” Jon didn’t respond. “If the rumors are true, and I happen to believe they are, then don’t risk losing her. You’re willing to fight the FDA for what you want. You need to take that same drive and fix whatever you did to screw things up with her. That is, if you want to fix it.”

  It was true. Everything Jon had built here was for nothing if he couldn’t share it with the woman he loved. That woman was Lizette. Since she had walked out of the penthouse, he had done nothing but work. It had taken all his power not to stop her, not to try to reason with her or even just block that fucking door. But she had said, “If you care about me at all, you won’t try to stop me.” Jon looked at Ted. Normally he would have told him to fuck off, but this time he was right.

  “Ted, go to Matt for anything you need and take charge of the rest of the team to ensure everything goes smoothly while I am gone. I think it’s time I take a vacation.”

  “Damn, for a minute I thought you were going to tell me to pack my shit!” Ted said, laughing.

  Jon got serious for a moment, and asked, “You got this, right? If anyone understands what is riding on this, it’s you.”

  “No problem, Jon. I know exactly what needs to be done, and if I have to I’ll be the hard-ass you are to ensure the project stays on target.”

  Jon didn’t doubt that for a moment. He jotted down a few outstanding details for Ted and then headed back to his office.

  Jon stopped to update Matt. “I left Ted in charge, but everything needs to go through you. I don’t want anyone calling me. I am going to be unavailable but will touch base with you daily in case there’s anything urgent.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand. Your conference call is already in progress, but I believe they were waiting for you. Would you like me to inform them you will not be able to join?”

  He was tempted, but he did have unfinished business with those guys. “No, I’ll take it in my office.”

  “Jon, glad you could take time to join us today. Thought for sure you were going to blow us off again.”

  “Yeah I was tempted
to, Trent, but I didn’t want to deal with any of your surprises, and we have some things we need to discuss.”

  Drew laughed. “Good thing we didn’t bet on him showing up, Trent. But on a serious note, Jon, as we discussed last month, we need to decide how we are going to proceed with Takes One. So far we’ve operated only on a domestic level, but we’re considering expanding our operations globally.”

  “All of us have grown our own businesses over the past five years,” said Ross. “That has brought us to this crossroads. How do we maintain what we started with Takes One, and also expand it without losing sight of Brad’s mission? To do this it may be best to bring in another person who could help with the daily running of the organization. Someone who could perform the research necessary to make our donations most effective. So the four of us can remain anonymous.”

  A month ago Jon would have let them decide, as he had always only been invested on a financial level. After seeing and hearing everything a small not-for-profit like Another Chance was doing, he wanted to become more involved. Maybe not, say, personally picking up trash, but he definitely wanted to be more hands-on. “I think that’s a great idea. It’s time we take this organization to the next level. Anyone have any suggestions on who would be right for such a role?”

  Trent jumped right in. “Yes, I do. Elaine Manning from Another Chance.”

  Jon laughed. “Elaine Manning? What makes her the perfect choice besides the obvious, Trent?”

  “Elaine has been involved in community service most of her life. For the past ten years, she has personally researched the needs in her town and, with very limited funds, successfully provided more assistance to the community than many larger not-for-profit organizations. Her entire life has been dedicated to charity work. She is passionate about helping others. And she would be a great public face for Takes One, while also being able to follow through and bring us to the areas where we’re needed the most.”