It would cost innocent people their jobs, but it would keep the doors open.
But the cold smile that curved her father’s lips chilled her to the bone.
“Holly,” Lillian whispered. “You don’t know the whole story.”
She blinked, turning to her sister. “What do you mean?”
“She means that she wouldn’t have run to our greatest enemy over a round of layoffs,” John said.
The financials Julian’s been looking for.
“What did you do?” she demanded.
“He ruined it all,” Lillian said. “We’re not facing a layoff. We’re facing bankruptcy.”
Pure unadulterated horror swept through her. The company her grandfather had built? One that employed thousands of people around the world? All gone?
“How are you in the middle of a merger?” she demanded. “This has to be nine ways to illegal.”
“Yes,” John said, tapping his fingers on the armrest. “And?”
She reeled back. “Do you have no remorse?”
“Money can always be found if you get creative enough. Then Julian came knocking with his proposal. Was I supposed to walk away from that golden apple?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “Because he’s going to sue you into the stone age when he realizes what’s happened.”
“He won’t,” John replied. “By the time he figures out he’s chained himself to a sinking ship, he’ll have no choice. Either he’ll go down with us, or he’ll keep us afloat to avoid the scandal.”
“You want to use him as your own personal ATM.”
His smile made her skin crawl. “Tomorrow you have a lunch date with Julian,” he said.
Her head jerked. “How—”
“Please. Did you think I wasn’t keeping tabs on you? Had to make sure you didn’t have a sudden attack of conscience.” He waved to Barrens. “You did very well, Holly. The man is wrapped around your finger, by all accounts. Now is the perfect time to swap the two of you out. You’ve laid the groundwork well for your sister.”
“I refuse.”
The smile slid from her father’s face. “What did you just say?”
The tone of his voice sent a tremor through her. Always before, she would have looked down and away. Would have capitulated to whatever he wanted. But not this time. Not when it was about Julian.
I won’t let you win.
“I’ll tell him,” she said. “You can’t stop me. I’ll tell him all of it.”
She lifted her chin, ready to do battle. Funny, after years of being a shadow, she finally had something worth fighting for.
If we’re out of options, there’s only one choice.
She’d just have to trust that he meant the promises he’d made to her. That he cared about her enough to forgive the role she’d played in this ruse.
And if nothing else, he deserved the chance to run from her as fast as his legs would carry him. This was their mess. It wasn’t on him to clean it up.
“You’ll tell him?” her father said, his voice silky.
“Yes,” she met his gaze without flinching. “I used to think this family was my entire life. The only thing worth protecting. But now I see there’s another way.” She rolled her shoulders back. “If we crash and burn, then we deserve to. This isn’t Julian’s problem.”
A dark rage banked in her father’s gaze, but he didn’t speak right away. Knowing his Machiavellian tendencies, she doubted that meant anything good.
“Holly…” Lillian said, her voice concerned.
But she had no time for her sister. Not right now.
For the first time in my life, there’s something more terrifying than my father.
And losing Julian was it.
“If you’ll both excuse me, I have a man to see about a company.” Turning on her heel, she marched past the silent Barrens.
“What about your friend, Charlotte?”
The words froze her in the doorway.
“What about her?” she demanded, turning.
“What happens to her when we go bankrupt?” he said, a knowing smile on his lips. “You agreed to this game for a reason, my girl, and that reason hasn’t changed. You were willing to put hundreds of jobs above your own happiness. Are you making a different choice now that it’s thousands on the line?”
Her fists clenched. “That’s on you, not me.”
“But it will be if all those people wind up without a job and you selfishly choose your own happiness over theirs.” Her father crept closer, twisting the life. “How will you start your new life knowing the price you paid for it was other people’s futures?”
“Maybe he’ll help,” she said, grasping at straws.
Would he? Our company isn’t his problem. I’m not his problem.
Especially if she’d been inadvertently luring him to the rocks like a freaking siren.
“Are you willing to bet everything on it? Because that’s what this comes down to.”
Her fingers went to her necklace in a telltale sign of her conflict she was helpless to stop. Her father had a point. If she made the wrong move, everyone she’d been trying to protect would lose their futures. Charlotte had a mortgage she was struggling to keep up with. Her marketing director had just had a new baby two months ago. The sales intern was in night school to get her degree.
There were thousands of stories just like theirs. Normal people living their lives, trusting that the management of their company was being handled well.
Could she really bet on their livelihoods? Was their ability to retire less important than her need to be with Julian?
“There’s a way to be sure,” her father practically purred.
The trap was about to snap shut around her but even so, she asked, “What do you mean?”
His grin was fast. “You think Julian knows you, cares about you?”
She flinched.
“So let’s put it to the test. Is he a man who would choose you over everyone else, or is he a CEO playing the game because it’s what’s best for his interests?”
“He’s not like that.”
“Then you have nothing to lose.” He gestured to Lillian. “Tomorrow, your sister will meet him in your place. If he cares about you, he’ll never be fooled by another woman. No matter how identical. Right?”
Her throat tightened.
Don’t do this. Don’t say—
“It’s simple. If realizes he’s not there with you, then we’ll trust that you know him better than we do, and you can risk all our futures by telling him. But if he doesn’t notice the switch, then you have to admit that your star-crossed love was never anything more than a business arrangement, and you will fall in line.”
Shock flooded her. This was her worst fear come to life. That Julian would be just as happy with Lillian as he said he was with her. That she really was that interchangeable to a man she was falling for.
That disposable.
“What do you say?” her father said with a Cheshire cat grin. “I think this compromise is more than fair.”
It was a devil’s bargain, but what could she do? Her father was right. If Julian didn’t recognize her, then he didn’t care about her in any way that mattered. And if that was true, telling the truth would damn her employees.
They needed to be sure.
“Fine,” she said, pulling the engagement ring off her finger to hand to Lillian. “He’ll pass.”
I know he will.
Because any other outcome was unthinkable.
Chapter Sixteen
Something was wrong.
He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was like an itch in his brain.
When Lillian had shown up for lunch today her smile had been a little less bright than normal. She’d said work was getting stressful, but the words had rung hollow for some reason.
Now he watched her finish her food, cutting the last bite in two with precise movements.
“Are you sure everything’s fine?” he asked again.
; She smiled at him. “Absolutely.”
“Okay.”
Everyone has bad days. It’s nothing.
Some something deep inside him refused to accept the explanation.
“The wedding’s coming up fast,” he said. “Soon we’ll be able to escape all this. Take a tropical honeymoon. Tell me a beach and some sand doesn’t sound perfect. Let’s throw in a Mai Tai or two. Hell, make it a dozen.”
He expected a ready smile, but Lillian merely arched a brow as she set her cutlery down without making a sound as the metal hit the plate.
“There’s so much to do with the companies merging. It’s probably not the best time to leave.”
He blinked.
“You usually jump at the chance to get away from your father.”
Blue eyes flicked to his. Was it just him or were they a slightly different shade today?
He glanced around the open, airy restaurant. The windows were all pushed wide to let the summer breeze in. Maybe it was just a trick of the light.
“It’s just not a good time,” Lillian said.
Crossing his arms on the table, he leaned forward. “What’s wrong, Lillian? Did something happen?”
She avoided responding while the server came to clear their plates.
“Just the check,” she said to the waiter before the man left.
“Guess we’re skipping the coffee,” he teased.
Those blank eyes swept back to him. “My apologies. Would you like me to call him back?”
My apologies?
What was going on?
“It’s fine,” he said. “If you were in a rush, we could have rescheduled.”
“I have…a few things to catch up on,” she said. “But we had this planned. It’s no trouble.”
It was like dining with a body snatcher. Everything she said or did was perfect. Her manners were as impeccable as always. But there was a chill to her movements where there had once been life.
Is this something to do with her secrets? What the hell is going on with the Abbotts?
She folded her hands in her lap, her back ramrod straight, and gave him a close-lipped smile. “I’m glad we did this, though,” she said. “It was good to see you.”
“You see me every day,” he pointed out.
Lillian blinked slowly. “Yes, of course.”
He waited for more, but when the silence stretched, he realized she was done. No stammering, no blushing, no self-deprecating smiles.
It was like she was a different person.
He couldn’t put his finger on it, but something was off about Lillian. She’d been too cynical. Too cold. She certainly didn’t seem like the woman who’d turned into liquid fire in his arms.
What happened?
Had he done something unforgivable he didn’t remember?
He’d never cared before if a woman lost interest in him, but Lillian’s blank stare was driving a dagger into his chest.
Something isn’t right.
“Are you coming over tonight?” he asked, already knowing her answer but not understanding it.
Her gaze never wavered from his. “I have a lot of work to catch up on. Rain check?”
“Sure.”
She touched her napkin to her lips before setting it on the table and standing. “I should run. Thanks for lunch.”
“Wait.” He shot out of his seat after her. Taking her elbow, he steered them toward a more secluded part of the restaurant.
“I know you’re swamped at work,” he said. “But I’m here for you.”
Something softened in her face, but there was still no joy in her eyes. “Thank you,” she said. “I really appreciate that.”
“But you’re not going to let me help.”
She shrugged. “I have some things to sort out. I’ll call you later, okay?”
He sighed. “Fine.” Who was he to talk? He knew what it was like to get hung up on work. “Just don’t work too hard.”
He leaned down to kiss her only to have her avert her face at the last second. His lips brushed her cheek rather than her lips, and another red flag went up.
“I should go,” she said softly, not looking at him. “See you later.”
“Yeah,” he said, taking a step back. “See you.”
She ducked around him and raced out of the restaurant.
What just happened?
Nothing good.
His chest tightened. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something was wrong. What had he missed?
He was moving before conscious thought caught up. Rushing out onto the street, he looked both ways for Lillian and caught a flash of her skirt as she turned a corner.
What are you doing? he asked himself as he chased after her. What’s the plan when he reached her?
Demand to know what’s wrong? People have bad days. It’s not a crime.
And yet something was tugging at him, telling him he couldn’t just walk away.
I’m a lunatic. It’s official. The Abbotts have stolen my sanity.
He zigzagged around the other pedestrians in his way and tried to reach Lillian, but by the time he turned the corner, he’d lost sight of her.
What am I doing?
He’d reached for his cell to call her when the crowd ahead parted and revealed a blond head he recognized.
“Lillian,” he called but she was too far away to hear him.
Putting his phone away, he set off after her.
It took five blocks to catch up with her, and once he did, his feet slowed to a stop.
Across the street, his fiancée walked into a small outdoor patio.
We just had lunch. Why is she going to another restaurant?
A pit formed in his stomach. Was there someone else? Was that why she’d been so distant today?
Her blond hair shone in the sunlight as she weaved through the tables. He was so focused on her he barely noticed when a second blond woman stood at her approach.
Lillian smiled, holding out her arms to the second woman. He watched them embrace, trying to understand what he was seeing, when the second woman turned his way.
His body went numb. Two. There were two Lillians.
What the hell is going on?
The women took a seat, looking lost in their conversation.
Twins.
He’d know she had one, of course, but the absent sister hadn’t been high on his list of priorities.
Not so absent anymore.
A spiral of relief went through him. Her sister was back. That might be why she was so off today. Family drama.
Who am I to cast stones about that?
A huffed laugh escaped him. Here he was spinning worst-case scenarios in his head when this hadn’t been about him at all.
What am I doing?
Clearly, Lillian had been focused on seeing her sister and not on seeing him. Not that he had a problem with it, but he did wonder why she hadn’t told him her twin was back in town.
What was her name? Ivy? Rose?
He searched his memory trying to recall the rare times Lillian had mentioned her.
Holly.
That was it.
Holly sat across from his fiancée, dressed in jeans and a white blouse. Glasses perched on her nose, and her hair was pulled back in a messy bun.
He stiffened. He’d seen hair like that before. Lillian had put up hers that way one night when they were getting ready for bed, the movements almost absentminded.
Frowning, he watched more closely.
Lillian sat straight in her designer channel dress, her back not even touching the chair. She waved her hand airily as she talked, in a way she never had before.
Holly leaned forward with a smile so identical to the one he’d been falling for it shook him. She nodded to her sister before reaching up to play with her necklace, letting it run through her fingers.
A loud hum filled his ears at the habit. A habit his lover shared.
Lillian was cold and distant today. Like she didn’t know me.<
br />
And her suddenly present sister was playing with her necklace. He was telling himself multiple people could have the habit when Holly dropped her gaze to her plate the way she had with him in the early days. Like she was trying to shrink and disappear.
The hum turned into a thunderous drone as the pieces fell into place. Lillian had looked through him like he’d been a stranger.
What if I am?
Identical twins. Perfect replicas of each other.
No one would notice if they switched places.
Especially a man who only knew about Lillian on paper.
The longer he watched them, the more obvious their differences became.
There was calm confidence in the way Lillian held herself, the way she moved. Even the way she signaled their waiter.
In contrast, Holly fidgeted in her seat, gripping her chair as if she needed to hang on to something. She was nowhere near as composed as her sister. Especially when Lillian said something that caused her head to hang low and her shoulders to hunch.
Instinct surged through him, demanding he rush to her side and find out what was wrong. What had made her look so defeated.
And that instinct enraged him.
They tricked me.
Why?
He shouldn’t give a damn if Holly was upset. What they’d done to him was far worse than anything they could be discussing.
Anger boiled up pushing back the shock. They’d been playing with him. Had they been switching throughout the time they’d been together? Who was he dating?
Who was he marrying?
His hands clenched at his side. If they thought they could take Julian Worth for a fool, then the Abbott sisters had another thing coming.
They will pay for this.
He’d make sure of it.
…
“What did you say?” Holly asked again, needing to hear the words Lillian had just said one more time.
Her sister reached across the table and took her hand. “He didn’t notice, Olly. I’m so sorry. He asked if I was having a bad day, but that was it. He even tried to kiss me when we left.”
The world tunneled before her eyes. A roar filled her ears no one else could hear. Lillian’s lips kept moving, but there was no making out the words.
He failed?
She hadn’t believed it was possible. All morning she’d been anxious, but it had been because after this lunch the truth would have to come out. Julian would realize Lillian was another woman and choose Holly. That’s how today was supposed to have gone.
Betraying the Billionaire (Abbott Sisters) Page 13
