Mother grabs Murphy’s hand as if she is experiencing great tension. My brother pats her, while his foxy eyes remain on my face. “Nathan, the question should be simple for you to answer.”
I’d have thought so, too. Except it isn’t. I was certain I’d be capable of lying about Eva to ensure I get both her and my promotion. And I did manage to hide my feelings when I told Mother I fulfilled Murphy’s condition. But pronouncing the explicit negation of what each and every cell in my body seems to be celebrating is…unthinkable. I’m not sure that I can go through with it.
Zach was right. I should have listened to his warning.
Suddenly my intention to sneakingly confess my love to Eva, then ask her to pretend it didn’t happen appears utterly insane. And impractical. How could I even imagine that I’d be able to stand not seeing her for even a week when my ribcage feels like I’ve just dropped from a climb and missed the crush pad because she isn’t with me right now?
So the only question that remains…
No, there is no question, really.
Eva is my love. She is my real passion. I can’t and won’t negate what I feel for her just to become CEO. It’s not worth it.
The realization that I’m using my step-father’s words to describe my own feelings is both startling and amazingly to the point at the same time. A small smile forces its way to my lips as I think how proud Malcom will feel once he learns how much he is an example to be followed for me now instead of one to grumble at.
“Nathan?” Murphy narrows his eyes. “What are you so coy about?”
This is the moment. I straighten my back and stick my chin forward. If I’m to admit my failure—which for some weird reason feels better than any previous victory I’ve ever claimed—I’ll do it with a proper stance. “I’m not coy. I’m just happy because I finally figured out how to answer Mother’s question.”
“Really?” Mother’s eyes glisten expectantly. She plays with her wedding ring, pulling and pushing it up and down, as if she needs a distraction while she waits for my reply.
Murphy, too, seems rather anxious. His legs wiggle slightly as if he’s making imperceptible bounces on his heels.
“Really. And I have to admit that I lied to you.”
“Lied to us?” Mother’s squeak sounds ecstatic instead of indignant. She slaps her hands, then pokes Murphy on his shoulder. “Did you hear it?”
Murphy doesn’t flinch at her touch, but keeps staring at me. Even when he answers Mother, his eyes are still fixated on me as if he needs all his attention to read me correctly. “I did. But let him elaborate, Mother, please.”
“Ah, yes, sure, sure. Nathan dear, please continue.” Her request is saturated with a joyful undertone, and her entire face is bright and glowing.
What is going on? Why is Mother so excited that I’ve lied? But I don’t have time to elaborate on this enigma. The sooner I get out my truth, the sooner I can rush back to Eva, close her in my arms, and whisper in her ear that she is the most important thing for me in this world.
I clear my throat. “As I said, I lied. I thought I wanted my promotion enough to put on a charade, but it turns out that I don’t. Not anymore. Mother, Murphy, I’ve failed the second condition of the bet. I can’t be elected as CEO. I’ve fallen in love with Eva, and I’m not ready to give her up, even if it means that I have to renounce my ambition to lead our company.”
“Ah, thank you, Lord,” Mother’s yell reaches my ears at almost the same time as her hugging arms land on my shoulders. She presses her cheek to my chest and whispers. “I couldn’t be prouder of you, my son.”
Murphy too moves over and pats me on my shoulder. “Nate brother, that’s the news we’ve been waiting for.”
I stand frozen, like I’ve been struck by lightning, while they continue to elaborate on how happy they are about my choice. Mother doesn’t sound like her joy has anything to do with the fact that they preferred Larry to me. No, she keeps insisting that she has never felt more pleased about me than now because I chose to follow my heart.
Murphy must realize how dumbfounded I am, because he pulls Mother back from me and says to her in a conspiratorial whisper. “I think he didn’t realize the real stakes yet. We should tell him.”
Mother nods, and her previous thrilled grimace moves into a somber frown. “Nathan, I did you much wrong when you were younger. I know that. The blame is on me that you didn’t see your father for the cold-hearted grinch he was. I couldn’t bear to tell you the truth, because you were so much in adoration of him even when he never behaved as a good father should. All he cared about was the company and this obsession, while setting our family’s wealth also destroyed him. Later, when I was ready to reveal it all to you because I had Malcom’s love supporting me, you didn’t care for my explanations.”
This self-accusing confession isn’t something I haven’t heard from her before. But, as she just said, I never truly listened to it. I shut Mother out because I thought she pushed me away. Thanks to this bet, I learned enough about myself to know I was the one who did most of the pushing, actually. I give a smile to Mother. “It’s all in the past, Mother. But not like before. I’ve realized many things about myself and our family, and I want you to know I don’t blame you or Malcom anymore for anything.”
“Holy Moly,” Murphy whistles. “This is the most spectacular transformation I’ve ever had the privilege to trigger.”
I turn to him, my brows jumping almost to my hairline. “What is that supposed to mean?”
It’s Mother who answers. “It means, my son, that I couldn’t stand to see you become like your father. You’re too special to have nothing in your life besides work. So I asked Murphy’s help.”
“It’s all true, brother,” Murphy chimes in. “Mother and I have been worried about you for so long that we decided it was time to act. Your obsession with work, with your schedule, your lack of attention to the needs of those around you…it just wasn’t healthy. But knowing what a grumpy, change-resistant fellow you can be, I knew we needed to open your eyes in such a way that you wouldn’t realize what was happening to you.”
I shake my head and pull up my shoulders. I’m not following any of this. Was the whole bet nothing else but a setup then, like I suspected? Except not with the goal I presumed? “How does it relate to my promotion?” I ask.
“Mother wanted to ensure that, before you take on the role of CEO, you’d have your personal life in order. That you’d face the challenges of this work with someone you love at your side so you wouldn’t fall down the same rabbit hole as Father. Thus we came up with a way to trick you.”
Murphy’s words reach me as if they’re traveling through a thick fog. I hear their echo, I almost see the letters swirl toward me, but their meaning still escapes my brain. They made me think I was doing a real bet with serious consequences? They wanted me to feel like it was for work that I spent time with Eva, when in fact, all Mother and Murphy were doing was playing matchmakers?
Mother engulfs my wrist with her fingers. Her thumb makes small circles on my skin. “Son, I knew you would refuse to start looking for love, just because I thought it’s essential for your happiness. You never appreciated the treasure I found with Malcom. So when your brother suggested the bet and explained to me why it might work, I approved it right away. Murphy said that if you believed you were courting Eva to become CEO, you would give it all you’ve got and maybe, along the way, lose yourself in the process.” She peers up at me, a tear glistening in her left eye. “And your brother was right.”
Is she implying what I think she is? “Are you saying that making Eva fall in love with me was never a condition for my promotion?”
Mother gives a bemused snort. “Of course, not. The position was always yours, Nathan. As long as you want it, of course. I was just trying to give you some time to settle down and sort your life out. Leading a company and having a balanced personal life isn’t easy. I could only do it myself because I stepped into this role a few years afte
r I met Malcom and because I already had you two. So my priorities were in order. I hoped that if you discovered the pleasures that a good relationship can provide, you might be a happier person and thus also a better CEO.”
But how could they be sure Eva would be the right match for me? It couldn’t be an obvious choice, given our social differences. “Murphy, why Eva? How did you know?”
Murphy rubs his hands. “I’d met Eva’s grandmother and found her to be a very nice and honest lady. She told me about her grandchild, who was apparently beautiful and passionate, but had her heart broken before and wasn’t ready to date anyone. It was around the same time I was pondering the bet. I thought my meeting with Ms. Flores was a sign sent from heaven. That same night, I disguised myself and went to see Eva at the bar.”
“You disguised yourself?” The image of my brother in a wig, a fake mustache, and a colorful sombrero flashes into my mind, and I can’t suppress a bemused chuckle. “So you’ve been in the Desert Rose before. That explains why you moved through the place with the ease of a regular.”
“Well, not a regular, but I did two visits, each time as a different persona to ensure that I observed Eva long enough to see whether she could be someone for you and you for her.”
Mother nods. “When Murphy first suggested Eva, I was slightly puzzled. I feared that she might be dazzled by our money and not see the right things in you. But Murphy was convinced that by bringing you face to face with someone so different but intriguing, you might be captivated more. Obviously, and thankfully, he is much better at reading people than I am.”
“Mother.” I meet her gaze. “Eva isn’t after my wealth. I think she really loves me.”
“I know she does, my son. I could see it in her eyes when she defended you against Murphy’s accusations.”
“Accusations?” I snap to Murphy and he cringes at my hostile face.
“Calm down, brother. It was just part of her test. She wasn’t ready to admit how she felt for you, probably because you haven’t told her what you told us, right?”
“Right,” I mumble. I don’t want to share with them the shameful plan that I intended to carry out tonight. Luckily I came to my senses before committing a serious mistake.
Murphy nods. “You see? I needed a sophisticated approach to get her talking.”
“And your best method was to accuse me? Accuse me of what exactly?”
“Ah, nothing important.” He waves. “I just called you a grumpy, cold-hearted, calculating robot or something along those lines.”
“Murrrrphy…”I growl.
Mother pats my cheek. “Murphy didn’t mean it seriously, of course. And you should be pleased, because Eva immediately contradicted him. The words she used to describe you, and the passion in her voice, only a woman truly in love can speak about her man like this. You are very lucky to have found a girl like Eva.”
“I know, Mother.” My frustration dissipates as quickly as a balloon that has been poked with a fork. A minute ago, I was contemplating punching Murphy in the face, and now, the thing I want to do most is hug him. If he hadn’t recognized that my heart wasn’t such a deserted wasteland, then I never would have encountered Eva. “Thank you, brother. You went through a lot of trouble to set up this bet. But I couldn’t be more thrilled that you did.”
Murphy sniffs a few times before grinning. “I know, I know, I should be nominated for the Nobel Prize in human motivational psychology.” Though he feigns a mocking tone, I can see that my words got to him.
A mushy warmth that, thanks to Eva, I am now almost familiar with spreads in my stomach. It’s that sensation you feel when you’re certain that others care for you. Eva loves me. Mother, Malcom, and my aunt, too. Also, my crazy and sometimes annoying brother does. The sudden realization that I have so many special people to be thankful for makes my heart risk bursting. And it seems I will become CEO, after all. Mother is right. If I’m not the luckiest man alive, I don’t know who is.
Mother dabs her eyes with a handkerchief. “There’s nothing more brave or more rewarding than loving someone. I’m so glad we could help you realize it.”
“Me too, Mother, me too,” I murmur while Mother and Murphy assault me with a hug, which is probably the weirdest moment of affection I’ve ever experienced, but instead of recoiling from it, I embrace them tightly. The liberating knowledge that my own family had faith in me and cared enough for me to watch out for my happiness as well as for my career fills my chest with an unknown elation. It’s thanks to them that I found Eva. It’s a gift I won’t ever be able to repay.
A sudden urge to go and fetch Eva swamps me. I need to annihilate the last remaining grain of my lie to Eva as soon as possible, so she can share my joy and meet my family as my official girlfriend.
I’m about to leave, when Zach enters.
His face is pulled into a severe frown that I’ve only seen on him once, when he learned that his sister was in an accident. What could have happened?
He strides to me and holds out his hand in silence.
I glance at his stretched palm and all blood leaves my face.
“Where did you get these?” I ask, but the ache gripping my belly anticipates the answer before my friend has time to articulate it.
“Eva left them for you. She said you would understand why she had to give them back.”
I take the small diamond drops from Zach’s hand, but my skin doesn’t register them landing between my fingers.
Murphy pulls up his shoulders. “What’s this, Nate? What happened?”
My voice comes out like a robotic creak as I hiss between my teeth. “Eva knows about the bet. I don’t know how, but she does. She must have left. I need to go and find her.”
In my mind there is a tempest of thoughts swirling. If she knows, she must hate me by now.
How can I salvage this?
I MUST salvage this.
Chapter 35
(Eva)
“That’s your stop, my love.” The taxi driver throws me a get-out-quickly glance.
My eyes dart to the windows.
We’re nowhere near to my house yet. The large, dimly lit square to my left is the outskirts of my district, a good twenty minutes’ walk from my street. There are crushed take-out cups, crumpled wrappers, and empty liquor bottles beside the bench that stands next to the only working streetlight. A few grackles are drinking from a greasy-looking puddle beside a flattened cardboard box and a ratty blanket just beside the pole. Whenever I can, I avoid this area even in daylight. It has a reputation of being a popular place for shady, late night encounters and among junkies—and probably rats and cockroaches, too.
“This is not Liberty Street,” I say with a trembling voice.
Please take me, home—I want to add, but I can’t, because if I speak more, I won’t be able to suppress the sobs. It took all my willpower not to cry during the car ride. The only thing helping me withhold the tears has been repeating La Mujer Sin Alma’s rhyme over and over in my head. As if replaying the words that became my prophecy could cancel out the guilt about my own stupidity and the sorrow over Nathan’s cruel betrayal.
“No, it’s not. But thirty bucks won’t get you further than this.” He bores the dimple in his chin with his thumb, while his eyes give me a slow once-over.
“I told you I’ll get you more once we arrive at my place. I just don’t have any more cash on me right now,” I mumble.
To tell the truth, I didn’t have any. The tiny clutch purse didn’t allow me to carry much besides a lipstick, a small comb, and my cell phone. I didn’t anticipate that I'd be using my wallet when attending a charity ball with Nathan. I was lucky that Lola could lend me this much money, otherwise I couldn’t have called a taxi at all.
The driver’s glance illuminates with a dirty glint. He licks his chapped lips with a gesture that makes my stomach churn. “If you want, we could make a sweet deal. What do you say?”
“How dare you?” I shriek, pulling a hand to my cleavage self-consci
ously.
The man snorts. “Ah, so you’re okay with attending parties in posh villas and sharing your jewel with hotshots, but you refuse a humble guy like me? This is barrio Latino.” He fakes a thick Spanish accent. “Not your client’s suburb. You need to make a reality check, love.”
Though my chest is throbbing with disdain, a small part of me understands where the man is coming from. He must think I’m a call girl. Even if I hate to admit it, the contrast between Nathan’s Mother’s luxurious mansion and my own address could lead to this conclusion. Plus, add in that I’m in a fancy ball gown, but unable to pay for my ride, and the picture of a lady-of-the-evening is complete.
I lift my chin with as much dignity as I have left and throw the dollar bills at the man. “It’s the end of our ride then, thanks.” I struggle to climb out with the puffy underskirt, and a piece of tulle even gets stuck in the seat belt. I pull on it with force and the tear ripples through the air.
The man turns the key in the ignition, murmuring, “Suit yourself.”
I slam the door, and he drives off with a roaring engine.
I shuffle to the bench. It’s supposed to be the stop for the night bus, and a quick peek at a worn-down schedule taped on the lamppost says it should start its usual circulation in an hour. I could try to walk home, but some of the streets I’d need to cross don’t have proper lighting. Not the best idea in this dress. Also, my feet hurt in my heels. I’ll need to wait.
I consider sitting on the bench, but the dubious sticky smudge glistening on its wooden surface dissuades me. Instead, I lean my shoulder against the moist, stony surface of the pole and bury my face into my palm. The shredding sound of my dress echoes in my head, mixed with the memory of Nathan’s words.
I’ve complied with Murphy’s conditions concerning Eva. You can approve my promotion at the next board meeting.
A wave of nausea hits me. The sweet fantasies I fought so hard to keep out of my heart at first, but that eventually overtook my entire soul, were ripped apart easier than the fabric of my skirt with Nathan’s words.
Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love) Page 28
