Fake-Married to My Billionaire Boss

Chapter 27 : No Negotiations

***

Katelin's POV

I was going to ask Raul about Nico and Yandra's engagement when we got back home, but curiosity got the better of me. He was acting out of character at lunch, speaking mostly to his aunts and me. He barely interacted with anyone else.

"I know it's probably none of my business," I say. We're in the car, driving home. "But can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Kate," he says. He takes my hand in both of his, but it seemed like it was a gesture more to reassure himself than me. "What's on your mind?"

"You're not happy about Nico's engagement with Yandra, are you?"

His expression shifted almost imperceptibly. "No."

"Why not? Isn't she a family friend? She seems nice."

He sighed. "The engagement was rushed. That sort of thing never ends well."

"I guess not. But this is all your fault, you know."

"What?" He whipped his head back to stare at me.

"We were engaged only a couple of hours before we got married." I gave him a pointed look. "Nico probably thought you'd approve."

"Oh." He frowned. "That's different. You and I ... knew what we were getting into."

"So you're saying things will end well between us?"

He squeezed my hand. "Of course. It's been good so far, hasn't it?"

I nod.

For a long moment, he stares ahead. I could almost see the gears grinding in his brain. Is there something else he's not telling me?

"You don't have any plans today, do you?" he says.

"Just a video call with my parents." I grimace. "I didn't get to do it last week because I..." Because I wanted to snoop into Marcus's personal life, I think. Maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to bring that up again. "I panicked about needing to find a wedding planner last weekend," I say. "What about you?"

He hesitates before finally saying, "Just a couple of phone calls, but we can stay in today."

I smile. "Good."

***

Raul's POV

"The family finances have all but collapsed," Nova says, her voice clipped and formal over the speakerphone. "They've been in decline for a few years now. More recently, they invested heavily in real estate projects that either got halted by government regulations or were unsuccessful."

I lean back in my chair, trying to recall what I know about Allegro Lopez's business affairs. I never suspected anything. I'm not sure my parents did either, because none of them said a word. The Lopez family was old money. Pride would make them try to hide something like this from even their closest friends.

"Could this be why Yandra broke off her engagement to Rafael de la Camara?" I ask.

"We can't confirm this. After scouring Mr. De la Camara's and Ms. Lopez's social media accounts, we can only assume the breakup was amicable."

Still, it might be possible. Rafael is now engaged to another heiress, one whose family isn't suffering any financial difficulties, as far as I can tell.

I wonder if Yandra knows about her family's financial situation. Someone's paying for her medical school and living expenses, and it's clear it's not her parents. A bribe, perhaps? Is that why she's involved in what looks like a plot to get me embroiled in a scandal?

"Is that everything?" I say.

"Yes, sir. That's what we have so far."

"Right. Try to find out who owns those offshore accounts making payments to Yandra's apartment. In the meantime, just keep her under surveillance."

"Will do."

***

Katelin's POV

"I'm getting you a security detail," Raul says as he enters the den.

I look up from my tablet and raise my eyebrows. "I thought Henry was my security detail," I say. My driver is a former marine, who served in the Special Forces. "He's not leaving us, is he?"

"No, nothing like that." Raul sits down beside me. He looks deep in thought again, like he needs to tell me something but doesn't know how. "I've arranged for a couple of bodyguards for each of us." He holds up a hand. "It's just a precaution."

"Why?" I lay my tablet beside me on the couch and stare at him. "Are you getting death threats or something?"

"No threats. I can't explain to you in detail why, but just... humor me okay?"

I nod. "Should I be worried?" Even though I'm asking him this, I'm already worried. During the five years I've known Raul, he's never had to beef up his security unless he was traveling abroad.

"There's nothing to worry about." He pats my knee gently, then squeezes it. "As I said, I'm just taking precautions."

"From what?"

He sighs. "I don't have anything concrete to tell you, cariño. When I do, we'll talk, okay?"

I nod.

There's a long stretch of silence, then he says, "There's something else."

"Okay." I swallow. This can't be good news if he seems hesitant to tell me about it. Is it a mistress? I know we both agreed this isn't going to be a monogamous relationship, but I hoped it would be some time before...

"It's about Yandra."

________________________________________

Don't forget to vote for this chapter! If you want to read a spoilery preview of Chapter 28 "Protecting Her", go on over to my blog:

https://anselacorsino.com/spoilers

I'll post Chapter 28 ("Protecting Her") here next Monday, February 6.