Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter Forty-Five

With another smirk, he opened the door and stepped out of the room.

As the elevator doors closed, and he was finally alone, he dialled a number and waited for someone to answer. When someone did, he spoke without reluctance. "If Ms Rivers doesn't contact you in 24 hours, you know what to do with her."

* * *

Ronin's appetite died the second his eyes fell on Carmen sitting at the dining table. She wasn't alone, however, Grandpa Edgar had accompanied her, with Ronin's mom sitting on Carmen's right and Eric across the table.

What the hell was she doing here? He thought to himself, growling in his head and wondering why she couldn't get a fucking hint?

All she had to do was stay away from him and his family, but the more he tried to push her away, the more she scrambled her way in. It didn't help that his family seemed somewhat obsessed with her. Ever since they got married on that unfortunate day, all they seemed to talk about was her. He couldn't remember a single family gathering where her name wasn't brought up. Initially, he thought it was just his mom who couldn't stop talking about Carmen, but he was wrong. His grandfather seemed equally infatuated, if not more.

And he hated it so much—so damn much.

"Ronin," he heard Grandpa Edgar noticing him for the first time. "Don't just keep standing there. Come on, join us for the breakfast. Your mom ordered your favourite pancakes."

He sighed. "Yeah, sure."

Not that he had any other choice or whatever. After he returned from Weaverville last night, having gotten nothing concrete from Natalie Griggs despite his best attempts, he was starving like a caveman. So, there was no way he was about to let whatever issues he had with his so-called ex-wife, stop him from having the breakfast that he so desperately needed to keep going.

Pulling out a chair next to Eric, he sat down and ignored the woman in front of him.

Jane spoke up calmly as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "By the way, I'll be flying back home this afternoon. There are some auctions coming up next week, and the committee needs me to oversee the preparations."

"That's great. I'll join you. I have some pending work at the office too," Eric added with a smile before his gaze shifted to Carmen. "What are your plans, Carmen? Did you..." He paused, catching a glimpse of Ronin's expression before finishing his sentence. "Did you make up your mind about the proposal?

Ronin tried to avoid looking at Carmen, but his eyes briefly lifted to catch the way her fingers tightened around the fork. She had been silent ever since he entered the room, and he couldn't tell if it was her usual quiet nature or if his presence made her uncomfortable.

Mentally, Ronin scoffed at the thought. Did she see him as some kind of monster? The irony wasn't lost on him, considering how he felt like the one being tormented by her constant presence in his life.

It wasn't a lie though. Ever since she joined their company, his life had been thrown into chaos. She had a way of grasping someone's attention, as if it was her right to do so. He despised it, especially since he already had Jenna in his life. Even though his unwarranted and absolutely unwanted attraction to her was only in his head, he felt angry and guilty and so damn frustrated because of it. She shouldn't have any right to make him feel that way, and he had no damn right to feel anything for her when his own brother was so madly in love with her.

There was not one but a million reasons for Ronin to not look at her the way every pulse in his vein wanted him to. She was forbidden. A desire that he shouldn't pursue. If only he had learnt of Eric's feelings for Carmen sooner, he wouldn't have let the wedding happen. He felt so guilty for that decision alone as if he stabbed his brother in the back when he should have been the one to be there for him.