Battle with a Billionaire: A Suspenseful Billionaire Romance (Hearts and Holdings Billionaire Romanc

Chapter 28

Julia sat stunned for a moment at the words. “What do you mean destroy me and Sierra?”

Was the woman jealous of their relationship? Did she actually think, though, that Julia would help her destroy Grant to stop her from trying to undermine her relationship with the woman?

“You’ll be easy,” Lydia said with a harsh laugh. “You’ve laid the groundwork already. Just a few edited photos of you with the good doctor ought to do the trick. Imagine Grant’s surprise when he sees a few images of you and his son just a little too close. We all know how Kyle feels, Grant just needs a little push to realize how you do.”

“I don’t, and I am not having an affair with Kyle.”

Lydia winced as she shrugged. “Maybe you are and maybe you aren’t. But it’s what appearances say that matters. And recently, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Dr. Cutie. It wouldn’t be hard to make anyone believe something was going on. Illusions can easily become reality, especially in the eyes of a betrayed husband.”

Julia heaved a sigh as she shook her head. “I’m not helping you.”

“Really? So, you don’t care if Grant thinks you’re sleazy enough to sleep with his son?”

Julia’s heart thudded in her chest. She cared deeply, but the doubt lingered–would Grant see through Lydia’s lies, or would the shadow of his past cloud his judgment? Or would he not even care?

“He’s been cheated on before, you know? He doesn’t take kindly to it, I can assure you.”

Maybe he didn’t when his wife was a romantic interest of his, but she wasn’t certain this would turn out the way Lydia expected. “And what do you think destroying him will do for our relationship?”

“You may be able to hang onto him when he has nothing. No one will want him then, so he’ll be all yours. And the money will be all mine.”

Julia pushed up from her chair, her hands balled into fists. “I’m not helping you, Lydia. No. Whatever plans you have, you’re on your own. You won’t have my help, and you won’t do it while you’re under this roof.”

She took a step toward the door when Lydia grabbed her arm, tugging her back harshly. “Fine, if that’s not enough for you, let’s try this one. I’ll destroy Sierra.”

“Destroying Grant may not crush her the way you think. She’s strong, too.”

“Oh, I don’t mean her fall from grace once Grant Harrington is no longer the billionaire mogul he is now. No, I mean something far more personal.”

Julia furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about?”

“You ought to know. I’m certain you questioned her odd loyalty to one Christopher Metcalfe.”

Julia’s mind spun as she recalled wondering why Sierra had pushed so hard to get him hired.

Lydia let her arm go as she paced across the floor, her steps sharp and predatory. Her room, once a haven of comfort, now felt like a suffocating trap. Lydia’s shadow loomed large, her presence filling the space with a palpable sense of menace. The air grew heavy as tension built. “Turns out all it takes for Sierra to offer you her loyalty is a few…rather distasteful photos.”

A cold dread snaked down Julia’s spine. “What?”

Lydia spun to face her, a wicked smile on her face. “It seems my daughter has gotten herself into a few…compromising positions. All of which were captured on film. Just one press of a button and Sierra’s reputation is destroyed.”

“You wouldn’t.” Julia gasped, her stomach turning over.

“Wouldn’t I? She isn’t exactly loyal to me, is she? She parades around making nice with you and sniping at me at every turn. As far as I’m concerned, she deserves it.”

Julia’s lips parted as her features scrunched. “Lydia, she’s your daughter.”

“Yeah, well, you wouldn’t know it, would you?”

“No wonder,” Julia retorted.

“Oh, spare me the self-righteous saintly crap. If people treated you the way they treated me, you’d do the same thing.”

“Maybe you should ask yourself why people treat you differently.”

“And maybe you ought to keep your mouth shut and do what you’re told, or else be prepared to pick up the pieces when Sierra’s little photo shoot hits the media.”

Julia’s heart thudded hard against her ribs, a tumult of fear and indignation swirling within her. The thought of Sierra being dragged through this by her own mother sent a wave of nausea through Julia. She felt cornered. The weight of Lydia’s manipulation pressed down on her, forcing her into an impossible decision.

Julia’s mind raced. How could she navigate the minefield Lydia had laid at her feet? There must be a way to protect Sierra without playing into Lydia’s hands. She needed a strategy, one that would outwit Lydia. But for now, she needed to tread carefully, her every step potentially perilous.

“How do I know you actually have these pictures and you aren’t lying?”

Lydia’s lips curled into a devilish grin. She shifted her phone in her hands and tapped on it before she handed it over. “Swipe right for the full effect.”

Julia snatched it from her and studied the screen before she swiped it a few times. Her heart dropped at the images, and she tensed her jaw.

“Satisfied?” Lydia asked as she yanked the phone back.

“Yes. I can’t believe you’d actually publicize those photos of your own daughter.”

“Don’t believe it and take your chances or sit down and listen.”

Julia slowly sat back in the chair, flicking her gaze up to Lydia. “What do you want from me?”

“First, I want your little amnesia act to keep rolling. You don’t remember anything about who is running DG Industries. When Grant asks, you flutter those little eyelashes and act your heart out. Got it?”

“Fine. We’re back to square one. I have no memory of what happened that night.” Julia heaved a sigh as she started to rise.

“Uh-uh-uh. Not so fast, sweetie. I need more than that.”

Julia perched on the chair, her eyes wide.

“I need your help. Your cooperation.”

“Help?” Julia asked.

“I’ll let you know when I need it. And I expect it to be prompt. First thing I need…you to get Grant off my case about moving out. He’s given me until the end of the month. I need more time. Make it happen.”

Julia chewed her lower lip. “How do you expect me to pull this off?”

“Get creative. Whisper whatever you need to in his ear. I don’t care what you need to do. Just make it happen. Or I’ll make something happen that you won’t like.”

“Fine,” Julia said as her pulse raced. “Consider it done.”

Lydia grinned at her. “Good.”

She strode to the door before she spun to face Julia again. “Oh, and this goes without saying, but just in case…if you breathe a word of this to Grant in some desperate attempt to defeat me, I will not hesitate to ruin Sierra. How do you think he’ll feel about that?”

“I won’t say a word.”

“Good.” She grinned again. “We’re going to have fun, Julia. You’ll see.”

Lydia flicked the lock and flung the door open. “Oh, look who it is. Dr. Whoever. She’s all yours.”

Lydia disappeared past him as he stared after her.

Kyle hesitated at the threshold, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. “Julia? Are you okay?” Concern laced his voice, his medical instinct picking up on her distress.

“I’m fine,” she said, trying to control her pulse and wipe the fear from her face. “Just…Lydia being Lydia.”

“Oh?” He handed her the cookies and pressed a hand to her cheek. “You’re warm.” He dropped his fingers to her wrist. “And your pulse is racing.”

“I’m fine. Lydia just…is a pain.”

“What did she say?”

Julia raised her eyes to his, trying to think up a lie that she could pull off. “The usual. She and Grant are family. Grant’s going to go berserk when he realizes we are together. The same nonsense as the last time.”

Kyle sank into the chair across from her. “Well, maybe you should try not to worry about it. My father and I just had an almost civil conversation downstairs. So, maybe he won’t believe her.”

“Yeah, Lydia tends to be extreme, so I doubt Grant would believe her. She’s just…a pain.”

Kyle bobbed his head up and down. “You sure that’s all?”

“I am,” she said, trying to force a level of casualness into her voice. “And now what about those cookies?”

With a final curious glance, he held the plate out to her.

As they spent the afternoon making light conversation, her mind whirled, searching for solutions to her predicament. She couldn’t help Lydia destroy Grant. But she couldn’t let those photos of Sierra go public.

Maybe she could somehow find the pictures and delete them. But how many copies did Lydia have? How could she be sure all of them were destroyed?

“Julia?” Kyle asked. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m just…tired. I think I’ll try to take a nap.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that code for I’m going to secretly work the minute you leave?”

“No, it’s not. I’m actually tired, and I’m really going to try to sleep. You can even take my phone and my laptop and lock my office door.”

“Okay. I will,” he said as he grabbed the phone from the table between them. “And I plan to check on you every twenty minutes.”

She sucked in a breath, an amused grin on her face. “Fine. I’m really not going to try to work.”

She wasn’t. She had all the information she needed already. She just needed time to think about how to deal with it.

“Don’t make me take you back to the hospital,” Kyle warned as he strode to the door.

“I won’t,” she promised, the forced smile sliding off her face the moment he closed the door. She sank into her chair, heart thudding against her ribs again as she replayed the conversation with Lydia.

She chewed her lower lip, her hand reached for her compass pendant as longing for a simpler time coursed through her.

A knock at her door drew her attention away. She rose and crossed to it. “It hasn’t even been ten minutes, let alone twenty,” she said as she pulled it open, expecting Kyle.

Instead, she found Grant outside. The sight of him sent a mix of relief and dread through her.

“Is something happening in ten minutes?” Grant asked with a check of his watch.

“No, I told Kyle I was going to take a nap, and he said he’d check with me every twenty minutes to make sure I wasn’t working.”

“Oh, right. Good for him. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“No, umm, I wasn’t actually going to sleep.”

“Julia,” Grant chided, “you weren’t going to work, were you? I’m really going to have to talk to Kyle about not letting you get over on him.”

“I wasn’t. I…come in.” She waved him inside, easing the door closed behind him.

She slid a hand through her hair and blew out a long breath.

“Julia? Is everything okay?”

She raised her eyes to his, her lips pressed into a thin line as she shook her head.

His features melted with concern. “What is it? Are you sick? Headache? Never mind. Let’s just get back to the hospital.”

She shifted to block the door, holding a hand up. “No, it’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?” She noted the flicker of fear in his eyes.

She swallowed hard, tension creeping into her shoulders. “We need to talk.”

“O-Okay. Sure.”

She tried to determine the best way to tell him. She had to. He had to know. But they’d have to work out how to play this to not alert Lydia. But she couldn’t hold it back from him. And she couldn’t help anyone destroy him. Or Sierra.

“Julia, if this is about our contract or living here–”

“No, it’s none of that. It’s just…I need to tell you something, and I need you to stay calm so we can figure out how to deal with this.”

The clouded expression on his features made her stomach turn. This would be a blow, especially when it came to Lydia’s willingness to involve Sierra.

“I think you should sit down.”

His eyes went wider as he lowered his chin. “Julia, you’re starting to scare me.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, “but this is going to come as a shock.”

Some of the color drained from his face as he eased into an armchair, his eyes trained on her.

“I remember who I saw meeting Christopher Metcalfe the night of my accident. The person who is one of the driving forces behind DG Industries.”

His features took on a tentative smile. “That’s great. Why would I–“ The smile faded as a knowing expression replaced it. “It’s Kyle, isn’t it?”

She shook her head, her forehead creasing as she prepared to deal the blow. “It’s Lydia.”

“What?” His face contorted with a mix of anger and disbelief, his hands clenching into tight fists. “Are you serious?” His voice trembled with the realization of the deep betrayal.

“I am,” she said.

“I can’t believe it. How could she do this?”

“There’s more,” Julia said, still blocking the door.

“No, there’s not.” Grant leapt from his seat as he stormed toward her. “I’m putting a stop to this right now.”

“No,” Julia said, as she shifted to block him.

“Julia, you can’t possibly have a reason to stop me from confronting her.”

“I have a very important reason.”

He offered her an incredulous stare. “Which is?”

She swallowed hard. “Sierra.”

His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “Julia, I appreciate your empathy toward everyone, but Sierra will hardly be destroyed by us revealing what her mother is. She can’t stand her. She just asked me to make sure she moves out soon.”

He tried to skirt around her, but she shifted again, keeping a firm grasp on the doorknob. “You don’t understand. I’m not worried about Sierra’s reaction to Lydia’s involvement in DG Industries. I’m worried about the fallout when Lydia ruins her.”

Grant’s features scrunched. “Ruins her?”

Her heart thudded harder against her ribs, and her stomach soured again at the thought of it. “She came to my room earlier. I guess she heard that I remembered?”

Grant’s confusion melted into a guilty expression. “Oh, no. I told her you did. Julia, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. She figured I recalled her involvement. She must have overheard us talking about that message I left you. Anyway, she threatened to ruin both me and Sierra if I told you anything about her involvement.”

“Could be a bluff,” he answered.

“It’s not. I’ve seen the pictures of Sierra.”

“And you?” he asked.

Julia shook her head. “She said she’d fake pictures of me and Kyle. She seemed fairly confident you’d fall for that, but just in case, she made certain that I knew she had the power to ruin Sierra’s reputation.”

Grant shrugged. “I know nothing’s going on with you and Kyle. So, that’s not going to work for her.”

“But I’ve seen the pictures of Sierra. Those aren’t fake. And if she uses them…Sierra will be devastated.”

“They’re that bad?”

Julia’s features pinched as she nodded. “Yeah.”

Grant slid his eyes closed, tightening his fists again. “How could she do this?”

“I asked her the same thing. She doesn’t seem to care what happens to Sierra. She just wants my silence and cooperation.”

“Your cooperation?” Grant’s voice took on an incredulous tone. “Is she serious?”

“She is. I couldn’t not tell you, but you can’t do anything about this. Not yet. We need a plan, but for now, you have to act blissfully ignorant of the entire thing.”

“I’m not sure I can do that,” Grant answered with a sigh.

“You have to. Unfortunately, until we can dig a little deeper into the other people involved and try to find a way to stop this, we can’t risk it.”

Silence stretched between them for a few moments before Grant grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I don’t like this. I don’t like you caught in the middle.”

“I don’t like it either, but I’m willing to be stuck anywhere to protect Sierra.”

He pulled her closer, wrapping her in an embrace. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Grant. I agreed the moment she threatened her. Obviously, I wasn’t about to play by her rules, but for now, we need to pretend to.”

He pulled back from her, his features still registering the upset of the situation. “Right.”

“The first thing she wants me to do is make sure you don’t kick her out at the end of the month.”

Grant rubbed a palm against his forehead. “I don’t know if I can stand living under the same roof with her after hearing this.”

“You’re going to have to dig deep for your acting skills because until we solve this, I don’t think you have a choice.”

He heaved a sigh as he shook his head again.

“At least we know, which means maybe we have a shot at stopping this,” she said as she took his hand. “We just need a plan.”

He squeezed her hand. “And we’re going to come up with one. Together. There’s no way we’re letting Lydia get away with this.”

She offered him a reassuring smile, her mind racing with possibilities. One way or another, they’d move forward. Together.

The End