I Knew He Was A Billionaire, I Let Him Pretend To Be Poor Chapter 06

I Knew He Was A Billionaire, I Let Him Pretend To Be Poor Chapter 06

Nolan came back with fourteen thousand dollars.

The extra seven grand, he said, was Grant’s way of covering my hospital bill.

“Okay.” I nodded. “Did you say thank you?”

Nolan’s face went flat. “Thank him? He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

I laughed. Couldn’t help it. The fork was still between my teeth.

Nolan watched me for a long moment.

“Mara, quit your job. I’ve got some money saved up. I’ll pull it out. Just stay home and rest for a while.”

I sidestepped.

“We’ll talk about it later. I need to wash my clothes first. They reek. Got alcohol on them when I passed out.”

“I’ll do it,” Nolan said, already on his feet.

The washing machine had been dead for months. He ended up hunched over the bathroom sink, scrubbing

them by hand..

I expected him to give up in five minutes. He didn’t. He washed every piece, careful and thorough.

Then he ordered me a stack of new clothes online.

I side-eyed him. “Didn’t you give me all your money? Where’d you get the cash for all this?”

“…Credit card.” He shrugged. “It’s fine. I’ll pay it off next paycheck.”

I reached up and touched his face.

“Thank you. But stop spending on me. You work too hard for your money.”

Color crept up where my fingers had been.

“If I’m not spending it on you, then who? You don’t even own moisturizer. I’ll get you some. And shoes. What size are you again?”

“Actually, hold on. The washing machine first. One with a dryer. I’m here today so I can deal with the delivery guys. And that pan. The coating’s flaking off…” He caught himself. “Don’t worry about any of it. Go

rest.”

By the time I woke up, he’d replaced everything in the apartment that wasn’t bolted to the walls.

A small cake sat on the table, decorated like it belonged in a magazine.

“Mara, try this. It’s supposed to be amazing.” He was still unpacking kitchenware, grinning over his

shoulder.

I smiled.

“Okay. But why’d you buy so much? You must be exhausted.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have that fourteen grand. Let’s go out and celebrate.”

I pulled him down next to me, and we scrolled through restaurant deals on his phone.

We picked a buffet. Twenty-two bucks a head.

I tried a little of everything and couldn’t stop smiling.

Nolan barely ate. He kept checking his phone.

Halfway through dinner, he stood up. “Keep eating. I’ll be right back. I need the bathroom.”

I nodded.

But when I got up to wash my hands, I spotted Nolan and Grant shoving each other around the corner.

The restaurant was, mostly empty. Their voices carried.

Grant was furious.

“What the hell, Nolan? What do you mean, ‘know when to stop’?”

“It’s been, what, a week? And you’re already playing/knight in shining

Nolan looked bored.

“I’m eating dinner. Go do whatever you’re supposed to be doing.”

“You got dumped because you couldn’t keep it in your pants, and now you’re taking it out on other people?

Get help.”

He shoved Grant back and walked away.

I dried my hands, sat down, and acted like I hadn’t seen a thing.

A few minutes later, Grant walked up to our table and knocked on it with his knuckles.

Nolan shot him a look.

Grant slapped his phone down on the table.

“I’ve been looking for you all day. You shake me down, smash my phone, and think that’s it?”

Nolan looked at the phone.

For a secund, he looked like he was about to pull out his wallet and throw cash in Grant’s face.

He caught himself.

“Fine. I’ll pay for it. How much?”

Grant smirked.

“Your girlfriend’s a pretty good cleaner. Send her to my place every weekend and we’ll call it even.”

Before I could open my mouth, Nolan was on his feet. He grabbed Grant by the collar and hauled him toward

the door.

He looked back at me halfway out. “It’s fine, Mara. Don’t worry. Finish eating, okay? I’ll meet you at home.”

The staff watched them go, frozen behind the counter.

I wasn’t worried. They were friends. It wouldn’t go that far.

It was just that one second I was sitting with someone, and the next I was alone again. The quiet hit harder than I expected.

Nolan came home before midnight.

His face was scraped up. His clothes were a mess.

I hadn’t expected Grant to actually hit him.

I grabbed the first-aid kit and sat him down.

I’d been supergluing a broken sneaker earlier, and the fumes had irritated my eyes.

Under the harsh light, my eyes wouldn’t stop watering as I cleaned his cuts.

Nolan frowned and dabbed at my eyes with a tissue.

“Hey. It’s okay. Don’t cry.”

I didn’t correct him.

I set the swab down and pulled him into me.

“It hurts, seeing you like this.”

He went rigid.

“I’m fine! He can’t even fight. And I… I can take it. Who cares if he lands a few?”

friend’s

“There’s no way I was letting you clean his place. Not happening.”

I nodded, still holding on.

“Nolan, why are you so nice to me?ir

His whole face went red. He couldn’t get a word out with my arms around him.

I let go, brushed my thumb across his cheek, and went back to his cuts.

When I was done, he caught my hand. His voice dropped.

“Mara, if I did something wrong, would you be really mad? Like… would you stop talking to me?”

“What kind of wrong?”

“…Like lying.”

I made a show of thinking it over. Then I nodded.

“Yes.”

“I can’t stand lies. Even a small one. I’d never forgive it.”

His grip tightened around my fingers.

I’d said it on purpose.

“I was just asking,” he said, shifting. “I haven’t lied to you.”

I smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.

“I know.”

“Nolan is a good guy. He’d never lie to me.”