The Billionaire and the Runaway Bride by Nadia Lee

Chapter Forty-Nine

Declan

It’s after eight thirty by the time I’m able to get away. A short meeting, my ass! To make things worse, I could only text Yuna once because my damned phone battery died. Fuck!

The whole thing was a clusterfuck. Josh wanted to brag about what an amazing human being and director he is. He only had one drink at the bar. It’s amazing how a man can heap praise on himself, like it’s a church sermon. I felt like he wanted me to say amen and offer a tithe.

After spending half an hour on that, Josh finally started to talk about the project. He said when he saw me in Pushing His Buttons, he knew I had to play the lead. Tim said I have other possible projects—probably to raise my value in Josh’s eyes. Josh regarded me seriously for a moment, then said nonsense because his is more important.

I knew Josh Fields had an ego, but I didn’t know just how big it was until today.

As the talk was winding down—Josh finally having run out of good things to say about himself—Melvin saw us and the meeting turned into a shit show. Apparently he and Josh don’t get along because Josh stole Melvin’s talent some time back.

Josh said it wasn’t his fault Melvin’s an autocratic asshole with the talent.

Melvin said Josh is a bottom-feeding scumbag, then added that he wanted me in his spy flick and demanded a firm commitment.

Pissed that Melvin was “poaching his talent,” Josh issued the same ridiculous ultimatum.

Tim jumped to mediate, which went about as well as trying to teach the concept of sharing to a couple of hungry puppies fighting over a bone.

And I couldn’t leave with Melvin and Josh each grabbing one of my arms and arguing with each other and telling me what to expect if I work with them.

They only stopped when Tim said we can make a decision after we talk contracts and money. Josh and Melvin both said they’d send contracts on Monday.

My head hurts, but thinking about Yuna makes the throbbing recede. Hopefully, the party’s still going on. Or at least Yuna’s still there. I want to tell her how sorry I am. Hopefully my present made her feel better.

After sticking my uselessly dead phone into the charger, I speed through traffic and reach the Blackwoods’ home in under thirty minutes. I use the guest code Tony gave me for the gates and park in front of the mansion. No pink Rolls. Did someone move it to the garage?

Or maybe Yuna took it out for a quick drive. Who wouldn’t, if they got a car that sweet?

I climb out of my Lamborghini and go to the door. Many of the windows are dark, but the party’s happening in the piano room, like Ivy said. The door’s locked. I ring and wait, trying not to pace to burn off the nervous energy.

After a moment, the door opens and Ivy and Tony appear on the other side.

“What are you doing here? The party started over three hours ago,” Tony says stiffly.

Ivy is glaring at me like I’m some sort of human cockroach. “And now it’s over. It’s been over for an hour.”

Damn it.I bite back a curse. I fucked up bad. “I’m so sorry. I got caught in a meeting. It wasn’t supposed to go that long, but things went out of control.”

“Yuna waited for you,” Ivy says, pointing a finger. “Do you know what it felt like for her to have you not show? And that car!”

What’s the problem with it? It’s a great vehicle. “Yuna doesn’t have a car yet. I thought she’d like her own, and pink is one of her favorite colors.”

“Oh my God! You’re an idiot!”

Since she’s right about me being an idiot tonight, I let her rant on. I have no excuse for missing the party. It’s the first birthday of Yuna’s that we were going to celebrate together.

Tony stands next to her in silence. But his disapproving face is eloquent enough.

“She can’t drive!” Ivy yells finally.

“She can’t drive?” I ask, dumbfounded. “How can she not know how to drive?”

“Because she just doesn’t, okay?”

“But she has a driver’s license…” I thought she said she had one. Or I could be misremembering, but… How can someone not know how to drive and live in L.A.? It’s so inconvenient.

“In Korea, yes! Which she doesn’t use. She has a chauffeur for a reason!”

I thought Mr. Choi was mainly for her safety. “Ah… Shit.”

The monumental nature of my fuck-up is beginning to become apparent. I cover my eyes with a hand. The car is as useful as a chunk of rock to Yuna.

Ivy steps forward and jabs me in the chest. “I’m going to spell it out for you, since obviously somebody has to. Yuna just wants someone to be there for her and care about her, the way she would for them. That’s why she’s refusing to marry any of the men her family selected. She doesn’t see that happening with them. I feel like an idiot for cheering you on because I thought you really cared about her. When you volunteered to help with the party prep, I thought it meant you are willing to put in the time, which is priceless.”

“Is she here?” I need to talk to Yuna in person. Now.

“No.”

“Where is she?”

“At the hotel with her mother. Who, by the way, was here to see the entire fiasco in person.”

Shit, shit, shit.Lady Min already thinks I’m unworthy, and this will only reconfirm her opinion. But what I hate more than that is how much I must have hurt Yuna. I should’ve just told Tim I couldn’t see Josh Fields today, no matter how much my agent wanted me to or how busy Josh is next week.

Because that meeting wasn’t worth missing Yuna’s birthday party or making her think I don’t care about her.

“Yuna tried so hard to act like it didn’t matter, only because she didn’t want to ruin the party for the rest of us. You don’t understand what kind of an angel she is. What a privilege it is to be in her tight circle of friends. You could’ve been one of the closest people in her life, but you threw it away over a meeting.” Ivy’s voice is vicious as she pours it all out.

She’s doing a great job of cutting me down. And I deserve it.

“Okay. I get it. And thank you for letting me know.” I take a step back. “I need to go talk to her. Right now. Excuse me.”

Ivy looks at me like she can’t decide between anger and pity. “Don’t be shocked if she refuses to see you!”