The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella)
Chapter 91 Ninety One

Isabelle frowned. "What was the point of the arrangement, then?"

"It was your adoptive parents who wanted a share of the Garcias' wealth, fame, and glory. The pact was their condition to an old business deal. If they had really wanted to cancel it, I would have obliged them in a second."

"But...they were afraid of your wrath. They acted like there was no way out of the arrangement. Besides Ruth's issue, that's why I agreed...they had adopted me and taken care of me. If I could do that one thing for them..." she trailed off and sighed.

"Then, it appears that your adoptive father was determined to marry one of his daughters into the Garcia family, come what may. You happened to be the ideal backup when their eldest claimed to be pregnant. She immediately shook her head. "No, my... Francis would never do that. He...in that household, he was the only one who treated me decently."

"Are you sure he wouldn't? I'm assuming he is the only one who knows the true nature of the marriage agreement. If his wife begged him to save their daughter from a horrible husband, why did he not just cancel the agreement when he knew he could do it? From the beginning, he wanted one thing. A marriage connection to the Garcia family. So he acted like he had no power to break it. Your sister forced his hand when she claimed to be pregnant, but fortunately for him, you were right there."

She couldn't believe it. Francis wouldn't be so...calculating. He treated her like his own daughter. He always defended her against Lucy. She shook her head. It couldn't be. But if what Jacob was saying about the marriage agreement was true...

"Trust me, I know a thing or two about how greedy people can get for wealth," Jacob said. "I would say the only reason they adopted you was so you could suffice for an instance like that one."

She felt sick. Her breakfast turned in her stomach and she pressed a palm to her mouth, shooting to her feet. "Bathroom," she mumbled through her hand.

Jacob sprang into action, taking her other hand and leading her to a door on the other side of the room. He opened it and brought her inside. She lurched forward and knelt in front of the toilet bowl just as everything vacated her stomach.

He was right behind her, patting her back. "Isabelle, are you sick?"

"I, uh, I must have eaten something bad," she said in between emptying her guts into the bowl. "You don't have to stay."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," he said, moving away. "I believe I have some pills here you can take to feel better."

When nothing more but dry heaves came up, she got to her feet and approached the sink. While she rinsed her mouth, Jacob rummaged through the cabinets. Like he owned the place.

"I...I'm not sure I can take that," she told him when he presented her with a pill bottle.

He frowned and looked down at the bottle label. "Why not? Are you allergic? This can settle your stomach in a few minutes."

"I'll be alright now that I've let it out," she told him. "Don't worry about me."

"What did you eat in the first place? And where are you living? Why did you leave our apartment?"

"Aren't you mad that I lied to you?" she asked.

"The only reason marrying the Cruzes' eldest daughter meant anything to me was because of my mother. I never wanted to get married to Naomi in the first place. Not after everything I heard about her. So no, I'm not mad that your family cheated me out of marrying her." He placed the bottle of pills on the counter and reached for her hand. "I count it as a blessing in disguise. I got to meet you."

She didn't know what to say. She had thought... Damn what she had thought. It had all been far from the truth.

"I wish you had told me about Ruth," he said softly. "I would have moved her to a better hospital and gotten her the treatment she needed right away."

Her eyes stung with tears, and she blinked rapidly. "I could never... Not while lying to you-"

"I know. But do you know," he said, "even if what your sister said was true, if you had really had your eyes set on my money? I would have done it, and never regretted it.” She searched his eyes in confusion. "What?"

He sighed dramatically. "Seriously, Isabelle. Can't you tell how madly in love I am with you? I wouldn't mind if you wanted to spend my entire fortune. As long as I get to be with you."

"Jacob-"

He pressed a finger to her lips. "I have something to confess, too. I was going to tell you that day, but then your stupid sister ruined everything."

"Tell me what?"

Still holding her hand, he brought her back to the office. He urged her to take a seat on the sofa and sat down beside her.

"This might offend you," he began. "But I want you to know I only did it because I thought I was marrying Naomi and wanted her to divorce me as quickly as possible."

Isabelle frowned. "What?"

"After things changed between us, I was going to tell you. I didn't want to keep any more secrets from you."

"What are you talking about?"

He pressed a hand to his chest. "I am Logan Larson."

"What?"

He gestured to the office. "This is my office. And, well, this company too."

Isabelle shook her head. "I don't understand. You are Jacob Garcia."

"Logan Larson is an alias I formed to start a business outside my family's sphere of influence. My family and I... We don't get along. I'm not

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involved in the family business. I built my own."

"What? But you...you are the eldest son, right?"

"Yes, but illegitimate. I'm sure you've heard of that."

She swallowed. "Yes, but...how can you be... Jacob, is this a joke? I know you know a lot of people in many places, and you..." She shot to her feet and paced. "Is this like how you would get access to all those fake jewellery that looked so real? You-"

"None of them were fake," he interrupted.

"You-what?"

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"None of them were fake, and, our apartment? I pay three thousand, not three hundred bucks, for it." He rose to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. "But most importantly, I want you to know, once and for all, that I'm the one who has been helping you here at the company. From the beginning. Not Jason, and definitely not that stupid college senior of yours. Speaking of which," he said, his face suddenly darkening as he leaned down to get close to her face. "What have you and that man been up to while I was fighting for my life, Isabelle?"