Grumpy Billionaire Next Door

Grumpy Billionaire Next Door A SWEET FAKE MARRIAGE ROMANCE Liz Hamilton Copyright © Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved by the publisher, Liz Hamilton. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that any liability, in terms of inattention or otherwise, by any usage or abuse of any policies, processes, or directions contained within is the sole and utter responsibility of the recipient reader. Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher. Legal Notice: This book is copyright protected. This is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part or the content within this book without the consent of the author or copyright owner. Legal action will be pursued if this is breached. Disclaimer Notice: Please note the information contained within this document is for entertainment purposes only. No warranties of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author or publisher responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, which are incurred as a result of the use of the information contained within this document, including, but not limited to; errors, omissions, or inaccuracies. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Dedication To the editors and partners who helped me build this story and most of all to my beloved readers. You help me do what I love the most. Enjoy! Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Epilogue Afterword Chapter One SAM "You know you can't mess this up," Gerald says beside me, and I turn to look at him. He grits his teeth and says nothing under my admonishing gaze. Sometimes I wonder if he even has a heart and if anything within him is still alive for anyone else except me. I stare at him for a while longer until his eyes finally soften, and he sighs. "I know I stepped out of line. Look, I miss him as well but there are things that we have to do, and we must not let sentimentality get in our way. I loved the old man but there are vultures, and guess who the vultures are looking at now. Yes, you guessed right. They are looking at you. You're the one they must uproot," he says to me through clenched teeth. "Everything that you're saying is based on speculation and that is not what I deal in. That is not what a businessman worth his salt deals in, especially when we don't know what our grandfather decided. All of this won't even matter depending on what we hear today, and I would prefer it if you treated this with the respect that it deserves. He was our grandfather. Now, I can tolerate this cold-blooded madness from others but not from you. Do you understand?" I say to him. I know that he wants to argue but he looks at me then he sucks his teeth. "Yeah, I understand," he says to me, and I nod at him. I adjust my tie and we start walking into the house. I remember all the times when I ran across the staircase as a child, all the times when I sat on them and read novels and stories, books my grandfather would give to me. He was the greatest man I had ever known, an icon whom I hope to live up to. There are times when I wonder what sort of life he lived and the obstacles he must have faced. But he had already told them to me and I carry them in my heart. I suppose that I already know, as everyone does, what will be in store for me. This was not a part that I could fight. There was no one else there that could take over, no one had the patience to endure his tutelage and expectations. While they might be seeing what he gave me as a reward, I see it as a burden I must carry, one that stretched to every member of the family. Anyone who does not see it that way is simply unfit to lead or play an active role in the family. I enter the foyer with the grand rotating metalwork and the sculptures on the wall. I used to think that when I grew up, it would finally seem a bit less overwhelming but as I stand within it, I can see that is not so. The house is still as grand as I remember. "Samuel," a voice calls to me, and I turn to see my grandmother, Anna, standing there with her arms wide open. I walk to her and hold her in a hug. She is a tiny woman but just being in her presence is enough to make the strongest men wilt. "By God, child, have you been starving?" She asks me. The truth is that I have actually