Page 7 of Billionaire Hunt

She shot Uncle Niko a meaningful look and he shrugged. “I can’t keep a secret. I know, I know.”

“It’s not something you should worry about,” she said, looking back at me.

“Not something I should worry about? He’s selling your home!” I said a few choice words and my grandmother waited until I was done. For some reason, she didn’t mind me cursing around her, even though I’d never heard her use such language before.

“We’ll figure something out. I’ll get a job. Rent an apartment.”

“You’re old! That’s not going to happen!” I said, sounding panicked. Then I immediately felt bad. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Don’t be sorry. I am old, but there has to be something I can do.”

“Grandma, I admire your “can-do” spirit, but I’m 30 and unable to find a job because people think I’m old. I think at 80, it might prove a bit more challenging.”

“Nonsense,” she said, “I can still drive. I can be an Uber driver or something.”

Uncle Niko and I looked at each other. Living in New York City all her life, Grandma didn’t get a license until she was around 60. And honestly, being in the car with her was still kind of scary.

“Let’s wait on the whole job thing. I can’t believe this. How long do we have until her lousy ex sells this place?” Uncle Niko asked.

“He already sold it. He gave me until the end of the month to find someplace else,” Grandma answered.

My mouth was agape. “The end of the month!” I sputtered. “That’s in less than two weeks!”

The injustice and stress of the situation made my stomach turn. “I’m sorry, Grandma. This is all my fault.”

When I had relocated to Florida after college, my grandmother had already been here. She had grown tired of the New York winters and had moved to Florida shortly after I graduated from college. She had ended up renting a small condo in a very diverse, up-and-coming neighborhood. As a surprise, Wyatt had bought the condo from its owner and gifted it to my grandmother. I had thought he had done it because he adored her too, but he had explained to me how it was one of many properties he had invested in for a very healthy return. That was Wyatt…always practical.

So, for almost 6 years, I had been paying the basic bills my grandmother had like utilities and cable. I hadn’t thought about what would happen after I lost the business since I was so busy getting over the fact that he had betrayed me.

And apparently, he was betraying me again. More than betraying me. He was throwing an old woman out of her home.

“I’m going to talk to him. I’ll convince him to reconsider,” I said, feeling beyond guilty.

My grandmother shook her head and said with a steely voice, “No. We don’t need his charity. I never wanted to accept it anyway.”

She was right. She had at first refused to accept Wyatt’s gift, but I had insisted she take it. After all, Wyatt was family. But now Wyatt wasn’t family. Wyatt was a creep and now the magnitude of what he’d done made its way to my brain. The guilt from knowing my grandmother could be homeless all because of me was crushing.

I was normally too proud to beg, but my grandmother was reason enough for me to be willing to swallow my pride. I was seriously considering calling Wyatt and begging him to let Granny keep the condo.

Uncle Niko and Grandma left to go talk some more. I just sat there wondering what I should do next. I decided then to go for a drive, to clear my head. I didn’t even get out of the parking lot. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t even think straight. I felt like I was drowning and needed help. I couldn’t do this alone anymore. I needed my friends.

I pulled out my cell phone and called Lacey.

“Hey, you,” I said when she picked up.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so happy you called. I was just thinking about you! How are you?”

I sighed. “As good as can be expected.”

“I never really liked Wyatt,” Lacey said hotly. “Oliver feels the same way.”

I smiled to myself. Oliver was Lacey’s father-in-law. He doted on her like she was his own biological daughter. He was eccentric, an avid speed walker, and the most generous person I knew. He had formerly been her employer, but she had married his son under rather unconventional circumstances in Vegas. Safe to say, what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas.

“Oliver barely knew Wyatt,” I laughed.

“True, but he hated him instantly.”

“Tell her I hate him with the fire of a thousand suns!” I heard Oliver yell in the background.