BREATHE: A Billionaire Romance, Part Five Read Online Free PDF Page B

develop anything on his own. He didn’t have the patience to learn or the determination and drive to do it. He was purely just an idea man.”
    “So why didn’t you just become partners?”
    “We did, but when it was just me developing it, pushing it, trying to get investors; the whole shebang fell on me.” He breathed out, once again. I could tell that the story was a hard one to tell. He probably had never told anyone before. No one probably knew, except for him and Joey. “I was getting sick of it, so when it took off, I sort of just let him fall to the wayside.”
    “We didn’t talk for a long time…”—he sighed, nuzzling his head back into his pillow once again, likely trying to get more comfortable—“It was a miracle I even got him to talk to me again.”
    I felt like I never fully knew Derek. Every time I felt like I did, he threw me a whirlwind of news. New things always seemed to come to light when it came to him.
    “Well, hon, you need to stop defending him just because you feel guilty,” I cooed, holding his hand firmly just before placing a tender kiss atop the back of it. “You’re going to have to accept it for what it is. There’s something wrong with him—if not mentally then professionally. Something is wrong here, Derek. You don’t just misdiagnose cancer after that many tests, and you certainly don’t miss rat poison! So best case, he’s just a really shitty doctor!”
    “And worst case?” he asked, visibly annoyed. “He’s not poisoning me, Zoe!”
    “Well, I’m glad that you’re so sure!” I shot back, defensively. If he wasn’t poisoning him, then that was a good thing…the best thing, actually. “But you once asked me to trust you, right?”
    “Yeah?” he asked, looking at me, puzzled.
    “I need for you to do the same for me,” I said, laying another kiss on his hand before letting it go. “I just need you to trust me.”
    I placed a kiss on his forehead and rose up so that I was standing.
    “Do me a favor?” I asked.
    “What can I do from a hospital bed?” he laughed.
    I wasn’t amused. I was ready for my plan to be on its way. I was ready to figure out the truth. I stood there, my arms crossed, staring at him with great intent waiting for him to change his answer, but instead he gestured for me to continue.
    And that was good enough for me.
    “Confirm your normal treatment with Dr. Freeman today.”
    “What?” he asked, completely perplexed. “I’m in the hospital being treated for something else; I’m not going to that.”
    “I know,” I said simply.
    “Then why am I saying I’m going? I need to be treated here.”
    “Well, at least we can finally agree on that,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Like I said, though, I need you to trust me.”
    “What ever happened to the whole philosophy in believing the best in people?” he muttered just under his breath so that I could still hear.
    “Just confirm with him.” I winked and turned on my heel, ready to figure all of it out once and for all.

Chapter 10
     
    Derek confirmed his appointment for that evening, like nothing was wrong, and that gave me the perfect idea of what to do next…of how to catch him. I didn’t even think of it as clearing his name, or anything of the sort.
    I knew he was guilty.
    He had to be.
    But I had set my plan into action that day, and I was glad that I did. Because even before all was discovered, I heard footsteps clanking their way towards Derek’s open hospital door room. Most people wouldn’t have noticed. Most people would have shrugged it off. But I didn’t.
    I had a gut-feeling that it was something bad…that there was something wrong.
    And as soon as Derek’s door flung open the rest of the way, I saw none other than an angry Joey Freeman standing just over the threshold.
    “What the hell is going on here?!” he demanded, and immediately Derek’s head snapped up in fear.
    He wasn’t afraid of Joey—although he probably should have been—but he was