Quentin's mind was racing as he was weaving his way through the crowd to find Donavan. Billie and Donavan? Donavan was her ex? He was the one who started calling her the Ice Queen? That meant that Donavan had known about them this entire time.

Donavan disappeared from the building. Quentin cursed and called for a cab to take him to Donavan's apartment. When he arrived, he began pounding on his door. A neighbor poked his head out but one look from Quentin and he quietly withdrew.

Donavan threw the door open and walked away, allowing Quentin to enter.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Donavan said, standing there ready to face him.

"Is it true?" Quentin asked. "Were you dating Billie?"

"That question depends on the time frame you're asking about?" Donavan said, infuriating Quentin even further.

"Just answer the DAMN question!"

"Yes, Billie and I dated. I actually slept with a girl before you got to her. Imagine that?"

Quentin's jaw clenched. Just the thought of Donavan and Billie together in that way had him seeing red.

"Must really get to you, huh? What could she possibly see in me, right?"

Quentin's eyes narrowed. "You really don't want to know what I've been told about you."

"I know for a fact she's never talked about me. She had no idea you and I were friends."

Quentin's eyes widened. "You spoke to her? When?"

"She didn't tell you she's been seeing me behind your back?" Donavan smirked.

"What?" Quentin asked stunned. "Billie would never..."

"If you're so certain about Billie it makes me wonder why you even bothered to show up at my door? Did you tell her before you got engaged to her that the deal is done?"

Upon seeing Quentin's reaction. Donavan's fist covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. "Damn, you didn't know about that either did you, Golden boy? I wonder if Billie will believe you."

Quentin advanced so quickly upon Donavan that he did not have time to move out of the way. He found himself gripped up by his shirt. "What are you talking about?"

"The deal was signed today. Her father's company is gone, sold to your father by Mr. Dupree. You failed, dude. In a HUGE way."

"No, my mother..."

"Didn't know about it? She may once she gets home. That is if your father bothers to come home to her in order to gloat. He may just decide to celebrate with his secretary in his office instead."

"How do you know all of this? Why didn't you tell me? You never told me."

"About me and the Ice Queen?"

"DON'T CALL HER THAT!" Quentin threatened, wondering how the hell can he undo the damage that was done. He pushed Donavan away from him so hard that he stumbled and fell to the floor.

Donavan laughed. "I started those rumors about her because I was mad. She kept pushing me away," Donavan said rising to his feet and brushing himself off.

"Her mother was dying!" Quentin said in disbelief.

"I'm well aware. My own life was falling apart at the same time. My father's company was about to tank because of a bad investment that I made, the girl I loved pushing me away just when I was about to ask her to marry me and where was my best friend during all of this? Off sulking over Calista. I was there for you, stood by you, through thick and thin. Where were you when I needed you? Off screwing around with any woman, you could get your hands on."

"You never tried to..."

"Didn't I? I called. I tried to get together how many times but hey, you had a date or some charity event to attend and you'll catch up with me later, right? I guess with power comes certain privileges."

Quentin paled when he heard his father's philosophies fly out of Donavan's mouth.

"What did you do?"

"I did what I had to do to save my father's company."

"What did he want from you?"

"Nothing when I first asked him for help. He said he was happy to help a friend of the family. What a laugh, right? He obviously didn't have a use for me until you started dating Billie. Then the task given was to break the two of you up. 

I tried to get you to let her go when things weren't going well, but you ignored me. I tried to get her to reconsider me but she wouldn't have it, believing she was in love with you," Donavan, scoffed. 

"Like you're capable of loving anyone. In truth, you and your father can both go to hell for all I care. I never stopped loving that woman. I started that rumor to give myself time. Knowing that men around her would come on too strong wanting to be the one to bed her and she'd spurn their advancements only solidifying that no man would touch her until I could fix things. Until I could be the man, the husband she deserved. However, I didn't expect you to go after her."

"I wasn't playing some game, Donavan. I love her. I'm engaged to her for, Christ's sake!"

"That's only because you're afraid. Afraid if you don't marry her, shackle her to you somehow, that she would disappear and take her love with her. You are so deprived you'd do ANYTHING to hold on to her, even keep the truth about the deal from her."

"I didn't know Mr. Dupree was selling. I thought it was a merger. I thought I had time."

"LIAR! Even now you can't admit to the truth. It's disgusting. She's better off without you."

"You think I don't know that already? But unlike you, I'm willing to try and be worthy of her, not just whine and moan like some impudent jerk."

"You're off to a banging start."

"Yeah, I am," Quentin's fist flew and Donavan was on the floor again.

"What the...!" Donavan said rubbing his jaw.

"That's for calling her the Ice Queen and spreading those rumors about her. I may not deserve her but she definitely doesn't deserve the likes of you."

Quentin stormed out of the house. He had to talk to his father.

***

It was getting late in the evening and Billie had called Quentin several times but she was dumped straight into his voicemail.

"Damn it." 

Why wasn't he picking up? Billie twisted the engagement ring back and forth on her finger. Why hadn't she told him about Donavan when she had the chance? Would Donavan tell him the truth that there was nothing going on between them?

Billie called again and was answered by Quentin's voicemail box. "Augh!" Billie screamed, wanting to throw the phone across the room.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Billie ran to it and threw it open. Her hopes of seeing Quentin were dashed when she'd seen Donavan standing there, his jaw swollen and bruised.

"Oh my God! Your face?" Billie reached out to touch it but Donavan pulled back.

"My prize for standing up for you."

"What?"

"This is the guy you're in love with? Quentin? He's taking you for a ride, Billie. How could you let him... why are you letting him do this to you?"

"I'm not letting him do anything. I love him!"

"You loved me too once upon a time."

"And you abandoned me!" Billie shouted back.

Donavan recoiled as if she hit him. 

"Abandoned you? Abandoned you! You were the one I watched change into a stranger. You're the one who pulled away, not even pulled more like pushed. I tried to be there for you but 'I couldn't possibly understand,' you'd tell me. And perhaps you were right but you didn't even give me that chance. I suddenly went from your partner in this life to a complete outsider. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? To have to watch the person I loved most in this world in pain and not be allowed to do anything about it?!"

Billie was stunned by his statements. Did she really do that? Did she really push him away? Or was this just another spin on the truth, to make himself feel better about how poorly he treated her?

"Quentin is playing you for a fool. And I can no longer stand by and watch him do it. I can't let him destroy you. He doesn't deserve you. You're a possession to him. That's why he wants to marry you. He wants to lock you in somehow, so you can't get away from him."

"You don't know anything about him. He's not like he appears in the papers and magazines. Quentin is loving and caring. He'd do anything to protect me."

Donavan stormed over to her. He had, had enough. He grabbed Billie by her shoulders and shook her. "HE'S A FRAUD!" Donavan hollered in her face.

"What proof do you have?"

"The deal is done, Billie," Donavan said his arms dropping to his sides the fight seemed to have suddenly been drained from him.

"What?"

"Your father sold the company to Harrison this morning. There was no merger. There was never a deal for a merger. Quentin was a distraction to keep you out of the loop and I imagine to get the support of the Board to sell."

"No! Quentin would have told me. My father would have said..."

"He's with his father right now. He knows the jig is up. Have you tried to talk to him?"

Billie's stomach turned. She had tried several times but wasn't going to admit it. Yet, she didn't have to. Her pain was written clearly across her face.

"He can't even bother to face you. He knew about this deal. He knew how close they were to signing. Instead, he became hell-bent on getting you to marry him."

"What?! Why would he..." Billie couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Quentin Harrison is my best friend. He was staying with me at the condo before he moved out with you. You don't think I know what's been going on? He only mentioned some girl, had I known that girl was you..."

Billie backed away from Donovan. "No, no. You're wrong. You're lying."

"I wish I was. I wish I wasn't the one who had to tell you this but I'd rather you learn the truth from me than live a lie with him."

"You're wrong. You're wrong about him."

"Am I? I've been friends with him since I was a kid, Billie. I think I know him a little better than you, but don't take my word for it. Ask Quentin yourself. Hell, call your father. Research the sale of the company. There are many ways to prove that what I'm telling you is true."

Billie walked over and sat in her chair. "He wouldn't do this to me," she said in a barely audible whisper. 

Donavan walked over and knelt at her side. "No, I wouldn't do this to you. I'm sorry I couldn't convince you to come back to me. If only I got you away from him, but his claws were in too deep."

Her eyes were large with unshed tears. "He wouldn't do this to me," Billie said more defiantly.

Donavan sighed. "I obviously can't get you to see the truth. You're blinded by the love you have for him, but at least this time I can say I tried."

Donavan got up from the floor. Kissed her cheek and left her there alone with her thoughts. Swearing as he shut the door behind him.

"He wouldn't do this to me," Billie said to no one as she sat alone in the room.

Billie knew no matter the outcome she had to discover the truth. She had to confront Quentin. With her phone in hand, Billie called him again. It rang until she was dumped into his voicemail.

Quentin always answered her calls. A deep-seated fear began to rise. Billie began to pace the room.

She made another phone call. "Yes, I know it's late but I need to talk to my father's lawyer. "Fine! Then give me the number and I'll call him myself," Billie hung up on her secretary. Two seconds later she got a text with the number and called her father's lawyer.

"Johnathan? Billie Dupree."

"Good evening, Billie. How can I help you?"

"I heard a rumor, that I'm looking for you to confirm."

"You know I may not be able to do that due to client confidentiality."

"Don't B.S. me, Johnathan, because I'm telling you right now if I find out from someone else what you could have told me, there is going to be hell to pay."

"He sold the company, Billie. Mr. Harrison is now the sole owner of Dupree Industries."

Billie collapsed into the chair. "What happens to all the people working there?"

"Mr. Harrison agreed to keep them on for one year and he would only let them go if he needs to restructure if the company is financially doing poorly."

"I see. And my position with the company?"

"Billie I really think you should talk to your father..."

"Johnathan?!" Billie warned.

"Dissolved. You are no longer an employee of Dupree Industries. It was stipulated as part of the signed agreement."

Billie bit her lips together and refused to talk until she knew her voice wouldn't betray her.

"Thank you, Johnathan," Billie hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment or two. She had some decisions to make. She made one more phone call that evening.

"Hi, I need you to meet with me. I know what I said before. Things have changed. Thank you!"

Billie hung up and collected her belongings and headed for her car.