บททั้งหมดของ She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife: บทที่ 261 - บทที่ 270

(Natasha)Nathanial has bought a house you could lose a child in, which, it turns out, is the entire point.Big rooms, low windows, a kitchen island the size of a small nation.He keeps walking us through it like an estate agent who's also about to weep."And this one gets the morning light," he says, for the third time, in a doorway to an empty room."For... you know. Mornings.""He means the nursery," Taylor says, from the floor, where she’s losing a wrestling match to Lily over a wooden spoon."He's been pointing at empty rooms and saying 'you know' for an hour. It's the most threatening house tour I've ever been on."He gives up at the table.We're halfway through a roast pork loin Gloria swears she didn't fuss over and obviously fussed over, when Nathanial stands with his glass raised.Gloria says, "Nathanial," in the voice, and for once he ignores the warning."They already know. Taylor knows, Natasha knows, you told them when we were still waiting to tell people.""I told them.

(Chase)I'm three lines into a memo I've already read twice when the front desk calls up."Mr. Warren. There's someone at reception for you.""Appointment?""No, sir. He says it's personal. He doesn't have an-"She stops.The front desk doesn't stop. They're trained to deal with any eventuality."Sir." Quieter now, like she's turned away from whoever's standing there."I think you should come down and see for yourself."I'm already up.The elevator takes too long.I spend the wait trying to think calm thoughts.I promised Hannah. She gets to decide if I meet him. She picks the time.She said she'd call.I'm not going to be the man who steamrolls a thing the second it's within reach.The doors open on the lobby and the calm thoughts stay in the elevator without me.He's by the desk with a backpack on one shoulder, weight on his back foot like he might run.Three people behind the counter are very carefully not staring at him.Nobody has to tell them who he is.The whole lobby already w

(Chase)I take him for burgers.I could take him anywhere.I could have the private jet readied and fly him anywhere in the world.But a kid this age, sitting across from a stranger, doesn't want anywhere.He wants a booth, a basket of fries, and an exit he can see from his seat.I also seriously doubt Hannah would be on board with me taking him out of the city.He's in a hoodie, all elbows, eating like there's a famine on the calendar.He hasn't looked straight at me since we sat down.We have the same hands.I caught it in the car.He drums his fingers in the exact pattern I drum mine, and nobody taught him that.It just came in the box."This is weird," he says, to the fries. "You get that, right? Like you actually get how weird this is.""It's deeply weird.""Okay." He nods. "Long as nobody's pretending it isn't.""Nobody's pretending."I decide to get the worst part out before the food's gone."I should tell you something up front. I'm going to be bad at this. Not might be. Will

(Natasha)The Elijah thing is finally out, and for about a day I let myself feel light about it.Rookie mistake.The whole family knows now.Elias found out the way Elias finds out everything, then decided it was his idea.So on Saturday, I’m sitting at my own dining room table, enjoying the left-over Veal Saltimbocca from the night before in relative peace.Relishing the meal without the weight of carrying a secret that was never mine in the first place.Lily's on the rug, making a beeline for the remote that I foolishly left low enough for her to reach.I get there first, before she can get it into her mouth and drool into all the buttons.She objects in three consonants that don't add up to a word yet, then grabs a coaster and forgives me."Good trade," I tell her.My phone starts ringing and I smile when I see it’s Gloria calling.I pick up ready for a deal, or a complaint about a deal, or Nathaniel in the background being told he's wrong about one.What I get is breathing.Carefu

(Gloria)Lily's got both fists in my husband's hair, and I've spent the last hour making sure I'm always in whichever room she isn't.It's not subtle.Nathanial does subtle.I do efficient.The lunch is at our place, because the lunches are always at our place now.I made enough rump roast for fourteen people and I've eaten none of it.I've been very busy.Refilling things.Wiping down counters that were already clean.Natasha catches me at the sink."Gloria. You haven't answered a text all week.""It's been a busy week.""Gloria.""Don't."I keep my hands in the water."Not here.""You don't have to talk to me."She's keeping it under the noise of the table."But you can't keep doing this to yourself."Across the room, Lily pulls up on the coffee table, lets go to clap at something, and sits down hard on the rug.She laughs like she invented the floor.The whole table melts.Nathanial's face goes soft.I set the dish down and walk out the back door.I'm not doing this in front of peo