Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1000

Teresa had been pacing outside, a bundle of nerves, and the second she came in, she grabbed Emmy’s hand and wouldn’t let go. Her palm was ice cold, slick with sweat. “Emmy, you scared me half to death. I kept calling you, but you just wouldn’t answer…” Her voice broke, the words catching in her throat. Seeing her daughter so lost and out of it had left her completely drained.

Emmy caught the worry in her mom’s eyes and guilt washed over her. She pressed her cheek to the back of Teresa’s hand, nuzzling it the way she did when she was little, trying to coax a smile. “I’m sorry, Mom. It was my fault. It was just an accident, really.”

“I promise, it won’t happen again. I swear.” Emmy held onto her mother, talking softly, hoping to ease her anxiety.

Neither of them brought up the topic of the child. They just talked for a while, and as Emmy’s face began to regain some color, Teresa finally seemed a bit more at ease. She stood up suddenly and glanced over at James, who had stayed quiet at the foot of the bed this whole time. Then Teresa took Emmy’s hand and slipped it into James’s.

“Alright, I’ll leave you two alone.” She gave them a reassuring smile. “I’ll go see about dinner, have the chef make something nourishing.” She patted their joined hands. “Emmy, have a nice talk with your husband. It’s been so long since you’ve seen each other. I’m sure you have a lot to say.” With that, Teresa left and gently closed the door behind her.

The room went quiet. Instead of talking, the silence between Emmy and James only grew heavier. The air felt different somehow, charged with something unspoken.

Emmy leaned back against the headboard, her fingers tangled up in the bedsheet, feeling uneasy. She’d meant to sneak back and surprise James, to give him a big happy shock. But now? She honestly had no idea if she’d managed to surprise him. One thing she was sure of, though—the scare was real.

The chaos earlier had rattled everyone, especially James. Emmy snuck a glance at him, standing tall and tense by the bed, his muscles coiled tight, his presence almost overwhelming. She couldn’t bring herself to look at his face, so she quietly pulled her hand away. Suddenly, her palm felt empty.

James’s brow tightened, but he didn’t say a word. The tension between them held for a few seconds, neither willing to give in. Finally, James broke the standoff. He walked over to the table, picked up a glass of warm water, and held it out to her.

“Here. Drink some water.” His voice was calm, unreadable, but his movements were gentle.

Emmy quickly took the glass with both hands and sipped, careful not to spill. James watched her, waiting until he saw some color return to her lips before speaking again, voice low.

But now, James’s thumb, rough from years of work, moved in slow circles over her skin. He seemed to know exactly where to press, the pressure just enough to soothe the soreness without hurting her.

As he worked, the pain faded away, replaced by a gentle sense of comfort and security. Emmy watched him, his eyes lowered in concentration, and she smiled, shaking her head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. It actually feels really good.”

James didn’t answer, didn’t even look up, just kept massaging her wrist with quiet focus. His gaze drifted to the pale scar on the inside of her arm. It was a thin pink line, crossing the veins. No matter how much scar cream she used, it never really faded.

He had no idea what she’d been thinking when she made that cut, how much it must have hurt, how determined she’d been to leave a mark that stubborn.

James’s hand hesitated, his thumb running lightly over the scar. The feeling of it beneath his fingers made his heart clench, a sharp ache that wouldn’t let go.