Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1069

“Ugh…” Emmy suddenly bent over, clutching her stomach as pain shot through her. Sweat broke out on her forehead, cold and clammy. The pressure in her chest felt unbearable, and in a split second her face turned pale as paper.

Penny, sitting in the front seat, noticed the sudden commotion behind her. She whipped around, worry written all over her face. “Ma’am, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?”

Emmy bit down on her lip, fighting to steady her breathing, desperate to hold herself together. She lifted a shaky hand and managed to say, “I’m fine.” Her voice was thin but determined.

She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to look at the photos still open on her phone. “Let’s go back to the airport.”

The door to the private jet closed with a soft thud. The captain’s voice came through the intercom, calm and steady. “Ma’am, the flight path is all set. We’re ready to take off whenever you are.”

Emmy sat back in the leather seat, staring out the window at the empty runway. Her mind was a mess, thoughts tangling together faster than she could keep up. The captain had to ask again before she snapped out of it. “Take off.”

She scrawled her name on the confirmation sheet, the pen biting into the paper and leaving shaky letters behind. Engines rumbled to life, the force of acceleration pressing her into the seat. The world outside shrank away, buildings and trees turning into smudges of color beneath the clouds.

She didn’t move, just kept staring through the window, lost in her own head.

The chief flight attendant came over, crouching beside her and speaking softly. “Ma’am, can I get you something to drink? Maybe a meal?”

Emmy barely seemed to notice her. She sat frozen, like she wasn’t even there. The attendant glanced over at Penny, hoping for help.

Penny frowned, took a quick look at Emmy, and gave a small wave. “She’ll have a filet mignon, medium-well. Go light on the pasta sauce. And a glass of fresh orange juice, room temperature.”

“Of course. I’ll bring it right away.” The attendant slipped back to the galley.

Soon, the meal was set out in front of Emmy. The soft sound of silverware tapping the plate finally pulled her back. She looked down at the steak, her stomach empty but her appetite missing. Still, she forced down a few bites.

She picked up her phone, connected to the in-flight WiFi, and opened her chat with James. After a steadying breath, she typed out a message.

Did we ever have children?

She hit send. Then, after a moment, she added another.

If you lied to me before, if it was to protect me, I can forgive you.

But this time, I want the truth.

Moonlight Bay. The old street shimmered under sunlight filtering through the leaves. James stood outside a little woodworking shop, gently shaking a rattle he’d just bought for Joey. The boy had finally stopped crying, but turned away with a pout, refusing to be charmed by the toy. He started picking out his own little trinkets instead.

Why are you suddenly asking about this?

Emmy didn’t answer. She placed her phone face down on the table, leaned back, and closed her eyes. After a long pause, she opened them again.

“Penny.”

Penny looked up. “Ma’am?”

“If someone lied to you, but it was supposed to protect you… you know, a white lie… would you forgive them?”

Penny hesitated, her face set in that usual, strict seriousness. “No. Not for me.”

“My instructor always said, on the battlefield, any gap in information can mean losing the whole team. Even if someone hides something just to keep me from worrying, it’s still a lie. A white lie is still a lie. It takes away someone’s right to know what’s really going on.”

She paused, glancing at Emmy’s pale face. Her tone softened a little.

“But that’s for teammates. You don’t have teammates, ma’am. If it’s just everyday stuff… maybe it depends on the situation.”