FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 112

CHAPTER 112

MIE

The elevator doors slid open again the next morning.

Chloe stepped out with her coat folded over her arm and a confused look on her face.

“Did something happen?”

Simon was in front of her before I could get a word out.

“Jack told the therapist he heard you talking to Lily about them needing another house once Jamie and get married.”

The shock on Chloe’s face looked genuine.

“What? No. I would never say that.”

“Then what did you say?” Simon asked.

She looked at me like she was begging for a lifeline.

“Lily asked if you two were going to have a baby. I said maybe, one day. She wanted to know where the baby would sleep since all the rooms are taken. I told her families change and adjust and figure it out.

That’s it.”

It was plausible. A normal conversation, twisted by one kid’s anxiety and half-heard by another.

“Did you use the phrase ‘another house”?” I asked.

Chloe pressed her lips together, thinking.

“I might have said that some families live in more than one house. I was trying to explain that a different address doesn’t mean you stop being a family. Their mom’s still in the hospital. I thought it would help.”

Simon didn’t soften.

“Don’t talk to them about moving, custody, marriage, or kids Jamie and I don’t have yet. If they ask you something, tell them to come to us.”

“Of course.” Her eyes went glassy. “I’m so sorry. I really thought I was calming Lily down.”

The knot in my stomach was still there, but now guilt was sitting right next to it. Chloe was new. The kids were going through something hard, and I wasn’t sure I’d have the right answer to every question either.

“Let’s talk to the therapist this morning,” I said. “You can tell her exactly what you just told us.”

“I’ll be there. Please don’t take this the wrong way. I really didn’t mean any harm.”

“It’s okay,” I added when she just stood there. “We get it. You’re fine.”

Chloe smiled, relieved, and draped her coat over an armchair. When she bent down to grab Lily’s

10145 Tue, Sep 29 JIM

FAK DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

lunchbox, my eyes dropped without meaning to, landing on her white blouse The thin fabric made it obvious she wasn’t wearing a bra.

I looked away instantly. I didn’t want to be rude, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to turn another woman s clothes into a thing. Maybe she’d gotten dressed in a hurry. Maybe it only caught my attention because last night’s conversation was still too fresh.

Simon didn’t seem to notice. He was already explaining to Jack that he needed to tell the therapist exactly what he heard, without adding or leaving anything out. Chloe grabbed the backpacks and got to work ke it was just another morning.

At school, Chloe repeated her version to the therapist, who explained that the kids were sensitive to any talk about change and asked that from now on, questions like that get left to us.

Seemed like it was handled.

After lunch, Simon had to go into the office. Already in his jacket, he stopped by the elevator and pulled me against him by the waist.

“I can send someone to grab your things.”

“Don’t worry about it, baby. I’ll just take the essentials today, for now. I’d rather move things over little by little so I don’t get stressed out about the whole moving thing.”

“My driver can go with you.”

“I can grab a cab, Simon.”

“I know you can. I still prefer making your life easier.”

“And I still prefer doing some things on my own, babe,”

He studied me for a second, then nodded.

“Call me when you’re done.”

“Only if you’re not in a meeting.”

“Especially if I’m in a meeting.”

He kissed me before the elevator doors closed. I stood there smiling to myself for way too long.

At my apartment, I spread a big suitcase open on the bed and started with my work clothes. Then came the shoes, bathroom stuff, chargers, and a few books. I tucked a photo of my parents between two sweaters to protect the glass.

When I opened the last drawer of the dresser, I found a little velvet box I hadn’t seen in years. Inside was the belly ring I’d worn in college: a curved silver barbell with a tiny charm at the end.

I was twenty-three the last time I wore it. Oliver thought it was ridiculous, but I felt insanely sexy with it in.

I carried it to the mirror and lifted my shirt. The mark on my stomach was almost invisible. Out of curiosity, I cleaned the jewelry and tried to put it in, sure the hole had closed up after nine

years.

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

To my surprise, it slid right through.

tood there staring at my reflection, caught between shock and the urge to laugh. The charm dangled against my skin like a souvenir from a younger version of me I’d assumed was long gone.

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