FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

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– SIMON

“These are my three treasures!”

Abby handed me her phone, and I found myself staring at three faces-two boys and a girl, all dark hair and green eyes, all wearing the same mischievous grin I remembered from their mother at seventeen.

“This is Jack,” Abby said, pointing to the oldest. “He turned ten last month. Already taller than me, which is getting ridiculous. And this is Sam-he’s eight and convinced he’s going to be an astronaut. And this is Lily. She’s five and already running the household.” She laughed, shaking her head. “She’s got my mother’s mannerisms down. It’s terrifying.”

“Mother?” I looked up.

Abby’s smile flickered for half a second. “My mom. She’s been… helping. Since the divorce.” She shrugged, trying to keep her tone light. “It’s been an adjustment. But we’re getting through.”

“They’re beautiful,” I said, and I meant it. “I can’t believe they’re so… big.”

“They grow too fast.” Abby took the phone back, her fingers brushing mine. “Too fast. Some mornings I wake up and I can’t believe I’m responsible for three human beings who actually need me.”

I looked at the photo again before the screen went dark.

“That must be nice,” I murmured. “Coming home to three little monsters who run at you like you’re the most important person in the world.”

“Never pegged you for such a softie with kids, sweetheart,” she said, her tone teasing.

I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You. With kids.” She whispered the last part to me: “You’re dying to be a stepdad.”

“Believe me, it’s a surprise to me too,” Stephen cut in from across the table, grinning. “I’ve known him for twenty-five years, and I’ve never seen him look at anything that wasn’t money or sex with that much. enthusiasm.”

“Stephen.” I shot him a warning look.

“What? You’re the one who showed up with a girlfriend and started swooning over your ex’s kids.”

When Stephen said the word ex, the mood shifted just slightly. Then Jamie stepped in.

“I’m just going to….” Jamie stood, smoothing down her dress. “The bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

She paused, leaning in close, her lips brushing my ear. “Relax,” she murmured, low enough that only I could hear. “I’m going to the bathroom so I don’t make this weird. You can keep talking to her.”

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11:41 Fri, Sep 25

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS: MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

I caught her wrist before she could pull away. “Jamie-”

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“Enjoy yourself,” she said, and she was smiling, but there was something in her eyes that was…. unreadable.

She walked away, her hips swaying, and for a moment I watched her go, something complicated unspooling in my chest.

“Your girlfriend’s got a hell of a walk,” Stephen observed, leaning toward me. “Also, what the hell? You said you weren’t seeing anyone. When did this happen?”

“It happened,” I said, my eyes still on the spot where Jamie had disappeared. “And I didn’t want to jinx it.” I turned to him, lowering my voice. “Don’t ask questions right now. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Stephen studied me for a long moment, then nodded. “Fine. But I’m holding you to that. Also, she’s gorgeous. And…” He paused, thoughtful. “I think Abby’s a little jealous.”

I glanced at Abby, who was now deep in conversation with someone else, laughing at something he’d said. It looked genuine, but I also knew her well enough to recognize the slight stiffness in her shoulders.

“Don’t be an idiot,” I said, shaking my head. “She doesn’t give a damn about me.”

“I’m just saying.” Stephen shrugged. “When an ex doesn’t get jealous when you show up with someone hotter than her?”

“Stephen.”

“What? It’s a valid observation.”

Abby looked up, catching my eye. She smiled, and then her expression shifted.

Because a man was walking toward our table.

It happened in slow motion. I recognized him before I processed it-the close-cropped hair, the tan, the arrogant tilt of his chin, the way the crowd seemed to part around him like he’d paid them to.

Conrad.

Conrad fucking Pierce, the same asshole who’d nearly turned my last years of high school into a tragedy. The same punk who’d needed three surgeries to fix his jaw after I broke it in that fight.

“I swear I didn’t know he was coming,” Stephen said quickly, his voice low. “I swear on my mother’s grave, Simon. He’s never come before. I don’t know why he’s here.”

Conrad’s gaze swept the table, past Stephen, past the people there, and landed on Abby.

And then his eyes found mine. And I saw the recognition flash, and then something else-something that looked a lot like amusement.

I felt the old rage surge up like it had never left.

And then I saw Jamie walking back from the bathroom.

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11:41 Fri, Sep 25

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She slowed as she noticed the man standing near the table. For a moment, she hovered a few feet behind him, her gaze flicking from Conrad to Abby to me, forehead creased.

She had no idea what was happening.

But she knew tension when she saw it.

And there was enough tension there to suffocate the entire rooftop.

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