FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56

MIE

Laughter echoed across the backyard as I watched Simon get literally swallowed by the ball pit.

“Higher, Simon! HIGHER!” Lily shrieked, her green eyes blazing as she scaled his back like he was a jungle

gym.

He lifted her over his head with an ease that made my stomach flip. “Higher? You’re gonna touch the sky. squirt.”

“I WANNA TOUCH THE SKY!”

He launched her upward, and she crashed back into the ball pit with a thud, popping up with pink balls stuck in her hair and a smile that lit up her whole face.

“AGAIN!”

“Lily, let the man breathe,” Abby called from beside me, but her voice was full of laughter. “He’s not an amusement park.”

“YES HE IS!” Lily was already climbing Simon again, and he scooped her up with a grin so genuine I had to look away.

Abby leaned toward me, lowering her voice. “I didn’t know Simon was so good with kids.”

I didn’t want to admit it. Didn’t want to feel that weird tightness in my chest as I watched Simon toss balls at Jack’s head, the oldest boy laughing like he’d just met his new best friend. Sam, the middle one, was hanging off his back like a koala, screaming at his little brother to attack.

“He doesn’t even have kids, but…” Abby shook her head, impressed. “You’d think he’d done this a thousand

times.”

“Yeah.” The word came out flatter than I meant it to. “Surprising.”

Not really a surprise, though. I already knew Hart was made of layers most people never got to see. And knowing his absurdly competitive side, I wouldn’t put it past him to still be fighting some silent battle to prove to Abby that he was more than she’d ever imagined.

But watching that-watching him drop to his knees in the ball pit while Lily clung to his back-made something twist in my chest. A feeling I didn’t want to examine.

“He’s back!” Jack yelled, emerging from under the mountain of balls. “THE GIANT IS BACK!”

Sam’s eyes went wide, instantly playing along.

“WHAT DO WE DO TO HIM?”

“ATTACK!”

The shout barely finished before all the kids swarmed Simon at once, laughing and screaming as they threw themselves on him like a tiny army.

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FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

I couldn’t help it-a laugh escaped me. Simon emerged from the ball pit with his hair a disaster, a pink ball hanging off his car, and a smile so genuine it hurt to look at.

That wasn’t acting.

He was having fun.

Actually, truly having fun.

Later, while the kids ate cake inside, I escaped to the upstairs bathroom. My heart was still racing, and couldn’t figure out why.

In the hallway, I found Abby.

She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, and when she saw me, a hesitant smile touched her lips.

“Jamie.”

“Abby.” I stopped. “Is the bathroom…?”

“Free.” She pointed down the hall. “But I wanted to… talk for a second. If you have time.”

My stomach tightened. “Sure.”

She led me to a small balcony at the end of the hallway, where the noise of the party was just a distant hum. The city sprawled below us, the afternoon air cool.

“I know this is weird,” she began, resting her hands on the railing. “You’re his girlfriend. And I’m the ex.”

“Abby-”

“Let me finish.” She turned to face me, and for the first time, I saw something vulnerable in her eyes. “When Lily said that downstairs, I was terrified. Not because it wasn’t true, but because I didn’t want you to think I was trying to interfere.”

“I don’t-”

“You’re so beautiful, Jamie.” Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. “And so sure of yourself. And the way he looks at you… I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that. Not even me.”

The words hung in the air between us.

“Abby, I-” I started, but she held up a hand.

“Let me ask you a hypothetical.” She tilted her head, green eyes locked on mine. “What would you do if you found out you still had feelings for your ex? After years of marriage, three kids, and then he suddenly shows up in your life again-single, successful, like no time’s passed at all?”

My heart stopped.

What would I do?

I took a shaky breath. “If the ex still had feelings for me…” I hesitated. “I’d try. I think.”

1:30 Tue Sep 29 1 MT.

FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS

“Even if he was already with someone else?”

e silence stretched between us, heavy and charged.

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