FAKE DATING WITH BENEFITS MY BILLIONAIRE BOSS (Ophelia Corrigan) novel Chapter 78

CHAPTER 78

AMIE

The doctor looked at Simon, then at the kids, then at me.

“Are you the father?” she asked, her voice professional.

“No.” Simon didn’t hesitate. “But I’m her legal guardian.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Legal guardian?”

Simon pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and showed her something on the screen. “The grandmother gave me temporary power of attorney this week. The mother is in a coma downstairs, and the grandmother is with her. It was arranged that I’d keep the kids while she stays with her daughter.”

The doctor looked at the document on the screen, then at Simon, and something in her expression softened. “I see. Well, Mr…?”

“Hart. Simon Hart.”

“Mr. Hart, we ran some tests on Lily. There’s no infection. Her blood work is normal. There’s nothing indicating a physical cause for this fever.” She paused. “It’s likely a stress reaction. Children, especially sensitive ones, can develop fevers when they’re going through an emotionally intense situation.”

Simon’s jaw tightened. “What do you suggest?”

“Rest, fluids, and calm. Her body needs to relax for the fever to come down.” She looked at Lily, who was starting to stir in the bed. “She’ll be fine. She just needs a dose of happiness.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

She nodded and left, leaving the room in silence.

Simon turned to the kids, and I watched his expression shift. He leaned down to Lily, brushing his hand over her hair with a gentleness that made something tighten in my chest.

“Hey, little one.” His voice was low, soft. “Are you awake?”

Lily opened her eyes slowly, her lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks. “Uncle Simon?”

, “I’m here, Lily.”

“Uncle Simon, why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

He smiled, and the smile was so genuine it almost hurt. “Work can wait.”

Lily’s eyes filled with tears. “I had a nightmare. A really bad nightmare. I dreamed my mom was never going to wake up, and Miss Jamie was going to leave, and I was going to be alone forever… without a mom.”

Simon pulled the girl into his lap, holding her carefully, like she was made of glass. “Hey, look at me. You’re not going to be alone. Ever. Your mom is going to wake up, and Miss Jamie is going to stick around, and I’m going to be here. Whenever you need me, I’m going to be here.”

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“You promise?”

promise”

Jack stood up, moving closer to the bed. “Lily, you don’t have to be scared. Uncle Simon is going to take care of us while Mom sleeps. He’s not going to let anything bad happen.”

Sam jumped off his chair, climbing onto the bed next to his sister. “Yeah, Lily! And he has a really big house, and a really fast car, and he can take us anywhere!”

Lily laughed, a fragile sound, but genuine. “You’re so dumb, Sam.”

“But he’s right, Lily.” Jack sat on the edge of the bed, holding his sister’s hand. “We’re going to be okay. Im going to take care of you.”

Simon looked at the three kids, and for a moment, I saw something in his eyes I’d never seen before.

Simon pulled Jack closer, wrapping all three of them in a hug. “You guys are amazing, you know that? You’re the three bravest kids I know.”

“Braver than you, Uncle Simon?” Lily asked.

“Even braver.”

She laughed, and the sound filled the room like music.

That’s when the door opened and Abby’s mother walked in.

Her face was tired, her eyes red from crying, but when she saw the kids, a weary smile formed on her lips. “Lily! My love!”

“GRANDMA!” Lily jumped out of Simon’s arms and ran to her grandmother, who pulled her tight against

her chest.

“What happened, my love? You have a fever?”

“It was just a nightmare, Grandma. Uncle Simon left work to come take care of me.”

Abby’s mother looked at Simon, and something in her expression shifted. “Simon, can I talk to you for a minute? In the hall?”

Simon nodded, standing. He shot me a quick look before following Abby’s mother out of the room.

The kids were distracted, Jack and Sam playing with plastic dinosaurs on the side table, Lily lying in bed watching her brothers.

I moved closer to the door, staying hidden but close enough to hear.

“Simon, I need to tell you something.” Abby’s mother’s voice was low, trembling. “You must be wondering why the children’s father never visits them. Why he never shows up.”

“I assumed he was just absent-”

“No.” She took a deep breath. “Abby’s marriage ended with abuse. She was ashamed to tell anyone, but he

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used to hit her. A lot. And when he started threatening the kids, she finally filed for divorce. The children witnessed some of those fights. Lily still has nightmares.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

“I didn’t know,” Simon said, and his voice was strangely controlled. “She never told me.”

“She never told anyone outside the family. Abby was ashamed.” Abby’s mother paused, and I heard a muffled sob. “Today he’s with someone else. He doesn’t bother the kids anymore, but they still carry the weight of everything that happened. And now, with Abby in the hospital… poor Lily must be going through an even harder time, and I can’t do anything to help. I feel so… so powerless in this situation.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Lancaster. I’ll take care of the kids until Abby recovers.”

“Simon, I don’t know how to thank you.” Her voice was broken. “You have no obligation to them, and yet you’re here, taking care of them like they’re your own. I almost feel ashamed to ask this of you, but you’ve been a blessing to this family.”

“Mrs. Lancaster-”

“You’re a very good man, Simon.” She sobbed. “Maybe the man Abby always needed.”

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