My Accidental Billionaire Husband (Katia and Julian) novel Chapter 199

36

What the Eusk Did I Just Witness

+25 BONUS

What the Fuck Did I Just Witness

~Gail

I had Aiden’s school bag on my shoulder and his hand in mine, and we were halfway to the front door when the car pulled up.

I stopped.

Julian got out.

Yesterday’s clothes. No tie. The look of a man who had not slept and had driven here anyway. He walked toward us, and Aiden saw him before I could say anything.

He dropped my hand.

“Dad”

That word hit me before I understood it.

Aiden said it the way he said everything – simply, directly, like it was already settled – and then he ran. Full speed across the gravel in his school shoes.

Julian crouched down and caught him. Held on. Aiden’s arms went around his neck, and for a moment neither of them moved, and I stood at the front door with the school bag on my shoulder and my mouth open and absolutely no idea what I was looking

1. at.

Julian stood. He looked at me over Aiden’s head.

“Julian,” I said. “What is happening right now?”

“Morning, Gail,” he said.

“Do not morning–Gail me,” I said. “Did he just call Dad?”

you

“Yes,” Aiden said, answering for himself without looking up from Julian’s jacket. “He is my dad.”

I stared at my nephew.

“Since when?” I said.

“Since the other night,” Aiden said. “We agreed.”

“You agreed,” I repeated. “The two of you. Without telling a single person in this family.”

“Yes,” Aiden said.

“Aiden,” I said. “How long have you known?”

He thought about it seriously the way he thought about everything. “I suspected for a while,” he said. “We look alike. I noticed.” He paused. “I did not say anything because I did not want to make it weird. But then he told me, and I said I already thought so. And then we agreed.”

“Just like that,” I said.

“Yes,” Aiden said. “It was not complicated.”

I looked at Julian. “You told him before you told anyone else.”

“He asked a direct question,” Julian said. “I gave a direct answer.”

“He is six years old, Julian.”

What the Fuck Did I Just Withness

+25 BONUS

“He is also the most perceptive person I have met in years,” Julian said “He would have arrived at the answer on his own regardless.”

“That is not the point,“Tsaid. “The point is that I am standing at this front door at eight in the morning, and my godson has just called you ‘Dad‘, and I am apparently the last person in this family to know what is going on.” I looked at him. “Does Katia know?”

“Not yet,” Julian said.

“Julian—”

“Today,” he said. “I handle it today.”

“You keep saying you will handle things,” I said. “You said that about Delia, You said that about Victor. You said that about the conversation with Katia that has been sitting between the two of you for months.” I crossed my arms. “When does the handling actually start?”

“Aunty Gail,” Aiden said.

I looked at him.

“You are doing the voice,” he said.

2

“I know I am doing the voice.”

“It is okay,” he said. He said it with the patient, gentle certainty of someone who had already processed everything and was waiting for the adults around him to catch up. “He is my dad. It is good news. You do not have to do the voice.”

I looked at this boy.

Six years old. Standing on a gravel driveway at eight in the morning, his arms around Julian’s neck, telling me that everything was fine. Completely settled. Completely certain.

I had been with him since he was three months old. I had watched him every day. I had seen things in his face that I recognised and had not said out loud because Katia had told me she had never met Julian before, and I had believed her because I wanted to

believe her.

And now he was calling Julian Daddy and telling me it was good news.

“Fine,” I said. My voice was not steady. “Fine. Take him.”

Julian looked at Aiden. “Do you want your godmother to take you to school, or do you want your dad?”

Aiden looked at me briefly. Then back at Julian.

“Daddy,” he said.

r

Julian picked him up – schoolbag and all and settled him against his side. Aiden put his arm around Julian’s neck and looked entirely comfortable.

“Will you pick me up too?” Aiden asked.

“Yes,” Julian said.

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

Aiden nodded. Then he looked at me over Julian’s shoulder.

“Bye, Aunty Gail,” he said. “Do not worry. It is very good news.”

What the Fuck Oid i Just Witness

“I am not worried, buddy,” I said.

“You have the face,” he said

“I do not have the face.”

“A little,” he said. Then he rested his head on Julian’s shoulder.

Julian walked toward the car. He stopped before he opened the door and turned to me.

“Family meeting when I get back,” he said. “Me, you, and Grandma.”

“And then Katia?” I said.

“And then I handle what needs to be handled,” he said.

“Julian,” I said. “When you tell her, be careful. She is “I stopped. “Just be careful.”

He held my gaze for a moment.

“I know,” he said.

“And Julian,” he turned again. “What you did this morning. Showing up. Come yourself.” I paused. “It matters.”

He looked at me.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify