Twenty-Six receipts of betrayal Novel novel Chapter 59

My phone buzzed in my palm, Sean’s name flashing across the screen.

I let it ring. Again and again.

By the 99 missed call, I finally swiped to answer.

I knew Sean. If I didn’t pick up, he’d never stop calling.

“Lanie! Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”

“I’m sorry–I had no idea Charlotte would be there.”

I stood in the middle of the plaza, watching strangers pass by, my voice barely louder than a whisper.

“It’s fine. Just needed some air. I’ll be back soon.”

I hung up and stayed there, letting the night wind dry the tears on my face.

*Lanie Brooke, this is the last time you cry over him.*

The moment I opened the door, strong arms pulled me into a tight embrace.

Sean rested his chin on top of my head, murmuring over and over, “I’m sorry, Lanie. I promise this is the last time.”

“I’ll never leave you to face that alone again. Never.”

He held me so tightly, as if he wanted to fuse me into his very bones.

The familiar scent of his cologne wrapped around me.

For ten years, this was all I’d ever wanted–to be held like this.

In the middle of the night, I woke to rustling beside me.

Sean was carefully sliding out of bed, his voice hushed and urgent,

“Don’t worry. I’m on my way.”

Chapter 4

He threw on his clothes and disappeared out the door.

I grabbed my coat and followed.

Outside the ER, Sean draped his jacket over Charlotte’s shoulders, his movements unbearably gentle–like he was handling something priceless and fragile.

I hid in the shadows at the end of the hallway, barely breathing.

Charlotte leaned against him, her face pale.

“You didn’t have to rush over. I just slipped. The baby’s fine.”

Sean’s brow furrowed deeply, his voice thick with concern.

“You need to take it easy. Don’t push yourself.”

“I told you I’d help you deal with Vanderbilts. Even if we get divorced, we’ll always be parents to our kids.”

His hand moved gently to rest on her still–flat stomach.

“You nearly died giving birth to Nathan. They had to remove one of your fallopian tubes. Now that you’re finally pregnant again, you have to be careful.”

*Nathan.*

So that was their son’s name.

Charlotte shook her head.

“Ever since the Vanderbilts found out about the divorce, they’ve been circling like vultures. I can’t afford to rest.”

Sean’s response was immediate.

“Then we’ll wait until after the baby’s born.”

Charlotte looked up at him, her expression unreadable.

“What about Miss Brooke?”

Sean paused.

Two seconds. It felt like two centuries.

Chapter 4

“I’ll handle Lanie. She’s a little childish, just a bit of sweet talk will do.”

I watched them walk away together and felt the last flicker of warmth snuffed out by the cold night wind.

So that’s all I was to him.

All my pain, all my heartbreak–it only took some cheap sweet talk.