Waking up with my nemesis baby novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Madeleine’s lips curved into a knowing smirk.

So her instincts had been right all along. The nouveau riche

were never truly secure. Just a few years, and Mary’s family

fortune had already crumbled.

She sighed, pulling out her card. “I used to cover you, sure. But

things are different now. My husband–my legal husband—

works hard for his money.”

She handed the card to the waiter.

“We’re splitting the bill.”

“Of course,” the waiter said. “The total is 20 thousand dollars-

10 thousand each.”

Madeleine’s jaw nearly dropped. 20 grand for lunch? If it weren’t

for Roderick’s wealth, she’d be eating bread for a month.

Mary’s face twisted, her teeth practically grinding.

She couldn’t believe Madeleine was making her pay her share.

Chapter 27

She wanted to argue, but with the waiter hovering, she swallowed her anger and dug out her credit card.

If she’d known it’d come to this, she wouldn’t have ordered

those two bottles of wine just to flex for Instagram. They’d cost

a fortune.

“Weren’t you saying something about shopping after this?” Madeleine asked, tucking her card away with a teasing smile.

Mary’s expression soured.

“Nah, I’m good. Got stuff to do,” she muttered, grabbing her bag

and making a quick exit.

She’d already spent enough today.

In fact, she had hoped to trick Madeleine into buying her a few

“gifts” at the mall.

But today’s Madeleine wasn’t the same fool she had been

before. Mary knew there was nothing to gain.

Once Mary was gone, Madeleine glared at the perfume bottle.

“What a spoiler,” she grumbled, tossing it into a nearby trash

can with a decisive flick.

Chapter 27

Better to get rid of it than risk Roderick getting the wrong idea.

She wandered the mall alone, picking out gifts for Kevin and

Roderick.

With millions in her account, she figured she deserved a bit of

fun.

As she headed out, she passed the mall’s first–floor ballet studio, where a class had just ended. Tiny dancers in tutus

spilled out, their laughter echoing.

Madeleine paused, leaning over the railing to watch, a soft

smile tugging at her lips.

She’d been one of those girls once, twirling and dreaming.

In that moment, a spark ignited in her heart.

She wanted to dance again.

As dusk settled over the city, Madeleine returned home, her

arms laden with gifts for Kevin and Roderick.

Spotting Roderick’s car in the driveway, she knew he must have finished work early.

But the moment she stepped through the door, the scene in the

Chapter 27

living room stopped her cold.

A young woman with a low ponytail sat cross–legged on the

floor, laughing softly as she helped Kevin with a sand painting.

Nearby, Roderick knelt beside them, gently wiping sand from

Kevin’s cheeks with a damp cloth, his movements tender and

attentive.

For a fleeting moment, Madeleine felt like she’d stumbled into a

dream. The warmth of the scene–so domestic, so whole-

made her question her place in it.

She suddenly felt that it was the real world, and in it, Roderick

had married someone else, and they were raising their sweet

boy together.

She stood here, feeling like an outsider gazing into a life that

wasn’t hers.

She lingered in the doorway, frozen, until Roderick noticed her.

He glanced up, his expression unreadable. “You’re back.”

He rose to his feet, brushing his hands on his jeans.

“Where’ve you been?”

Chapter 27

Madeleine didn’t answer, her mind still reeling from the sight

before her.

Her gaze slid toward the woman. She was beautiful, with a

gentle, elegant air about her.

Madeleine could almost feel the warmth of motherhood

radiating from her.

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