Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mommy, I found us a Daddy for Christmas : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

"I don't know about this, Jaxon," I whispered, and my heart just drummed within my chest as my palms became clammy again. Moving for what felt like the hundredth time the low neckline of the dress, I wasn't sure if it was the weight of it or heaviness of the situation which made me uncomfortable.Jaxon looked at me from across the room, a small, reassuring smile on his face. He was calm, far too calm for my liking, as he surveyed the crowd gathered at the gala. This was supposed to be a high-profile event, one where we were supposed to make an impact, but I hadn't expected this to be the way we'd do it.“This is for Hazel,” Jaxon reminded me gently, his voice low, but strong, “We have to do this. It’ll be fine. We’ll handle it together, just like we’ve been doing.”I swallowed the knot in my throat and nodded. Of course, he was right. This wasn't about us; it was about making sure Hazel stayed in our lives, and his mother wouldn't be able to manipulate her way into taking her away. St

The invitation had arrived in a sleek, cream-colored envelope, one that seemed to be for royalty. Jaxon's mother was inviting me over for tea, she said, to "formally" meet and get to know the woman who was supposedly going to be her daughter-in-law. As the days went by, the dread in the pit of my stomach just grew. I knew better than to take her sweet, polite words at face value. Nothing with her was ever that cut and dried. Still, I couldn't back out now, not after everything that had already happened.But once I finally made it to her house, it was everything I expected: grand, luxurious, with just that touch of coldness that screamed, I have money and power, and I want you to know it. Her house had the appearance of a palace, with modern art and expensive furniture decorating it. The windows allowed in a glimpse of a sprawled garden, and everything about it felt designed to intimidate.Jaxon's mother, Eleanor, greeted me at the door with a courteous smile, her handshake firm enough

I hadn't expected to feel anything. I really hadn't. But there I was, sitting across the room, watching Jaxon laugh with the woman his mother had practically dragged him over to. She was an heiress, tall and impeccably dressed in a designer dress that probably cost more than my rent for a year. Her golden locks fell down her back, like an ad for some shampoo, as she stared into Jaxon as if he held the answer to every one of her prayers.It wasn't like I had any reason to feel jealous. I mean, this was a setup, right? It was all part of the deal. A show for the public. I was here to play my part, just like Jaxon was. But damn, watching him talk to her like that-like they had history-it twisted something inside me. Something sharp and unfamiliar.She was laughing at something he said. Jaxon's hand lay casually on the back of her chair, like they were in some cozy little café, not at his mother's ridiculous "welcome tea" where everything was just for show. His mother had insisted on invi

I could feel the weight of the envelope in my hands, its contents pressing against my skin like a promise of something I wasn't sure I wanted to know. The picture that had been taped to the front, the one that sent a chill down my spine, still lay in front of me, but now there was more. More than what I wasn't sure I could trust.Jaxon stood opposite me, his arms crossed over his chest, his face unreadable. He'd told me it was a lie, but the knot in my stomach didn't loosen. I wanted to believe him. God, I did. But every second that passed, my mind seemed to unravel a little more."Isabel." Jaxon's voice was low, the calmness in it a betrayal of the tension that had already begun to seep in between us. "I know how this looks. But it's not true. You have to trust me."I didn't know what to say to him. He stood there, broad shoulders tense, yet still so much the man with whom I had spent weeks-the man who had held me when I was scared, the man who kissed me as if nothing else in the wor

"Why are you doing this?" I couldn't keep the frustration from my voice. The words were out before I could stop them, but I didn't regret saying them. Not when it felt like the weight of everything was crushing down on me. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight, and he wasn't making it any easier.Jaxon didn't say anything, just kept his jaw clenched and eyes searching mine as if he tried to figure out whether I lied or not. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't know anymore.I'm doing this because you don't trust me," he said, his voice low, the tension thick in the air. "You keep pushing me, Isabel. I'm not the bad guy here. You have to stop treating me like I am.I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. He was right. I was pushing him, but how could I not when everything around me felt like a lie? The photos, the records, the shadow of doubt that had settled over everything between us-it was like a weight I couldn't shake off.You think I'm lying, don't you?" His voice