All Chapters of My Southern Lover: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

I was staring blankly at the half-empty cup of black coffee on the desk in front of me, steam curling up like a ghost trying to remind me of things I didn't want to remember.My mind kept taking me back to last night with Belle.The feeling of her, the sounds she made when I touched her, the soft gasp she let out when I told her I wasn't stopping. And then did. I stepped back and walked away like a goddamn machine.And then that text.Let me know when you're ready to be honest.The nerve.I rubbed a hand over my face and leaned back in my chair, blowing out a harsh breath. I wasn't prepared to be honest, not with her and not with myself. Because the truth? The truth scared the hell out of me.And just as I was about to open my mouth and call Devon for project updates, the door to my office swung open unannounced."Hi, Cass," a too-familiar voice called out.My heart dropped. I didn't even need to look up to realize who it was.Callie.She was in a pale yellow sundress that clung to

I had lost track of time, my eyes glued to the same dizzying figures flickering on my computer screen.Q2 Projections stared back at me, detailed metrics on vendor performance, the intricacies of Thornwell's partnerships, and the polished notes meant for our quarterly investors.The information began to blur, blending into a haze of static and confusion.In the midst of the fog, Belle’s voice echoed in my mind, resonating through the silence of our last encounter. It wasn’t her words—I regretted that she didn’t say anything—but rather the shallow catch of her breath, the way her fingers trembled as she fought to mask her vulnerability. The heaviness of that silence loomed between us after I had turned my back, a moment that seemed to stretch infinitely.Nice doing business with you, Belle.I cursed softly and pushed my chair away from the desk. I shouldn't have said that flippant remark.I grimaced as I recalled the way I had retreated from that room, a coping mechanism I’d adapted wh

Belle was speaking way too fast, her words almost tumbling over one another."I just— I didn’t mean for him to say that," she stammered, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her expressive eyes wide and filled with a mix of anxiety and urgency. "Leo occasionally calls me that when it’s just the two of us. It's a habit, I suppose. Kids get confused about these things."I raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched across my face. "Are you suggesting that I’m the one who’s confused, Belle?"The moment my words escaped my lips, her expression fell, and she directed her gaze toward the well-worn carpet beneath us. "I just… I needed to clear the air and clarify the situation."I nodded slowly, scrutinizing her with narrowed eyes, aware that something was amiss. The way her body had bristled at Leo’s innocent utterance of the word "Mommy," coupled with her frantic attempts to brush it off, spoke volumes. Her fingers trembled, and her eyes darted away, as if she were trying to escape an uncomfo

When I received that text from Devon—Callie was at the manor this morning—my frustration boiled over, and I nearly crushed my phone in my grip.I didn’t bother replying to him.Instead, I bolted out of my meeting, my heart racing, and stormed straight to his office.“You knew she was going there?” I exploded the moment I stepped inside.Devon glanced up from his carefully organized desk, his expression unfazed, as if my outburst was merely normal to him. And maybe it was. “I was going to tell you. But I figured you'd prefer your morning coffee before you set the building ablaze in a fit of rage.”“I swear to God, Devon,” I muttered, pacing his office, the tension in the air suffocating.“Relax,” he said, his tone still calm. “She didn’t do anything… physical. But the way she looked at Belle? We might as well call in an exorcist now.”I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, feeling the weight of my responsibilities and fears pressing down on me. “This is exactly what I was tryin

I had just completed my review of Devon's latest update when Callie swung open the heavy door to my office with a force that echoed against the walls.This was becoming a distressing pattern with her."I specifically said that I didn't want any unannounced visits," I said, keeping my gaze fixated on the clutter of files and reports sprawled across my desk."You say that as if you actually care," she replied, gliding into the room with a confidence that suggested she had never been told 'no' in her life.Let out a slow, deep breath, I asked, "What do you want this time, Callie?""Honestly? I’m here to apologize," she said, her tone surprisingly earnest. "For earlier. For the chaos surrounding Belle. For making everything so… tense."I lifted my head, surprised. "You want to apologize?"Without waiting for an invitation, she settled into the chair across from me, crossing one leg over the other in a casual yet defiant manner. "I realized I might have come on a bit strong. Maybe I misrea