All Chapters of The Betrayed Heiress: Chasing Her Back: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

They had probably been dying to ask that question since I stepped into the garden. I guessed no one had been brave enough to until now. I set down my tart carefully. "He's fine, Mrs. Whitmore. We're fine.""Oh. I'm sure you are, dear." Mrs. Whitmore's smile didn't reach her eyes. "It's just with all that business with his ex-wife. Laura, wasn't it? Such a scandal."My fingers tightened on my teacup.Another woman, Mrs. Darcy, leaned forward with false concern. "These things can be so difficult. Men have such complicated relationships with their first wives, especially when there are children involved."I heard she's been seen around town quite a bit," another woman added. "It makes you wonder what it all means."My teeth ground together, and I struggled to keep from snapping but it was becoming increasingly hard. Polly shot me a worried glance, but I ignored it. Mrs. Whitmore gave a delicate laugh. "Well, we all know how men are. When an old flame comes back around, they can't help

I was still on the floor, staring at the empty space with tears blurring my vision. I fought hard to keep them from falling but Sara's words kept echoing in my head. What if this became the norm? What if I'd actually lost my place in this family? What then? To the kids, I was probably the villain for not letting them see their mother. To Jaime, I didn't even know what I was anymore. I heard footsteps and slowly stood, turning toward the sound. Jaime walked toward me. His hair looked disheveled, like he'd run his fingers through them multiple times. But it was the smudge of red lipstick near the corner of his mouth that made me wince. It was the same shade Laura was wearing. He walked closer, but I didn't say anything. He ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up even more. "I've spoken to Laura. She won't come here again or go near the school. I made it very clear.""Is that so." My voice sounded hollow, like it was coming from someone else. Jaime's eyes narrowed. "Wha

I approached the building and immediately spotted Mrs. Rodriguez, the property manager, arguing with a man in a stained tank top on the front steps."I told you, the rent is due on the first! Not the fifth or whenever you feel like it..." She stopped mid sentence when she saw me approaching. Her face broke into a wide smile. "Mrs. King! Is that you?""Hello, Mrs. Rodriguez." I smiled tightly as I walked toward her. She abandoned her argument and rushed over to embrace me. The man she was arguing with was muttering under his breath, eyeing our reunion with disdain. I stiffened at her hug but I didn't bother to push her away. I'd come to accept that the woman was a hugger, particularly to people she liked, so I endured it. "It's been so long! You never visit anymore. You just send those checks every month." She pulled back and looked me up and down. "You look more beautiful by the day. But you should stop by more often." She grinned, her eyes creasing at the corners. "I'm not just

JASON’S POVI was standing outside the hospital room when the doctor and two nurses finally emerge. My heart was in my throat as I waited for them to speak."She's fine," the doctor said, and I felt my knees nearly buckle with relief. "Just a mild concussion from the impact to the back of her head. We'll need to keep her here for observation for the rest of the day, monitor for any complications, but she should make a full recovery."The anger that flooded through me was immediate and hot. I wish I'd done more damage to that bastard. The police taking him away in handcuffs wasn’t enough. "Thank you," I managed to say. "Thank you for taking care of her."The doctor nodded, studying my face. "Who is she to you, if you don't mind me asking? Your wife?""No." The word came out too quickly. "Just a friend. Her husband is on his way."The doctor looked at me for a long moment, and I felt heat crawl up my neck. I knew what he's thinking. The way I'd barged into the emergency room twenty mi

The hospital room became my prison for the entire day. Nurses came in every hour like clockwork, checking my vitals, adjusting my IV, asking me the same questions over and over. ‘What’s your name?’‘What day is it?’‘Do you know where you are?’I knew where I was. I was in a sterile white room that smelled like antiseptic and anxiety, with a throbbing pain in my head.Eventually, they gave me something to help me sleep. I fought it at first, but exhaustion and medication won.When I woke up, the light has changed. Late afternoon sun streams through the blinds, painting stripes across the white sheets.And they were here.Sara sat in the chair closest to my bed, her legs were swinging because they didn’t reach the floor. Michael stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, andd Jaime leaned against the wall near the door, scrolling through his phone."You're awake." Sara jumped down from the chair and came to my bedside. "The nurse said you were sleeping for a really long time.""