All Chapters of My Billionaire Husband's Betrayal: A Hidden Heiress Rises: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

KateI met Dr. Wright at a coffee shop in midtown, far from my father's building and Morrison's restaurant. Neutral territory where no one would recognize us or take photos.She was already there when I arrived, sitting at a corner table with her leather folder and her judging eyes."Thank you for meeting me," I said, sliding into the chair across from her."I didn't give you a choice, Mrs. Taylor." She folded her hands on the table. "I need to know the truth. Not the version you want me to believe. The actual truth.""I am not romantically involved with Alex Morrison." My voice was steady even though my hands were shaking. "I have never lied to you about that or anything else.""Then explain the photos.""They're taken out of context. Alex and I are friends. He supported me when I left my marriage because his father trained me years ago and he knew what I was capable of." I met her eyes. "Yes, he has hugged me. Yes, we've had dinner. Yes, we work together closely. But there's no affa

KateDavid was sick in his brain, which just confirmed it for me.I forwarded David's letter to Lily within minutes of receiving it.She called me back laughing. Not a happy laugh. A dark, angry laugh that said she had seen this move before."He's grasping at straws," she said. "You can't recuse yourself from catering an event your own family is hosting. This is absurd. Any judge would throw this out.""But what if it works? What if they force me to step down?""They won't. This is harassment, Kate. Pure and simple. He's trying to rattle you before the custody hearing." Papers rustled on her end. "I'll draft a response. Don't worry about this."But I was worried. Because David never did anything without a reason.I showed the letter to my father that afternoon. He read it twice, his expression getting darker with each line."David's firm has been circling Ashford Industries for months," he said finally. "If they land that account, it's a ten-million-dollar contract. He's trying to use

KateMy mind was reeling.Alex had been in love with me for ten years. Ten years of watching me make terrible choices. Ten years of waiting."I didn't know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper."Because I never told you. Because the timing was never right." Alex looked away, toward the dying garden. "And now it's too late.""It's not too late.""Yes, it is. You're building something with your father. You're getting calls from billionaire tech guys about changing the culinary world. You're finally becoming who you were meant to be." He turned back to me. "There's no space for me in that life.""That's not true.""Yes, it is." His voice was gentle but firm. "And that's okay, Kate. You need to figure out who you are without a man defining you. I get that. But I can't be around watching it happen and pretending I don't feel what I feel."My chest ached. The pain was physical, like something was tearing inside me.I cared about Alex. Deeply. He had given me a chance when no one else w

KateMy heart was breaking."Baby, I'm working on it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm fighting to have you live with me. But right now, the court says you have to stay with your father during the week and I get weekends.""I don't care what the court says! I want you!" Theo's sobs got louder, harder. "Sarah told me she's going to be my new mom and I have to call her Mom and I said no and she got really mad and Dad just let her yell at me and I hate them!"I heard David's voice in the background, muffled but angry."Theo, give me the phone.""No! I'm talking to my Mommy!"I heard both of them struggling to grab the phone. Theo was crying out now. Then David's voice came through clear and furious."Kate, stop manipulating our son.""I didn't manipulate anyone. He called me crying because your girlfriend is forcing him to call her Mom.""Because you've poisoned him against Sarah. You've made him think he has to choose sides.""He does have to choose sides, David!" My voice

Kate~Gala day.I woke at four a.m. to my alarm, my body was running on three hours of sleep and adrenaline.Dr. Wright's email sat in my inbox like a bomb waiting to explode. I didn't let myself think about it. Not today.Today was about the gala. Everything else could wait until Monday. I just want to exist like I didn't read the mail a few hours ago. I arrived at the Ashford Industries venue at six a.m. with a team of sous chefs from Morrison's. Alex had agreed to let me borrow his staff even though things between us were strained.The venue took my breath away.Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. Crystal chandeliers that caught the morning light. A dining room that could seat three hundred guests in elegant comfort.And the kitchen. State-of-the-art equipment, commercial ranges, prep stations that gleamed under fluorescent lights. Every chef's dream."This is incredible," one of the sous chefs whispered."Let's get to work," I said.We spent the next eight hours puttin