All Chapters of She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

408 Chapters

Chapter 11 The Unbeatable Empire

(Natasha)Even leaning heavily against Gloria, walking back to our table takes a long time.My swollen knee throbs badly with every single step. The pain shoots up my leg, making it hard to think clearly.We both stop dead when we see Elias Warren is sitting calmly at our table.Chase’s grandfather rests both of his hands on his silver cane.He looks completely relaxed, just waiting for us to return.Sitting down across from him, Gloria keeps a protective hand near my arm. She doesn’t look worried at all.Elias looks at me with sharp eyes.Clearly, he already knows everything about my current situation."You are a very brave woman, Natasha," the old man says quietly.His voice is never loud, but it always carries total authority."Challenging my grandson takes a lot of courage. Building your own team to fight him for the Bauer deal takes guts."Hearing him talk about my plan out loud makes my stomach drop.He knows about the divorce papers. He knows about Mason. He knows exactly what

Chapter 12 The Prescription

(Natasha)I visit my doctor's office first thing the next morning.Getting the new medicine Gloria mentioned is my top priority.With any luck I’ll have fewer injuries once the old medication is out of my system.Sitting in a stiff chair, I rub a hand over my large stomach, idly wondering what my child’s personality will be like.The main door to the clinic’s inner offices suddenly opens and Sonia steps into the hallway.Seeing my husband's mistress leaving my gynecologist feels incredibly weird.He’s one of the best doctors in the city, and Chase probably told her to come here.Knowing that doesn’t make me feel better.She stops dead the moment she sees me and all the color instantly leaves her pretty face.Elias Warren’s threat clearly worked. The old man must have scared her badly last night.Without saying a single word, Sonia quickly turns down the corridor.She practically runs down the hallway to avoid me.Watching her flee with her tail between her legs feels surprisingly good

Chapter 13 Emergency

(Natasha)“I’m fine. What’s going on?” I ask in confusion.“Mason called me. He says you’re trying to reach him. He doesn’t want to do anything that risks your bet with Chase, but he’s worried something may be wrong. He told me to get my ass over here in a hurry,” Gloria explains.Oh, Mason. He always puts my best interests first. I know it must have killed him not to answer my call, but he’s right. The risk is too big.Gloria interrupts my thoughts by handing me a red folder.“I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll let Mason know, he’s frantic. Since there’s no emergency, you may want to act on this.”Tracking Jeffrey Bauer down takes a lot of careful planning.Gloria did her job perfectly. She found out he visits the same coffee shop every Tuesday morning.Walking into the busy shop today, the smell of fresh pastries and strong coffee hits me immediately.My mouth waters for a real espresso, but I ignore the craving.Spotting Jeffrey is easy. He sits at his usual corner table near the front wi

Chapter 14 The Consent Form

(Natasha)It feels like the tight pressure in my stomach is easing slightly, but panic still makes my heart race.I lie sideways against the soft leather, breathing in short gasps.Looking up, I watch Nathanial in the rearview mirror.He’s driving very fast, but he’s clearly in complete control.One of his hands grips the steering wheel tight. His other hand reaches back between the seats.He doesn't touch me, but he keeps his hand close, offering silent support."Take deep breaths, Natasha," he says quietly."Tell me about the pain. Is it a sharp stabbing pain, or a dull ache?""It isn't exactly pain," I whisper back, trying to catch my breath."It’s just extreme pressure. Everything feels incredibly tight.""We’re almost there," he promises."Just focus on my voice. Keep breathing."A strange feeling washes over me in the quiet car.I actually feel safe.The feeling is completely instinctive and impossible to explain.I don't try to fight it.If my older brother hadn't left with my

Chapter 15 The Impossible News

(Chase)Natasha stares at me from the hospital bed, saying absolutely nothing.Looking at her pale face, a deep annoyance builds in my chest."What exactly happened over the last few days?" I demand, breaking the silence."Why are you in a hospital bed?"She doesn't flinch. Her eyes remain completely cold."That’s none of your business, Chase," she answers smoothly."You’re still my wife," I remind her, stepping closer to the bed."Your health is my business. You represent my family.""We are competing against each other," Natasha replies, keeping her voice completely steady."My daily schedule does not concern you anymore. I’m not your employee."Before I can argue, she sits up slightly against the pillows."Besides," she continues, "I’ve done exactly what you dared me to. Jeffrey Bauer is in my pocket. I won the bet, Chase."Hearing those words feels impossible. She can’t be telling the truth."It’s true."Nathanial speaks up from the corner of the room."Bauer let me know that he’s

Chapter 16 The Unwelcome Guest

(Natasha)Dr. Evans walks back into my hospital room, with Chase right behind him, looking angry and tense, his jaw locked tight.No sign of Sonia and Nathanial.I would have liked to thank Nathaniel for getting me to the hospital so fast, but I’m happy to not have to deal with Sonia."We need to be very clear about the risks," the doctor says, looking back and forth between Chase and me.“Any severe emotional shock or physical exhaustion could easily trigger premature labor. You must avoid stress completely. This is not a suggestion. It is a strict medical necessity."Hearing the warning makes the room go perfectly quiet."I’ll handle her care," Chase announces firmly.He steps closer to the bed. "I’ll hire private nurses to take care of her at the estate.""No, you won’t," Mason replies immediately.He stands up from the chair next to my bed.Giving Mason a dark, hateful look, Chase turns his attention back to me.He opens his mouth to argue the point.Suddenly, the heart monitor be

Chapter 17 Confession Time

(Natasha)"Mom. Dad."Stepping away from Eleanor, I walk straight toward the open doorway.My adoptive parents drop their travel bags on the floor and rush forward to pull me into a tight, happy hug.My mother kisses my cheek repeatedly. My father wraps his strong arms carefully around my shoulders, mindful of my large stomach.Tears fill my eyes. I’m so happy to see them.They’re incredibly warm and decent people.My biological father died when I was a teenager, leaving me completely alone after my mother abandoned me.Mr. and Mrs. Kelly were his closest friends.They immediately took me in.It meant I had to leave California and move to Pennsylvania, but the change of scenery did me good.I moved into their quiet home and lived with them for four years before moving back to California for college.We don’t get to spend a lot of time together these days.My career keeps me very busy in Los Angeles, but they love me deeply, and I love them right back.Pulling away from the hug, my mot

Chapter 18 The Successor

(Nathanial)Holding my phone to my ear, I stare out the large window of my office."Mother, you need to come to Los Angeles," I tell her firmly."Sonia is pregnant. She is very upset and needs you right now."A long, heavy silence fills the line."You know I can’t go to Los Angeles, Nathanial," my mother finally whispers.Her voice sounds thin and weak."I can’t handle it yet. My psychiatrist says it’s important that I don’t rush the process. The memories in that city are simply too much for me."Pinching the bridge of my nose, I let out a loud sigh."Sonia is going through a massive life change," I argue, trying to keep my temper under control."She’s carrying Chase Warren's child. Her reputation is at risk. She needs her mother to support her.""I’m sorry," she murmurs. "I’m just not strong enough to do it. Please, take care of your sister for me."The line goes dead before I can respond.Dropping the phone onto my desk, I rub my tired eyes.Dealing with mother’s anxiety is always e

Chapter 19 The Realization

(Chase)Out of habit, I arrive at the conference room early.My mind is entirely focused on the business battle ahead and I’m looking forward to a few minutes of quiet to gather my arguments.But when I push the door open, I stop dead in my tracks.Natasha is already there.She’s sitting near the large window, leaning slightly toward Mason Stein.Speaking softly to him, she looks completely relaxed.A genuine, easy smile touches her lips and her carefree expression causes a strange ache in my chest.It’s been years since I’ve seen her smile that way.Seen her look as radiant as she does right now.Anger quickly replaces my brief nostalgia.Walking into the room, I knock my knuckles sharply against the long table."Are we ready to begin?" I ask coldly, pulling out a leather chair and sitting directly across from them.Mason frowns at me, “We’re waiting for Nathanial. Your business partner.”His tone is full of disdain, but all I’m aware of is the way Natasha’s smile disappears the mome

Chapter 20 The Sister

(Sonia)Sitting on the edge of my plush sofa, I stare blankly at my phone.The screen goes dark, but my mother's weak voice still rings in my ears.She refuses to come to Los Angeles.She won’t even board a plane to check on her youngest daughter, who is supposedly pregnant and in deep distress.A bitter, hollow laugh escapes my lips.I’m not actually pregnant, of course.Faking the pregnancy is just a necessary trick.A carefully calculated move to force Chase into divorcing his wife and marrying me.Still, my mother doesn’t know it’s a lie.She truly believes I’m carrying a child, and she still chooses to stay away.I know the reason.It’s always about my sister.Every time they looked at me, they saw their precious Nat.Growing up in that massive mansion, all I wanted was for my family to really see me.But every single time my mother or Nathanial turned my way, they were searching for the ghost of the girl my mother left behind in California.The sister I never even met casts a he

1 2 3 4 5 6

...

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP