The Forgotten Heiress のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

“Dexter El Camino is here.”My entire body went cold. For a second, I honestly thought I had imagined it.But the loud applause around me said otherwise.People were still clapping and cheering. Everyone in that venue looked pleased to see him…Except me.Slowly…Almost against my own will…My eyes drifted toward the VIP section.Then I saw him.He stood from his seat, dressed in one of his perfectly tailored black suits.One hand rested casually inside his pocket while the other lifted in a polite wave toward the audience.The applause somehow became even louder.I couldn’t breathe.“Oh my God…” I whispered under my breath.“No…What is he doing here?”I swallowed hard in fear.Without thinking, I grabbed Blake’s arm so tightly my fingers almost dug into his skin.“Blake…” My voice shook. “This is bad.”He held my hands “Athena—”“This is really bad,” I cut in.“Calm down, Athena,” Blake whispered to me.“How can I be calm when Dexter is here? Why is he here of all the places on earth?”B

Today was supposed to be perfect.Athena stood frozen in shock, gripping the shopping bag so tightly that the plastic hurt her fingers.Every instinct screamed at her to run. But her legs refused to move.“Athena,” Blake said in a low voice, keeping his expression calm despite the situation. “I know you’re panicking right now, but I’ll handle this.”She looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear.“How?” she whispered frantically. “Is there a way out of this?”“Just let me handle this,” Blake said to her.But Athena couldn’t concentrate on anything Blake was saying.Every one of Dexter’s footsteps made her heart sink even deeper.Blake watched the panic spread across her face. While she focused on the approaching footsteps, his own mind was already racing, searching for the quickest way to get her out of this disaster before Dexter came close enough to recognize her.“I’m still surprised you exist, Blake,” Dexter said. “I thought you faded off already.”Athena felt like her heart was ab

The second the automatic doors slid shut behind us, I let out a long breath.One I felt like I’d been holding for the last ten minutes.“I almost died,” I muttered.Blake didn’t answer immediately.He unlocked the SUV, placed the shopping bags inside the back seat, then leaned against the car.The next thing I knew…He started laughing. He laughed so hard his stomach hurt.I blinked at him.“…You’re laughing?”He tried to stop but Failed miserably.“I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat before another laugh escaped him. “I really am trying.”I folded my arms.“Blake, really? My life flashed before my eyes.”“Stop it. Don’t say it like that.” He shook his head, still trying to hold back his laughter. “What were you thinking when you held a potato chip pack over your face?”“What was I supposed to do?”I threw my hands in the air.“Stand there and wait until he saw me?”“Trust me, I had a plan.”“Well, I was too impatient to wait.”“I get your point,” he admitted. “But when you held onto his sh

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding.I stepped out, balancing Dexter’s breakfast pack in my hands.“I wish I had slept more,” I whispered to myself as I walked toward his office.Blake and I came back home late yesterday after the twins’ entrance ceremony. He even had to spend the night at the cottage because it was too late for Jim to drive back home. He should be awake by now.On the other hand, I had to wake up early to come to work and get Dexter’s breakfast.I wondered if he was already at the office.Talking about Dexter…I remembered how embarrassing yesterday was.Hiding behind shopping bags.Running around with potato chips covering my face.Then somehow ending up glued to Dexter’s chest like a frightened koala.I squeezed my eyes shut for a brief second.“Oh God… I wish I could wipe yesterday out of my memory.”Dexter’s office window was open, which meant he was already inside.I glanced at the clock. He was early, though I wasn’t late either.I reached his office door

“You asked to see me, sir?” I said as I walked into Dexter’s office.Dexter was already back behind his desk, flipping through a file as though the conversation I’d overheard had never happened.If I hadn’t heard those few sentences with my own ears, I would’ve believed nothing had happened at all.Madison, on the other hand, was still sitting comfortably in the chair opposite him, one leg crossed over the other while scrolling through her phone.The moment she saw me, she smiled before continuing to scroll.I returned a polite smile.“Mia,” Dexter looked up briefly.“Yes, sir?”He slid one file aside and picked up another.“I won’t be available for my three o’clock appointment.”I pulled out my notepad immediately.“Should I move it to tomorrow?”“No.” He shook his head. “Reschedule it for five o’clock instead.”“Alright, sir.”I quickly wrote it down.“Anything else?”“You can—”“Wait.”Madison suddenly interrupted him.She reached into her designer handbag and pulled out a cream-colo