Hired a Gigolo, Got a Billionaire

Chapter 690

Chapter 690

Nick's POV

The silence in the car was worse than anything else.

I drove without remembering the route.

Gwen sat with her hands folded in her lap, her fingers moving now and then like she was counting something invisible to keep herself steady.

Heartbeats.

Deadlines.

Fear.

When we got home, Bella was in the living room with Martina, sitting on the floor drawing.

When she saw us, she looked up and smiled.

Small.

Real.

The kind of joy that wrecked me because it had no idea what was coming.

"Daddy!" She jumped up and ran to me with that pure, instinctive sense of belonging I crouched down and hugged her, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Hey, baby." Martina looked at me, then at Gwen, reading the news in our faces.

She didn't ask.She just stood slowly and touched my shoulder.

A silent I'm here.

It took me a full minute to find words that didn't taste like panic.

"Bella...can you come with me for a minute?" I asked.

in your room.” She nodded

hand and started up the stairs

had just tried to

room, I sat on the edge of

beside me,

happened," I started,

be...different

I

Then another.

air could hold the

with Mommy for a few days."

But heavy.

Bella blinked.

at her face and felt the full

I said

I'll see you.I'll be close.I'll-" "Mommy promised she'll play with me," she said, and her voice carried a hope that should've comforted me...but instead sent something sharp

felt Gwen's

appeared in the hallway too, quiet, watching the way mothers do when they see their child about to fall.I

Bella nodded, brighter now, like she'd found a plan that made this

just me and Mommy." Gwen stepped fully into the

"Just you two?" she asked

mom promise, sweetheart? What else did she say?" Bella looked at Gwen the way a child looks at someone who exists in the room but doesn't control the rules.She wasn't mean.She was just...closed."She said...she said she'll never replace me with

stomach

wasn't an innocent

It had shape.

Direction.

Intention.

back to Bella, trying to

why..." My throat

man...the man in the suit...that you liked

have: "And I'm not Gwen's."

effort it took for her not to

look like she

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