The Daring Billionaire’s Wife

Chapter 24

Vanessa

I don’t even know how long it’s been since I crouched down in this aisle but right now, time doesn’t matter to me.

Just by looking at what I’m holding in my hand, I’m so overwhelmed that my lips quiver as I smile.

I’m holding a pink plastic bear and it has these large soulful eyes looking at me with a childlike wonder. Holding it in one hand isn’t even enough as it has a plump cuddly body.

As I trail my fingertips along the black and white bow around its neck, my quivering lips widen even more as I chuckle.

I

The bear still has the same design I’ve always known, including the radiant yellow heart that’s clutched tightly in its stubby paws.

Hook away for a moment, telling myself to keep it together, but only a few seconds later, I look back at the bear and hold it with love.

The next thing I know, my vision blurs from the tears that stream down my face.

When I lost my mother a long time ago to cancer, she died in her hospital bed while holding this exact type of bear in one hand, while the other one was wrapped around me.

Ever since I lost her, I never wanted to see this type of bear again as it only brought me pain.

But seeing it now after so long, I don’t only feel pain, but also the heartwarming memories of my mother’s last days alive.

The more my vision blurs, the more my hand trembles and I don’t know what to do.

Suddenly, I feel a pair of hands on my arms and I’m picked off the floor. I don’t even know who it is but I don’t care. I’m too overwhelmed

with emotions.

In a split second, the pair of hands make me turn around and it’s only then that I realize I’m looking at Dominic.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he whispers to me, placing his hands on the sides of my face.

His eyes widen with curiosity as he looks into mine, waiting for me to speak, but I can’t.

Squeezing the bear in my hand, I sniffle as I look away, but he instantly places his fingers under my chin to make me look back at him. The moment I da, he quickly wipes my tears, then places his soft lips on mine. Taken by surprise, I squeeze the bear tighter as I stop crying and focus on the sensation of his lips and warm breath.

Our tongues aren’t even involved but I can feel him and his other hand rests at the back of my head.

When he pulls away, I’m unable to hide how shocked I am as my eyes dart between his lips and gaze.

pounding in my ears and I feel a slight tingle around

come here.” He wraps his arm around me and guides my head until it rests on his chest.

come back to reality and when I do, I hear the shoppers giggle and whisper among

right now,” he whispers.

let you

make sure

people watching. Or maybe I

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20 THU, 4

Chapter 24

he holds onto the sides of my face and pulls away from me, I force myself to smile so I can put on a show, but it fades when he gives me a quick kiss on my lips. Then, he places his lips on my forehead and they linger for

how Dominic’s handling my emotional state, their voices fade

brace and feeling his warm lips on my forehead is the type of comfort I needed in this moment of thinking about

and head to the hospital.” Even though he whispers, he sounds a little harsh but right now, nothing he says can irritate me, not after his

drop my hands and step away from him, I

me about this later, but right now, we have to keep

says, holding out his

my hand in his, I feel glad that it’s no longer

while I limp just slightly, security

my hand, he says, “Keep your old friend with

talking about and when I do, I look at the bear I still have with me in my other hand. I can’t help but furrow my eyebrows at how he referred to

case is,

this bear

compose myself and when I do, I start getting ideas of

with each other, I glance around at

fake my smile whenever I have to act like I love him and he means the world to me, but this is

shopping basket to one of our bodyguards so he can get in line, but I hold on to Dominic’s

do it.” I reach for the

“What?”

I’ll do it.” I smile

“Why?”

to do it.

“Because

line? It’s better if

do it.”

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Chapter 24