Mr Billionaires Secret Baby

Chapter 43

Chapter 43 | couldn't believe that | was doing this.

After the days of battling with myself and insisting that | was not going to attend the much talked about engagement, here | was pacing the length of the foyer.

| couldn't tell if | was hyperventilating or if | was straight up having a melt down but my palms were sweaty and my heart had been racing like | had just ran the marathon and emerged victorious. Except there was nothing accomplishing about the way that | was feeling.

Adam had been thrilled at my change of mind but I couldn’t even begin to understand why | had agreed to go. Perhaps it was my curiosity or some sort of FOMO that | was experiencing but what ever it was, it was strong enough to have me throw on a royal blue cocktail dress, some heels, do make up, and add some curls to my hair.

my

| heard the sound of a roaring engine approaching and my heart felt like it had stopped for a split second knowing that my haphazardly internal emotions needed to stabilize before | set foot out of this house and got in to Adams car.

The engagement was held at Dante’s house. The very house that | had called home once but | tried not to think about it too much. | was quiet for most of the ride there while Adam spoke casually trying to help me ease up a little bit but the further down the familiar road his car had taken us, the bitterness had began to leave an acrid taste on my tongue.

When the brightly lit up house came in to full view, my stomach did somersaults and | felt like | was going to throw up but | took deep breaths and soon the feeling had passed by by the time Adam had found a parking.

There had not been as many cars as | had expected parked beneath the starlit sky and it was really looking like just an intimate celebration which was why | couldn’t | understand what | was doing here. Sure | spotted a few cars of associates and business partners suggesting where | had fit in on the guest list but, aside from that, it was not going to be an unmanageable crowd.

“Hey.” Adam nudged my shoulder with his gently as we headed to the back entrance. | looked up at him with questioning eyes but he smiled gently at me.

“You are going to be just fine. Remember your social standing and do not let any of them get to you.” He said heavily but then grinned at me. “Besides, | don’t mind knocking a sucker or two out this evening.” He joked but | rolled my eyes at him not putting the acti

past him anyways.

“| just want to stay away from the lime light as much as possible but | doubt that would be too much of a struggle.” | said noticing the lanterns arranged magically guiding us down the green path which lead to the back of the house where | knew the Grand garden was.

The chatter of people became louder as we made a small turn before we were greeted with the sight of the mingling crowd in the well lit garden that was so done up, it looked extraordinary.

Alarge mezzanine floor covered the short grass as people sipped away on their drinks. Soft music flowed in the background adding a romantic feel to the air and the lighting was accurately positioned that it did not even look like it was night at all.

IA

11:28 Wed, b Mai

Adam wrapped a reassuring yet guiding hand around 1 the concrete step we were on gathering some attention. “Let's f

waist since my feet had planted itself to

get you a drink.” Adam whispered close to my ear and | nodded following his league and allowing him to lead me to the fully equipped open bar on the left side of the garden.

Drinks in hand, Adam and | began socializing with the familiar faces we knew but most of them. were business related individuals making it impossible to keep anything but a composed face. It was not some thing that | complained about seeing as | did not want to show a sl*p of mask to any one this evening.

| avoided Dante and Phoebe like the plague and Adam was careful enough to steer me away from them every time they would grow closer in proximity. If they were on one side of the mezzanine, we were sure to remain on the other side of it.

That did not stop them from noticing my presence because several times when | would instinctively look in their direction either one of them with be looking at me. Their individual looks were different from each other with Sophia’s being daggers but also a smugness to her grand

achievement.

Her fiance on the other hand looked at me in a way that | much rather not put in to words. His eyes would darken the minute | looked at him and a flicker of hunger would cross his orbs only to

be

coupled my his anger at seeing Adam right next to me. | would look away each time not wanting to let my true emotions show but I still felt his heavy, heated gaze watch my every movement as | made polite conversation and mingled with the guests.

Aside from them, Portia and George were also in attendance. Naturally their attendance was counted on being Pheobe’s parents but even they seemed a little apprehensive and disapproving of my presence here this evening.

| didn’t care but it had been a while since | had seen them since | chose to maintain a far enough distance from them for years now. My intention was to avoid them, too, but trying to avoid the hosts itself had pushed me in to a rather inescapable situation.

“Sophia.” My name was said as both recognition as well as a subtle threat. A warning in case | tried. to ruin their precious daughters engagement party.

“| never thought that you’d ever return back to America. Portia taunted with a wave of her hand through the air causing the tassels on the black dress she was wearing to dangle about.

“You know, after Dante had divorced you.” Her aging eyes looked at me with rancor and it was evident to any one with eyes that she was trying to embarrass me.

“Neither did I. Especially considering the amount of scum and low life people that occupy it. | retorted back throwing her a stiff, assessing look up and down her length.

It irked her that | retaliated but she didn’t show it.

“Well, now you have added to it.” She laughed it off and | grit my teeth.

| opened my mouth to say some thing but she waved her half full glass in the air to cut me off. 11:28 Wed, 6 Mar R

“| see you're quite friendly with Adam Huxley. A catch of a man but I’m not the least bit surprised that he keeps you as arm candy to patrol at his leisure to the cameras.” My eyes darted to Adam who had been conversing with an old business man at the end of the garden under a sparkling light making him impossible to miss.

“Every relationship has its course. You should be last to speak, Portia. As far | recalled the story going, George only even considered marrying you because you had trapped him with a child.” That one made her face turn scarlet red and she quickly looked around her to see if any one has been. looking or close enough go have heard.

“Shut it, you insolent little shit.” She hissed at me reminding me so much of Phoebe in the way eves slanted in her anger. her

“Why? Is the cap fitting a little too well?” | smirked at her but soon enough she was not alone as Pheobe joined in seeing her mother’s expression and cutting her way through the crowd to serve as a back bone.

“What is going on here?” Phoebe whisper yelled to her mother.

Portia looked at me with accusing eyes. “What do you think?” She asked Pheobe who immediately reached her own assumptions.

“Ugh, you should know better than to speak to such undeserving people, mother. | don’t even know why | thought to put her on the list.” Pheobe muttered but | chuckled enjoying this unexpected hit of wit.

“You know exactly why you invited me, Pheobe. You wanted me here to burn at what you consider. a triumph but, my god, if only you know what | know, you’d stop being so smug.” | laughed again at how delusional she had been.

This engagement to her meant the world for her status and gain but little did she know what Dante was up to nearly two weeks ago.

“Do not let her get in your head, dear.” Portia placed a hand on Pheobe’s shoulder right before she was about to launch at me. It is your engagement party and people are watching. She whispered. then threw a bitter look in my direction.

“Leave the scum where she ought to be. Orphaned and alone. Portia mocked before nudging her daughter away and i hated to admit it but her words had been a low blow. One that | felt in the pit. of my stomach.

“Sophia, are you alright?” Adam’s concerned voice found me but | was stuck to the spot trying to keep myself together but I shook my head and ran in to the open back door of the house before muttering that | needed a moment.

Thankfully, Adam left me be. Inavigated my way to the restroom but the familiar surroundings or the place | once considered my home made it impossible for me to keep it together.

| shut the door the minute that | was in and the tears began falling from my eyes uncontrollably. It was all weighing too heavy on me in every sense and no matter how much | tried to control my feelings, the tears just kept rolling over my cheeks.

11:28 Wed, 6 Mar R Chapter 43

Coming here was a bad idea. | knew | would he able to see Pheobe parade around greeting guests happily on Dante’s arm but Portia being in attendance was just the cherry on the top.

| fanned my face avoiding looking at myself in the large mirror plastered over the basin. | didn’t need a mirror to tell me that | looked like a damn mess right now | did know that | didn’t have much time before | needed to fix myself up and get back out there to pretend as if nothing had happened and | was not in the bathroom crying my eyes out.

My tears had finally dried up and | found a tissue to wipe my nose. This was the first step to fixing my appearance but the knock on the door was not what | had expected and who ever it had been was not waiting to be permitted in.

“It's occupied.” | said in a wave of panic not wanting to be seen by any guests but the door was already being pushed open.

There stood Dante in all of his dressed up glory looking every bit the soon to be groom and the complete opposite of being the mess that | had been. Turning away from him was futile because he had already caught sight of the mess that | had been.

| knew my eye make up was running down my face and my eyes were probably bloodshot from the pressure of crying.

Dante stood in the door way, his tall figure barely fitting within the confines of the door frame. His eyes ran over my face before his face tightened and his eyes grew dark with anger.

| didn’t know what to do when he sI*pped in and closed the door behind him before locking it leaving us both alone and staring at each other in the confined space of the bathroom that now felt even constrained than before.

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