Page 56 of My Not So Wicked Boss (My Not So Wicked 3)

“He got a job with an old friend of his.” That was the truth. There was some other truth I needed to let her know too. “You should also know that you have a baby half-sister.”

She pulled away from me. Her red eyes were blinking rapidly, trying to process this unexpected piece of news. I felt guilty that I hadn’t told her sooner, but the way Leland told me had crushed me. He basically told me he loved his new wife and daughter more than he ever loved Chloe and me. But he lied. He loved no one but himself. Now my heart profoundly broke for his other victims.

“Is she here too?”

“I think she lives in Texas with her mom.”

Chloe’s eyebrows squished together. “How come?”

I struggled a bit to find the right words because all the words that kept coming to me were riddled with four-letter words. “Your dad didn’t say.”

“Oh.” She looked down at her lap.

“Honey, tell me what you’re feeling.”

She fiddled with her hands that were graced with multiple shades of bright fingernail polish, a different color for each fingernail. “Why did he leave me and his new baby?” It wasn’t the first time she’d asked this question.

I took her fidgeting hands in my own and held onto them for dear life. “Look at me, Chloe.”

Her wet eyes drifted up. I peered as deeply into them as I could, hoping she would believe what I was going to say. “He didn’t leave because of you. He didn’t leave because of me.” I needed to believe that more than anyone. “He didn’t leave his new wife and daughter because of them either. His choices are his own. I don’t know why your dad does the things he does. But I know that despite his choices, we can be happy. You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me and I’m so happy you’re mine.” I kissed her forehead and lingered for a moment.

She wrapped her thin arms around me. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” I held her as tight as I could.

“Can I meet my sister?”

Oh. I wasn’t ready for that one. I leaned back. “I don’t know,” I responded, dazed. “Maybe?”

“I think I would like that.” She gave me a small smile.

“Then I’ll see what I can do.” I swallowed hard. “You should get back to studying. Do you need any help?”

“I’m good, but . . . Mom?” She paused. “You won’t make me see him, right?”

“Not until you’re ready,” I promised.

“I want to think about it.”

“Take as much time as you want.”

She nodded, relieved.

I was glad if one of us got to be relieved it was her, but what had I gotten myself into? Even if I did find Leland’s current wife, how did I go about approaching her? Send her a welcome letter to the douche bag’s exes club? More like a congratulations. I wondered if she even knew about me or Chloe. I supposed I would have to try and find out. Chloe deserved at least one parent who kept their word.

~*~

I set my phone on the table in the nook and focused on Henry, who was shirtless, eating spaghetti for lunch. This kid loved anything with tomato sauce. While I smiled at Henry and his saucy grin, I thought about the direct message Miles just received on Instagram from Penelope. He had never told me whether to respond to those. I felt this one deserved his attention. She wondered why he wasn’t returning her calls. And she was coming to the states next month along with some of their other mates and they were hoping to come here for a few days. They all missed him terribly. Especially her.

“Mmm,” Henry shoved as many noodles as he could in his mouth. Several dropped down his bare chest. After he was done eating, I would be giving him a bath and mopping the floor. Miles’s housekeeper only came once a week, which was not near enough to keep up with the cutest tornado ever. I think that was hard for Miles. He seemed to live a very ordered, freakishly clean life.

Speaking of the clean freak, he came strolling down the stairs looking like the weight of the world had been lifted off him. I also noted how impeccably dressed he was. He worked all day from home, yet there he was, looking like a million dollars in slacks and a pressed black button-up.

“You look happy,” I commented.

He smiled at me before grimacing at the noodles on the floor and the sauce dripping on the table and in Henry’s hair.

“Don’t worry, I’ll clean him and the kitchen up.”

Miles’s brow furrowed. “I apologize. My reaction was not a judgment against you. I’m just used to . . . well . . .”

“Life how you like it,” I helped him out.

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