Page 77 of Dr. Billionaire's Fake Marriage

"You brought me back from Quantico only to introduce me to a woman who claims she is married to you?" I chuckle.

"Did you know she was coming here? Was that why you looked pale after Henry's call? Was that what Henry told you? That your wife is in town?" I stop talking to catch my breath.

There are many questions in my head, but I need to get out of the house first. I need to go somewhere: Mother's place or Amelia's. Troy knows better than to stop me.

I see Henry standing by the transparent door; he knocks just before Troy can say something else.

"Are you okay?" Henry's eyes dart across the living room from Troy to me.

"Nancy was here?" Troy tells Henry, "I am surprised you didn't see her in the driveway."

Henry says he didn’t, but I don't believe him. He doesn't take her eyes off me as he asks Troy, "Have you told her?"

Troy shakes his head in response. “Tell me what?” I ask.

“About Nancy,” he replies. “She isn’t a threat to you,” he lies again. “Nancy is just being a bully.”

I finally look at Troy, demanding to know everything about Nancy.

"Nancy was my first love," he says and swallows as if getting rid of a lump in his throat. "We were in love. Everyone knew: Mother, Dad before he passed away, and everyone who cared to know.

We went to Vegas on vacation right after college and made Henry's best friend join us." Troy pauses to take a deep breath. "When we got back home, things changed. Nancy wanted to go to Paris for a runway model career, but I couldn't move to Paris because I had to work at my father's hospital."

“So, you separated without getting an official annulment?” I ask.

“Yes,” Troy replies, “I am so sorry that I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t important. She isn’t important anymore.”

I agree with him. Nancy isn't important anymore, but I am mad at Troy for allowing her to stroll around so confidently.

For those few minutes, I lost my confidence. "I need to get some air," I say, excusing myself. I go to the bathroom to shower. I can't wait to get out of this house.

I slip into my white linen crop top and blue jeans and head to my mother's house. I miss her anyway and had planned to visit since I returned from Quantico. Today is the perfect time to pay my mother a long visit.

"Let me take you," Troy offers, but I decline. I can go by myself. Troy looks sorry as he watches me. I leave the two Robinson brothers to talk about the women in their lives.

Now that I think about it, I suspect Mrs. Robinson may be behind Nancy's sudden appearance. She probably wants Nancy to distract Troy.

Although I believe Troy when he tells me Nancy is not a problem and he loves me but Nancy’s aura scares me. I fear she'll rekindle the familiarity between them, making me go even crazier than I am now.

I stop the cab and pay the driver with cash upon arrival. Mother looks fully recovered; she is cooking when I enter the house. Her in-house nurse is still around, but she comes on weekends or in cases of an emergency.

"I am back," I announce after a long minute of hugging. I inhale her familiar scent. She also smells of the mushroom and chicken soup she is making. Her wrinkled hand strokes my hair as she tells me how glad she is to see me.

"Troy came to Quantico," I explain. "He brought me to Richmond. I have my job back, and we still have that share at the hospital we were granted."

I take my Mom's hand. "I am going to give you the life you badly want," I promise. "Luxury, a penthouse with a pool, everything."

Mother pulls away as she goes to stir the chicken soup. "You look worried," she points out as she puts the soup in two bowls.

“Why are you making soup this morning?” I inquire. “That isn’t your typical breakfast.”

Mother laughs as she takes off her apron. "I got the recipe on a cooking show. I thought I would try it out now that I have the energy." Mother takes a spoonful of the soup and tells me to eat. "How does it taste?"

I push my hair behind my ears as I sip the soup. "This is good, Mom." I commend my mother's cooking skills as I sit at the kitchen table.

She is silent as watches me eat. “Are you going to tell me what is wrong with you now?” She is looking at me as she rests her elbow table. “You think I wouldn’t know when my daughter is sad? You can’t hide anything from me.”

I drop the spoon into the soup bowl. “Troy’s ex-girlfriend showed up.”

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