Page 40 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

"Consider it gratis for now.” Alex waved my concern away. "If I need to access additional resources, we'll discuss it then.”

“Besides, my dad—”

“Your dad has already done so much for me.”

“You do know that my father is obscenely rich and nice, right?”

I nodded, although I wondered if she knew that Henry could be cruel too. Would she believe me if I told her how he’d dumped me and sent me across the country at only twenty-two years old? Pregnant to boot, although he didn’t know that.

Our server showed up, and we ordered our meals.

“Why don’t you fill me in on what you know about the case so far?” Alex said once our server left to turn in our orders.

Giving in, I recounted Lucas's limited information. "Before she died, my mom called Lucas Thompson, her lawyer, with questions about her will. He sent a paralegal over to meet with her. When she passed away, that's when I found out everything was left to my father."

“Gwen wouldn’t do that,” Alex noted.

“Did you know my mother?”

“I’d met her a time or two. She was a lovely woman.”

“Who wouldn’t have given that two-timing snake of a husband anything. Nor would she have left you and Pax nothing.”

I smiled at Victoria’s anger on my behalf. “Exactly. I think my father is involved somehow."

“The lawyer says the paperwork is on the up and up?” Alex asked.

“That’s what he said.” I took a sip of my water.

“So the paperwork was redone. It sounds like it’s something this paralegal would know about. Any ideas where this paralegal is now?" Alex tapped notes into his phone.

"Supposedly, she's off the grid in South America.” Was that even possible? Wasn’t Internet and phone access everywhere now?

"Sounds sketchy." Victoria shook her head.

"Agreed.” Alex leaned over to give Victoria a kiss as he put his phone in his pocket. "I'll start looking into it right away." He scooted out of the booth.

“What about your lunch?” I asked.

“That’s all for Victoria and the baby.”

Victoria blushed. “The baby is really hungry these days.”

I laughed. “Thank you, Alex.”

“Of course. If you think of anything else important or the lawyer gives you more details, let me know.”

“I will.” As much as I didn’t like how this came to be, I was grateful to Alex. Of course, by doing this, it meant I’d have to stick around, but in reality, I had to stay for the time being no matter what. If I wanted to start my own consulting business, I had to follow through on the job with Henry to gain the experience and referrals I’d need.

After Alex left, Victoria and I settled into an easy conversation over our lunch. We reminisced about our college years, sharing stories of late-night study sessions and wild parties as if no time had passed at all.

"Can you believe it's been eight years since we graduated?" Victoria cradled her growing belly with a smile.

"Time really does fly. And soon, you'll be a mom."

"I know." She beamed. She was the epitome of the glowing mother. I wondered if I looked like that. I doubted it. I was excited but terrified to be a mom. But Victoria, along with about to become a mom, had a man she adored in her life. Her happiness had to stem from that as well.

"I can't wait to meet this little one,” Victoria finished. “And I’m excited for my dad to be a grandfather.”

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