Page 69 of Next Door Billionaire's Surprise Baby

Kane

A Spicy Reunion

My heart begins to beat faster in a painful rhythm as I see the one woman I’ve been searching for every day in the past five months.

Chloe looks the same but also different. She’s even more beautiful than I remember, and I notice she looks bigger. She seems to be glowing.

As she approaches the empty seat beside Sadie Anderson, I immediately understand what’s so different about her. Her very pregnant belly is bulging out through her bright orange sweater.

Her eyes are locked with mine for a second, even when she settles into her seat. Her eyes are wide, and her lips part as she doesn't hide how surprised she is to see me here.

Her name escapes my lips subconsciously. I say it aloud, “Chloe.”

She whispers so softly that I have to really focus to hear, “Kane?”

Sadie looks at us, asking, “I’m sorry. Do you guys know each other?”

I don’t bother responding as I’m too busy trying to process the fact that she’s here.

“He’s an old friend and employer,” Chloe tells Sadie, and she raises her eyebrows in surprise.

“That’s unexpected. And I hope this familiarity will work in our favor,” she turns to Chloe, “Can you please tell your old friend that none of our works are stolen from his company.”

Chloe blinks at me repeatedly as if she's trying to figure out whether I'm real. I can totally relate to her right now.

I nod without looking at Sadie, “I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding, right Chloe?” I catch the flinch that her body makes and wonder what that’s about.

I’m no gynecologist, but from the way her belly looks, she might be about seven months pregnant. If I’m correct, she was two months pregnant when we split.

Out of the heavy heart, a spark ignites, filling my heart with warmth. The baby must be mine. I’m going to be a father. Chloe and I are having a baby.

She opens her mouth to speak, but I cut her off, “Hold on.” I turn to Sadie, “Can you give us a minute? We have a lot to talk about.”

I rise to my feet and give Chloe a meaningful look. She stands up, looking anxious, and nods to Sadie, “I’ll talk to him.”

Then she steps out the door, and I follow her.

As she leads me to a more private area, my eyes follow her every movement. The bounce of her feet, the swaying of her hips, the swinging of her hands. I’m afraid to look away for one second for the fear that she might disappear somehow.

She takes us to an office and shuts the door firmly before turning to me.

We stare at each other in tense silence. Then she breaks it, “Would you like to take a seat?”

I shake my head and take a step closer to her. I want to reach out to touch her so badly, but I keep my hands stuck at my sides.

“How are you?” I finally manage to talk.

She closes her eyes partially as she lifts a weak shoulder, “Fine. You didn’t care enough to look for us, so…”

I shake my head vehemently, and the words spill out from my lips. Everything that happened from that day in my office to how Tim and I are now practically strangers. I was on the phone with the private investigator thirty minutes ago to look for her.

When I have nothing left to say, I choke out the words, “I’m so sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have allowed Tim into our lives in the very first place. And I should have set boundaries with him, and when he crossed the lines, I should have put him in his place.” I practically sacrificed our love for a brother who wasn’t worth reconnecting.

My throat clams up, and I wait for her to say something. Anything.

Her eyes are wide as she gasps, “I didn’t know Tim blackmailed you…” Then she trails off with a wretched look on her face, “ I should have listened to you. I was too angry, and I blamed you.”

That doesn’t matter now. What’s important is that she’s here with me.

---