Page 74 of The Billionaire's Most Unexpected Triplets

“Doing what?” he slowly asks, though he has to be playing dumb. He knows very well what I’m talking about.

“Spending time together. Acting like we’re friends.”

Or something more,I add to myself, but can’t bring myself to voice that part.

His lips turn down. “We can’t be friends?”

I pin him with a hard gaze. Enough of dancing around this issue. “You know we can’t be friends.”

He tears his eyes away from mine, and I’m expecting an answer, but he doesn’t say anything.

I lick my lips. “I’m taking my maternity leave starting Monday. I really appreciate all the help that you’ve given me, but it’s best if we don’t see any more of each other before the babies arrive.”

He blinks. “And after the babies arrive?”

He’s baiting me. He has to be. We both know very well that he doesn’t want a relationship with these kids.

“It’s best that we don’t see each other outside of work,” I say. “Ever.”

His throat rolls with a swallow, and then he stands up straighter. “I see.”

“Again,” I say, “I appreciate the house and everything else, but we should stick to what your lawyers outlined in the contract and not go beyond that.”

I can feel his eyes on me, and I hold my ground, refusing to back down.

“Is that all you wanted to say?” he asks, his voice cold and detached.

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yes, that’s all.”

Without another word, he steps back into his house and closes the door behind him, leaving me standing alone on his doorstep.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I make my way back to Taylor’s car. She looks at me expectantly as I climb in, but I don’t say anything.

As she starts the car and drives off, I turn my head to look back at Jack’s house. This is it. The end of an era.

But as much as I try to convince myself that this is for the best, I can’t help the ache in my chest as I realize that I’ll never see him outside of work again.

Or maybe I won’t even see him there.

Because as much as I’ve held onto GourmetGlobal, it’s no longer at the top of my priorities. In addition to my children, I need to think about myself.

And it could be that the best thing I can do for my mental health is to leave Leadsom and GourmetGlobal behind. Leave it all behind and start my new era. That of a single mom who once had a taste of a passionate man before it all fell away.

I take a deep breath, pushing away the sadness that threatens to engulf me. I need to focus on my future, on the life I want to build for myself and my children.

“You okay?” Taylor asks softly.

“Yeah.” I nod, my gaze straight ahead.

No, I’m not really okay. But I will be one day.

CHAPTER26

JACK

The club’s heavy bass-infused song bleeds into the next one, and the waitress brings another bottle of vodka to the table.

“How is everything, gentlemen?” She has to shout above the music, but her eyelashes still flutter seductively.

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