You Want My Grandma’s $8 BILLION Inheritance DREAM ON! SCUMBAG, Watch Your Empire COLLAPSE Overnight! Chapter 07
The private dining room of the Presidential Suite at the Peninsula Grand Hotel.
Alex was dressed in a tailored black suit that evening, his hair slicked back to reveal his broad forehead. Roses and candlelight covered the table, making the entire room look like something out of a romance movie.
“Seven years.”
He lifted his wineglass and looked into my eyes.
“Marrying you was the greatest blessing of my life.”
I raised my glass and lightly clinked it against his.
“I thought so too.”
He smiled, cut a piece of steak, and placed it onto my plate.
“Eat more. You’ve lost weight lately.”
I took a bite before speaking.
“Alex.”
“Hm?”
“How come your mom hasn’t been sending me that tonic lately?”
The knife in his hand paused.
Just for a heartbeat.
—
“Her back’s been bothering her recently. She can’t stand long enough to make it anymore, so I told her to take it easy.”
“Oh.”
I nodded.
“Then maybe I’ll go visit her tomorrow. It’s been a while.”
His smile never wavered.
“She’d love that.”
“Oh, right.”
I casually took another bite.
“The last time you mentioned your cousin got married… and had a baby?”
This time, his hesitation lasted a fraction longer.
“Yeah.”
He nodded.
“They’re staying at the Langford estate.”
“When are you going to take me to meet them? I love kids.”
He set down his knife and fork, then reached across the table to take my hand.
“Evie…”
“Why are you suddenly asking about all this?”
—
I looked into his eyes.
They were beautiful.
Deep.
No…
Not beautiful.
Just deep, with warm brown irises framed by thick, impossibly long lashes.
Once, I had believed I could see forever when I looked into those eyes.
Now…
All I saw was how effortlessly they could lie.
“It’s nothing.”
I smiled.
“I was just thinking… we’ve been married for seven years.”
“Maybe it’s time we tried again.”
“I’m planning to get another checkup.”
His pupils contracted.
The movement was almost imperceptible.
But I saw it.
“Evie…”
—
His grip tightened around my hand.
“We’ve already gone through so many failed IVF cycles. I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”
He hesitated.
“What if… we adopted instead?”
“No.”
I gently pulled my hand away, my voice calm.
“I want a child of my own.”
He fell silent.
Three long seconds passed before he smiled again.
“Alright.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I can go by myself. You’ve got work.”
“How can I let you—”
“Alexander Langford.”
I looked directly at him.
“I’m not a little girl anymore.”
—
He stared at me for a moment.
Then he nodded.
“Okay.”
Halfway through dinner, he excused himself to use the restroom.
His phone, still lying on the table, lit up.
A message from Sophia.
**Alex, one of the twins has a fever. It’s 101.3°F. When are you coming over?**
I placed the phone back exactly where it had been.
When he returned, the perfect smile was still on his face.
“Evie.”
He picked up the bottle of wine.
“Another glass?”
“Sure.”
I lifted my glass and stared at the dark red wine swirling inside.
It looked exactly like blood.
After dinner, he drove us home.
One hand rested on the steering wheel.
The other held mine.
—
“Evie.”
“Hm?”
“No matter what happens…”
His voice was gentle.
“I love you.”
“You know that, don’t you?”
I watched the streetlights flash past outside the window.
“I know.”
You loved me.
You also loved eight billion dollars.
Which one mattered more?
I already knew the answer.