She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 149

(Julian)

I find my sister in the business center of her hotel.

She has three monitors going and a wilted salad that’s clearly been sitting there for some time.

"Congratulations are in order," I say, dropping into one of the absurdly uncomfortable guest chairs.

Piper doesn’t look up. "For what?"

"Your sudden promotion. With Nathanial playing administrative assistant over at Stein M&A, the Morton empire is finally yours to run."

That gets her attention. She stops typing to glare at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you didn't know?"

I cross my legs.

"Nathanial jumped ship. He’s taking over the day-to-day for Mason Stein, who’s taking over running Warren Global while Chase is in the naughty corner. Well. He’s taking over some of the day-to-day. Gloria will be working with him closely.”

I smile at Piper blandly.

“You are now the undisputed heir apparent. You can finally run the company the way you've always complained you should."

Piper does not look ecstatic. She looks like she just swallowed a wasp.

I know exactly why of course.

"He left?" she asks. Her voice drops a full octave.

"Apparently so."

Piper goes completely still.

It’s not a relaxed stillness.

It’s the kind of rigid, brittle posture that suggests a sudden, high-velocity impact.

I watch her face carefully.

Piper has always had a spectacularly weird fixation on Gloria.

I’ve never quite bothered to untangle whether she hates the woman or wants to wear her skin, but it’s always highly entertaining to poke at the bruise.

"Why would he do that?" she asks.

"He must know father will never let him back into the company after this."

She looks like a woman watching a three-year chess match suddenly end in checkmate.

She’s spent years trying to keep those two on opposite sides of the board, and Nathanial just walked right into Gloria's office and shut the door.

"Julian," she says. Her tone is absolute ice. "Get out."

"Don't shoot the messenger, darling. I thought you'd be thrilled to finally have the empire all to yourself."

"Leave. I’m busy."

I hold my hands up in mock surrender.

I leave her staring at the wall, gripping that gold pen like a weapon, and head back to the elevator.

Piper’s misery is an excellent appetizer, but I have a main course to check on.

Natasha has ignored my texts and calls for days.

I drive to her townhouse.

The gossip mill says she passed out on the courthouse steps on Friday.

I’m sure she will have placed herself under house arrest.

I ring the bell and wait.

She opens the door wearing a gray cashmere sweater and dark jeans.

She looks unfairly good for a woman who recently collapsed in public.

She also looks like she wants to slam the door on my hand.

"Julian."

"You haven’t been answering my calls."

"I was actively ignoring them."

She doesn't step back.

"What do you want?"

"To check on you. I heard what happened and I wanted to make sure you’re alright."

She sighs, a short, tired sound, and pulls the door open wider.

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