THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECOND WIFE

itting here? Let's

s was really getting to me. Nicholas's phone sat on the t

ile I get things fig

ght? Five-year-olds don't jus

e to handle

ecause you're emotionally u

flicked

Call your assistant. The n

out his phone. His voice dro

Where was sh

ingers clenche

t address. I'll be

hun

s she?"

rk. Near th

still standi

nd turned on his heel. I f

ith tinted windows and a driver who didn't eve

come," he said to m

or a missing kid alone. Plus, I still

t crack

ow does a five-year-old

ark after piano class. She l

o body

feel free when

a personal chef and two hu

n't re

ied calling

n't have

at does

esit

ha

off last week. She said

en we find th

ut before the driver could open

ers. Moms with strollers. I looked around the carous

g at one corner, m

an holiday a clip

gged

little girl here today? Five year

t asked me the same thing. I

ank

and nearly ran

heck near the playground. I'll

first, I'm charging doubl

ply. He just

de my way toward the playground. I was ju

alone on a ben

dress. A little

I called

Her eyes were

"Hey. I'm Ivy. Your

re i

g for you. H

mean to run. I just... want

carou

no

way from t

ne. I didn't want to get lost. I just didn

wn in fro

ur dad's really worr

owly. I took

a sharp voice

u think you

las was walking up,

said. "She was si

er out of

ere. She was

front of Lena. "You scared

ked dow

e not alone in this world. You have r

pered so

e said, his voi

ss Mo

le

le park went quiet.

s shut

he said at last.

r his hand. He

em have their moment. My chest

cked

ing home,

r head on h

ck to the ca

seven. A housekeeper had left dinner out. Somet

arried Len

rything was glass and stone and cold li

ooked... human. Less marble

u," he sa

re we

k. Something dar

ays like thi

e wh

. Running on cont

very bold for someo

a hundred grand. B

couch. "You don't know w

y m

u'd be photographed. Watched. Everyt

e dating in

don't talk about. People who would like t

wh

. Lies. Ma

hy

ople want w

at do y

at me. Rea

. And a daughter I wil

llowe

oom. I don't want her reading tabloids a

hy you ne

why I ne

You don't ev

hed. I know you're honest. Smart. You don't lie ea

e poverty sou

ruth soun

ms. "What happe

a small engagement party. We make

f I sa

nd someo

someone y

curved. "M

d the girl? Does she

t y

hen it

ay we gr

n across

is i

t

ll control over the story. I w

ant ag

t to b

ed toward me.

Looked down at me like h

et what y

Becau

e vIbrat

with a cli

ace c

ou mean sh

dropped. I

s met m

howed up at the building. And