Page 62 of Saved by Him

“I don’t do direct holiday handouts,” Jalen said, stepping forward to put himself between her and me. “I have a foundation that handles–”

“She’s not here for money,” I interrupted. When he looked back at me, I gestured to the stranger. “That’s a fifteen-hundred-dollar purse, a two-thousand-dollar jacket, and I don’t even want to think about how much those shoes cost if they’re what I think they are.” At his look of surprise, I added, “How were you married to a model, and you don’t know this?”

“That’s why I’m here,” the woman cut in. “Elise Marx.”

That got both of our attention.

“Your friend is right that I don’t need, much less want, money from you. My name is Adeline Fowler now, but it used to be Adeline Cornell.”

“Any relation to Bernard Cornell?” Jalen asked.

“He’s my brother,” she said. The hand on her purse tightened. “We’re both originally from here. I married an oil man and moved to Texas, but Bernie took over the family business and stayed.”

“He’s done well,” Jalen said. “Last I heard, stock was on the rise.”

“Which is, I’m sure, what drew your ex-wife to him,” Adeline said, her mouth twisting as if she’d tasted something sour. “He’s always spoken highly of you, which is why I came to warn you. Elise came to Bernie about three weeks ago and told him that she was pregnant with his child.”

Jalen visibly tensed. I stepped up next to him and put my hand on his arm.

Adeline continued, “He called me because that’s what he does when he’s in trouble. He told me he’d had a fling with Elise and that they’d used protection, but that it was entirely possible that the child was his. I’ve met her a time or two at various functions, and I’ve never liked her. Naturally, I hired someone to look into things for me.”

I could practically feel Jalen vibrating with tension.

“My investigator turned up four other men who she’d all told the same thing, including you. They each slept with her over the same two-week period, as did a fifth man, an old boyfriend who doesn’t have much in the way of money. I confronted Elise yesterday, and when threatened with a lawsuit, she admitted that the baby is most likely the former boyfriend’s. She also told me that if I shared this with anyone else, she’d make me regret it.” A tight little smile appeared on Adeline’s face. “I’ve never responded well to threats. And, as I said, Bernie has always liked you, so I decided to make a little side trip before heading to the airport. No one deserves to be blackmailed into a relationship, let alone one with that woman. Happy New Year, Mr. Larsen.”

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