Page 140 of My Big, Fat, Secret Billionaire Baby

My blood runs even colder.

Recreational habits. A creative euphemism for drug use. And probably random office sex.

“Are you threatening me, Ms. Takahashi?” I ask, keeping my voice as level as possible, though inside I’m churning with panic. This isn’t just about Leo’s reputation anymore. This could impact his custody rights, his relationship with Mia.

This could destroyeverything.

“Threatening?” Jen laughs again. “Consider it… a friendly warning. A little quid pro quo. You back off, disappear back to whatever rock you crawled out from under. Let Leo get back to his real life. And I keep my mouth shut about his… extracurriculars.” She leans in again, her voice a venomous whisper. “Unless, of course, you’d rather see Maxwell & Briggs implode? See him lose everything? Including precious little Mia?”

The sheer malice in her eyes is terrifying. This isn’t just jealousy; this is a woman scorned, and she’s clearly willing to burn everything to the ground.

My phone suddenly rings in my pocket. I grab it. Leo’s name flashes on the screen.

Saved by the bell?

Or just escalating the crisis?

I answer, hand shaking.

“Leo,” I say, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

“Sabrina? You okay?” His voice is laced with concern. “Building security just buzzed me. Jen Takahashi is coming to the penthouse. Used an old keycard apparently. Charlie’s on his way to intercept her. Are you all right? Is Mia?”

Relief, so potent it almost makes me buckle, washes over me. He knows. He’s handling it.

“Yes,” I manage, glancing at Jen, whose eyes narrow when I meet hers. “Yes, we’re fine. She’s… here.”

“Fucking hell,” Leo swears under his breath. “Don’t engage with her, Sabrina. Charlie will be there any second. He’ll escort her out.”

“I won’t be long, Leo,” Jen says loudly, clearly intending for him to hear. “Just having a friendly chat with your… new roommate.”

“Get her out of there, Charlie,” Leo barks into the phone, presumably to his head of security who must be patched in. Then his voice softens as he directs it at me, “You okay? Seriously?”

“I’m fine,” I repeat, though my heart is racing. “Just… surprised.”

The elevator pings, followed by the heavy thump of footsteps coming down the hallway.

Then Charlie’s authoritative voice. “Ms. Takahashi? I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises.”

Jen spins around, her face contorting with rage as Charlie and someone I recognize from building security enter the main living area.

“You can’t kick me out!” she shrieks. “Leo wants me here! He gave me his keycard!”

“Mr. Maxwell has asked that you be escorted from the building, ma’am,” Charlie says calmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. He takes a step towards her.

Jen shoots one last venomous glare my way.

“This isn’t over, you bitch,” she spits, before allowing Charlie and his colleague to firmly, but not roughly, guide her out of the living area and toward the elevator.

The silence she leaves behind is deafening. I sink back into Leo’s expensive white couch, my legs suddenly feeling wobbly.

“Sabrina? You still there? What happened?” Leo’s voice crackles from my phone.

I take a shaky breath. “She’s gone. Charlie… handled it.”

“Good.” He lets out a long breath. “Fucking hell. I am so sorry, Sabrina. I thought Charlie deactivated all those old keycards. Clearly, one slippedthrough.” He pauses. “What did she say to you? Did she threaten you?”

Do I tell him?

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