Page 48 of Secret Baby for Dr. Billionaire

“Well, I just have a way with kids.”

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend here, son?”

Chloe practically jumped off my lap and ironed her dress with the palms of her hands when she heard my mother behind us.

“Shit,” she mumbled as I stood from my seat and kissed my mother on the cheek, her jasmine perfume invading my nose.

“Hello, Mrs. Hayes. Wonderful party.” Chloe reached out a hand, which my mother took, her eyes studying my girl from the tip of her toes to her curled hair.

“And you are?” Janice Hayes was never an intimidating type of woman, but the way she carried herself demanded respect. And even though wrinkles now showed near her eyes, age agreed with her. If anything, she was more beautiful now than ever.

“Mother, this is Chloe Kennedy, my girlfriend. Babe, meet my mother, Janice Hayes.”

It was like I was watching a horror movie, and I was waiting for something to pounce on the screen. I could tell that Chloe was nervous, but she kept her head high as she waited for my mother’s reply. Then, out of nowhere, my mother clapped her hands and brought them to her heart, a smile slowly creeping onto her face.

“Oh! Welcome! Welcome, darling! I thought I wouldn’t live to see the day Benedict finally brought a girlfriend over. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this day, Chloe. You know, my son is quite a handful, and he’s always busy. I thought no woman would want him. Oh! There’s finally hope for another grandchild. The Hayes family just keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

“Mother—” If only she knew the truth.

“Oh, hush. The women are talking, Benedict. So, dear, why don’t you assist me with the auction tonight? You wouldn’t mind, would you, darling?” Janice took my guest’s hand and led her to the back of the house.

Chloe didn’t even spare me a glance as she followed my mother and giggled.

“I’d love to.”

Chapter fifteen

Chloe

Ihadn’tstoppedtellingBen how funny his mother was on our ride back home, and I couldn’t help but feel a little sad over it because I never had that growing up. However, I wasn’t about to let the feeling ruin our night.

To say I had had fun was an understatement. Ben was so supportive the entire night, and every time a group of people would call him, he’d take my hand to reassure me I was okay.

He’d also introduced me as his girlfriend, and I couldn’t help but feel giddy.

“Hi, Sam,” I removed Ben’s jacket and handed it back to him. He entered the room with me, saying something about making sure Sam left safely tonight. He was fond of her, I could tell. And with the way Sam talked about Ben, she felt that way too. There was so much respect there.

“Hey.” The penthouse was dim, and only the light from the television as the babysitter watchedFriendsilluminated the living room. Sam switched off the TV and sat up when she saw us coming in.

“How are things?”

“Things are good. You know, Ms. Kennedy, your daughter is by far the most low-maintenance child I’ve ever babysat.” Sam was a pretty young woman with voluminous and lush caramel curls.

“Is that a good thing? And please, just call me Chloe.”

“It is. She hasn’t shed a tear tonight. And after I did what you told me, she was out like a light. I even got to clean the kitchen and wash the dishes.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” Indeed, the kitchen was spotless. If they had had dinner earlier, all the dishes were put away, and the countertop looked pristine.

“It was no problem at all.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Her phone pinged in her hands, and she threw in a quick reply before returning her attention to us. “Look, it’s getting kind of late, and I have this thing tomorrow. So I better leave you guys to settle in and all.”

“Oh, what about—”

“That’s taken care of. Should I call you a cab, or should I have someone drive you home? It’s kinda late,” Ben asked Sam, who had now opened the front door.

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