My Sister Married My Ex, So I Became a Billionaire's Mistress novel · Chapter 22 of 32

Chapter 22: Read It Out Loud

The ballroom at Tarleton Hall held two hundred guests, and every one of them was watching the minister.

He stood in front of the great fireplace in a black robe with a book in his hands.

Ambrose sat in a carved chair beside him, upright and gray-faced, with his birthday cake still uncut on a trolley.

Birdie's christening had been at ten that morning. It had gone beautifully, and Birdie had not cried once.

Now the string quartet stopped.

"My granddaughter," said Ambrose, and his voice carried to the back of the room. "Come forward."

Willa stood where she was, at the side of the floor, in the dark green dress.

Jasper stood at her shoulder. He did not touch her.

"Willa."

She walked out into the open space between the guests.

Her knees were steady. She was almost surprised.

"Grandpa," she said. "Happy birthday."

"Come and stand beside your husband."

"I'm not marrying anyone today."

A sound ran through the room, a hundred people drawing breath.

Ambrose's hand tightened on his stick.

"You will not shame me."

"I'm not trying to. I'm telling you the truth in front of everyone, so you can't tell me later you didn't hear it." She looked at the minister, who had gone red. "I'm sorry you came out for nothing."

"Then your mother's allowance stops."

"Dad."

Her mother had risen from the wing chair by the fire.

She was thin and shaky, with a scarf on her head, and she held out a hand toward him.

"That's enough," she said.

Nobody in that house had heard her say it before.

"The clinic is paid through the end of the year," said Jasper, evenly. "Every bill, every nurse. By me, on my own account, with no conditions."

← Chapter 21 · All chapters · Chapter 23 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend