The Billionaire's Bought Bride and Instant Mom Chapter 104

Aveline

"You look absolutely stunning," Orion said, his eyes taking in my carefully chosen outfit with obvious appreciation. "That dress is..." He seemed to search for words. "Incredible."

Heat flooded my cheeks at the genuine admiration in his voice, but before I could respond, he was checking his watch with the distracted air of someone who had somewhere else to be.

"Are you meeting someone too?" I asked, though I immediately regretted the question when I noticed what he was carrying.

In his left hand was an elegant black bag with distinctive gold lettering—Laurent's jewelry studio. The bag was substantial enough to suggest it contained multiple pieces, and given Laurent's reputation, whatever was inside was worth a fortune.

Several million dollars, minimum. Possibly more.

*Oh my God.* The gift advice he'd asked for. This was what he'd been planning.

"I have an important meeting," Orion said, his voice dropping slightly. "Someone I need to... someone very significant."

The way he said "significant" made my stomach flutter with hope and anticipation. Could he possibly mean...?

But before I could process that thought fully, Orion glanced at his watch again and stood up. "Excuse me for just a moment," he said, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my heart skip. "Wait right here."

He moved to the other side of the café, and I watched as he began scanning the room.

My heart began to pound with a mixture of excitement and confusion. If he was looking for someone and he had expensive jewelry with him, and he'd specifically asked me for advice about gifts for women...

*Could he be here to meet me? Could this be some elaborate romantic gesture?*

But just as that hope began to take root, the café door opened again, and my world tilted sideways.

A young woman with auburn hair cascading in perfect waves down her back practically bounced through the entrance. She couldn't have been more than twenty-two, wearing a playful sundress in coral pink that hugged every curve of her petite, perfect figure. Her outfit was completed with strappy sandals that showed off her pedicured toes and delicate gold jewelry that caught the light as she moved.

She was absolutely gorgeous in that fresh, uncomplicated way that only very young women possessed.

The moment she spotted Orion, her face lit up with pure joy, and she launched herself at him with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever greeting its favorite person.

"Orion!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck.

I literally choked on my coffee, coughing so hard that several other patrons turned to stare.

*That's her.* The college graduate Ryan had told me about. The one who'd spent the day shopping with Orion, who'd bought Ryan expensive dinosaur toys, who was young and pretty and everything I wasn't.

From my table, I couldn't hear their conversation, but I had a perfect view of their interaction. Orion looked momentarily uncomfortable with her enthusiastic greeting, but he didn't push her away. Instead, he seemed to be explaining something to her, gesturing with the Laurent bag.

Then, to my absolute horror, he handed her the jewelry bag.

She opened it right there in the middle of the café, and even from a distance, I could see her face transform with delight. She pulled out what appeared to be a necklace, holding it up to the light where it sparkled with the unmistakable fire of serious diamonds.

*He bought her jewelry.* Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. *For her.*

The "important meeting" wasn't with me. The "significant person" wasn't me. I'd been deluding myself, imagining some romantic scenario that existed only in my wishful thinking.

All this time, while I'd been analyzing his every look and gesture, convinced there was something developing between us, he'd been planning some grand romantic gesture for a woman barely out of college.

I felt like I was going to be sick.

The white roses in my lap were completely destroyed now, crushed beyond recognition by my unconscious grip. I swept the ruined petals under the table and stood abruptly, my only thought being escape.

I had to get out of there before I did something truly humiliating, like crying in public or marching over to confront them about their obvious relationship.

As I grabbed my purse and headed for the exit, I caught a glimpse of Orion looking in my direction with what might have been concern. For a moment, it seemed like he might follow me.

But then Sera—because it had to be Sera—caught his arm, pulling his attention back to her and the glittering jewelry he'd just given her.

I pushed through the café door and onto the street, gulping the cool air as if I'd been drowning.

*What an idiot I've been.*

Not only had I completely misread the situation with Orion, but I'd also managed to miss my appointment with my husband entirely. The mysterious Mr. Sterling was probably sitting in that café right now, looking for a woman in a black dress carrying white roses—roses that were now scattered under a table like confetti from a funeral.

I pulled out my phone to call Luna, my hands shaking with a mixture of humiliation and rage.

*Of course. Of course he'd choose some fresh-faced young thing over me. Well fuck you too, Orion Blackwell. I hope you and your little princess are very happy together.*

The divorce would have to wait. There was no way I could go back into that café and pretend to be composed enough for a business meeting while watching the man I'd been falling for lavish expensive gifts on someone else.