THE BILLIONAIRE AND WIFE

Chapter Three: Yes or No?

I sat there, staring at the half-eaten steak on my plate, feeling my heart pound in my

chest.

The garden was quiet now,

the air smelled like fresh-cut grass and roses from the flowerbeds nearby, but all I could

feel was the heaviness settling on me after what had just happened.

Leey had left the table so quickly, One second we were talking about marriage, the next

he was gone.

I glanced toward the house. The lights were on inside, and I could see shadows moving

past the windows.

Something serious was happening, I thought about going back to my room, locking the

door, and hiding under the covers like a scared little girl.

But instead I stood up and walked toward the house.

Slowly, Quietly,

When I got inside, I heard voices coming from down the hallway near Leey’s study.

I shouldn’t have listened.

I knew that,

But something about the way Mr. Hayes had looked tight, nervous made me stop just

outside the door.

I pressed my back against the wall and listened.

we can’t keep this from her much longer,” Mr. Hayes was saying. His voice was low but

sharp.

Leey’s voice followed, slower, raspier than usual. “Not now. She’s not ready to know.

Let her make her decision first.”

There was a pause, then Mr. Hayes said, “Sir with all due respect the doctors”

“Enough!” Leey snapped, making me flinch where I stood. “I said not yet.”

I clapped my hand over my mouth, heart pounding like a drum.

Doctors? What were they talking about?

Was he sick?

I felt cold all over,

I backed away quietly, my shoes making soft sounds on the polished floor.

I didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping. Not tonight.

I made it back to my guest room and closed the door behind me, locking it tight.

For a long time, I just stood there, breathing hard, staring at the prenup still sitting on

the small table near the bed.

Everything felt too fast.

Too much,

I dropped onto the edge of the bed and buried my face in my hands,

Was I really about to marry a man I barely knew?

A man who had secrets?

A man who might

I couldn’t even finish the thought.

I picked up the prenup again, flipping through the pages with shaky fingers.

There was a space for my signature at the end,

I grabbed a pen from the nightstand drawer, hovered it over the pape

And froze.

I couldn’t do it, Not yet,

I set the pen down and climbed under the covers, curling up like I used to when I was a

little girl scared of storms.

Sleep didn’t come easy.

All night long, I kept hearing Leey’s voice in my head.

“I need to know by morning, Yes or no.”

But now after what I heard I had more questions than answers.

I finally drifted off around 3 AM, but even then, my dreams were full of strange images:

Leey standing at the end of a dark hallway

A locked door with voices behind it

Me running through fields, barefoot and crying

I woke with a start just as the sun was rising.

Birds chirped outside the window. The ranch was quiet again.

I sat up, rubbing my face, feeling more tired than rested.

The prenup still sat there waiting.

I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and stared at my

reflection.

Dark circles under my eyes. Pale skin. Messy hair.

This wasn’t how I imagined life-changing moments would look.

I grabbed my phone and checked my messages.

One missed call from Jenna. A simple text from her right after:

“You’d better call me ASAP. I need updates!”

I didn’t have the energy to reply. Not yet.

Before I could think more, there was a soft knock on my door.

“Miss Bells?” Mr. Hayes’s voice called from the hallway.

“Yes?” I answered.

“Mr. Gammey is waiting for you in the library.”

My heart did a flip,

This was it, The moment he’d been waiting for.

The moment I had been dreading.

I quickly changed into a simple dress one I packed from home. It wasn’t fancy, but it was

clean, I ran a brush through my hair and slipped on some lip gloss.

I stood in front of the mirror for one last look.

“Pull yourself together, Whitney,” I whispered. “No matter what happens be strong.”

I walked down the long hallway toward the library.

The big double doors were already open.

Leey sat by the window, wearing a dark navy robe over his clothes, holding a cup of

coffee. He looked more tired today paler.

But when he saw me, he smiled like nothing was wrong.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he said softly.

“Morning,” I replied, walking in and sitting across from him.

There was a small folder on the table between us. The prenup

He gestured toward it. “So do you have an answer for me?”

I swallowed hard, looking at him at the folder at the pen lying next to it.

The room felt like it was closing in on me.

I opened my mouth about to speak

But before I could, Mr. Hayes suddenly burst into the room, looking panicked.

“Sir! There’s someone at the front gate , They’re from the media a reporter.”

Leey’s face darkened instantly.

“Media? Here?”

Mr. Hayes nodded, “They’re asking questions about Miss Bells. About you. About the

wedding rumors.”

My heart stopped

Wedding rumors? Already?

I hadn’t even signed anything yet.

Leey slammed his coffee cup down on the table so hard the liquid splashed.

“Get them off my property,” he barked. “Now!”

Mr. Hayes rushed out of the room.

I sat there frozen, my heart racing.

Leey ran a hand through his silver hair and looked at me with tired, angry eyes.

“I guess word travels fast,” he muttered.

I wanted to speak, to ask what was going on. To ask why people were already talking

about me and him.

But before I could say a word

Leey looked at me again, serious and soft all at once.

“Whitney,” he said, voice low, “whatever decision you’re about to make just know things

are about to get complicated.”

I swallowed hard.

“More complicated than this?” I asked, my voice shaking.

He gave a bitter smile. “You have no idea.”

And with that

The door burst open again.

This time it wasn’t Mr. Hayes.

It was a stranger in a dark suit with a press badge and a camera crew right behind him.