THE CEO'S FAKE WIFE FOR CHRISTMAS.

A CLEAR WARNING.

Chapter 08.

A CLEAR WARNING

Nora's POV.

“Damn it.” I sighed, and pushed my fingers through my hair.

“Is there something wrong, mom?” Lily asked in a curious tone as she walked up to me.

“No, there's nothing wrong sweetheart.” I replied, forcing a smile. “Everything is perfectly fine.”

“But you look worried.” she said.

“Do I?” I asked. “I am just a little tired, that's all. However, you do remember what I said, right? Don't call him dad, okay?”

“Okay mom.” she nodded.

“That's my girl, come here.” I hugged her, and then stroked her hair gently. “I am fine; we are going to be fine.”

While stroking her hair, I glanced at my phone which was right next to me on the couch. The comments from the photo were a little harsh. Even though I'd decided not to read them anymore, I just found myself doing so.

Perhaps, I was actually looking for a fair comment; it didn't have to be something good. Just something to show that someone out there was still human enough to say something nice. But so far, there was none.

“Uh, you should stay in your room for now.” I said, putting my hands on her shoulder as I looked into her eyes. “I will join you shortly.”

“Alright mom.” she said, and turned to leave.

“Lily?” I called.

“Yes, mom.” she stopped, and turned back to face me.

“Don't draw anything on the wall.” I said, shaking my head. “Do you understand? Nothing at all.”

“Yes mom.” she smiled, and then went into her room.

I sighed and took my phone from the couch to continue where I left off. Just then, the door creaked open. As it did, I hid my phone behind me.

“You don't have to do that.” Julian said as he walked in. “I guess you must have realized that the photos were leaked.”

“Yes, I'm sorry about that.” I said, in a soft voice. “What are you going to do about it? Would it affect you in any way? Would it affect the contract I signed?”

I just had to be sure that it wouldn't affect the contract I signed with him because if it would, then I wouldn't be able to complete the payment for Lily's surgery, and I didn't want that. So, if there's any way I could help, then I wouldn't hesitate to do so.

“I don't know. I guess we'll just have to see.” he settled on the couch facing me.

“Do you have any idea who must have leaked the photos?” I asked in a curious tone. “I thought the plan was to delete the photos after they were taken, or isn't that what you said?”

“Yes, that was the plan.” he nodded, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. “But things have gone south now, and I have no idea who must have leaked the photos.”

“Are you going to find whoever did?” I raised a brow. “It sounds like something to be worried about.”

“Yes, it does.” he got up from the couch, and walked to the wine cellar. “Where is your daughter?”

“Uh, she is in her room.” I said. “Is there a problem?”

“Are you asking because you don't know,” he said, returning to the sitting room with a bottle of wine in one hand, and a Chardonnay glass in the other hand. “Or are you pretending not to know?”

He settled on the couch after asking.

“I—I don't understand what you're trying to say.” I stuttered, shaking my head. “I am not pretending not to know what you're talking about right now.”

“You and I were the only ones that should have been in that photo.” he said, pouring himself a glass of wine. “Why did your daughter have to be in it?”

“What are you driving at?” I asked.

“That question she asked about me being her dad is the very reason everything has gone from bad to worse.” he said, looking me in the eyes. “It was bad enough that she was in that picture. But asking that question? That was out of it.”

“Are you trying to say that I have a hand in this?” I narrowed my gaze. “Is that what you're trying to say?”

“Why don't you tell me?” he asked, his nose in his drink. “You didn't want the photos to be taken without her in it, or am I wrong? She is your daughter, and she wouldn't stop being your daughter if she hadn't showed in that photo.”

“I didn't ask her to come.” I said as tears began to form in my eyes. “She came to me on her on accord. I didn't ask her to say anything.”

“But she did.” his voice was as hard as the look in his eyes. “That question ruined it all. She was never supposed to ask that. I made it clear to you that I didn't want her to call me her dad.”

“She didn't, she only asked if you were her dad.”

“What difference does it make!” he asked, raising his voice. “Do you think that's what the public wants to hear? It was a marriage Nora. You, and me. And all of a sudden she shows up asking that question. It shouldn't have happened.”

“She did nothing wrong.” I said, trying to suppress the tears rising in my throat. “All she did was ask a harmless question.”

“And that question is about to make things difficult for me.” he spoke through his teeth. “Now, I have to find a way to resolve this. If I don't, then things will only get worse.”

“I am sorry.” I said, my voice breaking with tears. “I will make sure it doesn't happen again.”

“You better do.” his voice was as hard as steel. “I am not her dad, and I don't want her to see me as one.”

“Mom?” Lily called, standing at a distance. “What's going on?”

“Nothing sweetheart.” I replied with a brief smile. “You should return to your room.”

“I have been hearing your voice, it seemed like you were in an argument.” she said.

“Like I said, it's nothing sweetheart.” I said. “So, just go to your room.”

“No, it's not nothing.” he said, taking a step forward. “She did wrong, and I have to let her know that she did wrong. So that she won't make the same mistake next time.”

“Please, don't.” I said, spreading my arms as I stood in his way. “She is just a kid. She doesn't need this right now.”

“No, I should talk to her.” he said, looking past me. “She can't call me her father out there; I need her to know that.”

“She can hear you.” I said, blinking back tears as I looked over my shoulder. “So please, it's enough.”

“Talk to her, else I might just change my mind.” he warned, and then his phone began to ring.

As he answered the call, he turned to face me. The look in his eyes was as if whoever was on the end of the other line had told him some ugly thing about my past. My heart skipped a beat.

“Uh, I'll be there in thirty minutes.” he said, glancing at his wristwatch. “Just wait for me.”

He hung up, and rather than going to his room as he intended to earlier, he turned around, and made for the door without saying a word to me. I didn't expect him to even say a word to me given the situation. If anything, I was just glad that he didn't speak to Lily the way he wanted to.

In the meantime, he closed the door as he exited the house. I clutched my chest with a hand and heaved a sigh of relief as I settled on the couch.

“Are you okay?” I asked, framing Lily's face with my hands as I looked into her eyes. “Are you hurt?”

“No, mom. I'm fine.” she said, looking at the door as if Julian was standing over there. “But why is he angry?”

“He just had a bad day at work, that's all.” I said, sweeping a tumbling hair off her forehead. “He will be fine by the time he returns home.”

The words had barely left my lips when my phone began to ring. I took it from the couch; it was a call from Grace.

“Hello,” I answered.

“What's going on?” she asked. “Have you moved out?”