I Was Just A Passerby Carrying His Twin Heirs Chapter 16

I Was Just A Passerby Carrying His Twin Heirs Chapter 16

I stopped dead in my tracks.

I turned around slowly.

Vivian Sterling’s car had already pulled away.

The bench sat completely empty.

I stood there for a second, processing the floating text.

So.

Gavin Vance found me because of Vivian?

She leaked my information to him?

What the hell was their angle?

A final line of text drifted across my vision.

[Vivian Sterling and Gavin Vance have known each other since high school. Gavin was the Sterling family’s

original pick for an alliance. Then Grant took power, and they swapped brothers. But Vivian and Gavin never

broke contact.]

My mind raced.

Holy shit.

What kind of soap opera drama was this?

A fiancée teaming up with her future brother-in-law to screw over the heir.

And me-

A nobody who just wanted her $2,800.

I was getting dragged right into the middle of it.

Wait.

Not quite a pawn yet.

I hadn’t agreed to help either side.

Though they clearly weren’t giving up that easily.

I hurried back to my place, locked the front door, and sat on the couch to think.

I pulled out my phone.

I dialed the new number.

“Venmo Guy (Grant)”.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Josie?”

His voice was low, steady, and cool as usual.

“Mr. Vance, I need to tell you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“Your fiancée, Vivian, came to see me today.”

Silence fell over the line.

I kept going.

“She wanted to know if I was after you. I told her no, but I don’t think that’s the real reason she showed up.”

I hesitated, trying to rephrase what I read from the bullet text.

“Call it a gut feeling, but I don’t think your cousin tracked me down through your people. You might want to

look into the Sterlings.”

A long silence stretched over the call.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

When Grant finally spoke, his voice dropped an octave.

“How do you know that?”

“Woman’s intuition.”

He didn’t push.

After another long pause, he spoke softly.

“Josie.”

“Yeah? Thanks.”

I blinked.

The heavy-hitting commander was thanking me? For a random heads-up?

Just for passing along a tip?

“Don’t mention it.”

“I just don’t want to get caught in your family crossfire. Clear it up so everyone gets some peace.”

“Anyway, I’m gonna go heat up dinner.”

“Wait.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m driving you to your prenatal check-up tomorrow.”

“Uh… you don’t have to? Logan usually sets up a ride.”

“I’m picking you up myself.”

He offered no explanation and left no room for argument.

I opened my mouth to argue, then thought better of it.

“Fine. What time?”

“Nine o’clock.”

“Got it.”

I hung up.

I stared at the screen, feeling like something was off.

Why was he suddenly showing up in person?

A new line of text floated past.

[Because Grant Vance needs to show everyone where he stands. He’s declaring that this girl and these kids are under his protection. Anyone who touches them declares war on him.]

[He’s making sure the whole city sees him at that appointment tomorrow.]

Dude, it’s just an ultrasound.

You’re acting like I’m carrying two nuclear warheads in my stomach.

I sighed and walked to the kitchen to heat up food.

Whatever.

He bought my lunch, so he got to make the rules.

If he wanted to show up, fine by me.

Free ride in a luxury car.

The next morning at eight-fifty.

I pulled on an oversized hoodie, sweatpants, and sneakers.

I tossed my hair into a messy bun.

I checked the mirror. Not bad, looked like a presentable unemployed person.

At eight-fifty-five, my phone buzzed.

Logan: “Ms. Miller, the car is downstairs.”