The Comments Said My Baby Was Worth A Billion-Dollar Empire Chapter 03

The Comments Said My Baby Was Worth A Billion-Dollar Empire Chapter 03

Victor’s grandmother was in her seventies, silver-haired, and ramrod straight. She looked at me like I was made of gold.

I squirmed in Victor’s arms, trying to make him put me down. His grip tightened.

“Don’t move.”

His grandmother was at the bedside in a few quick strides. “How far along?”

“About six weeks,” the doctor said.

The silver handle of his grandmother’s cane trembled.

“She’s really pregnant?”

The doctor nodded.

His grandmother teared up instantly. Lily steadied her by the arm, her voice low and careful.

“Let’s not jump ahead. The paternity still hasn’t been confirmed.”

The joy on his grandmother’s face flickered. She turned to Victor.

Victor set me down on the bed and drew a thin blanket over my legs. “No invasive testing in the first trimester.”

Warmth moved through my chest. The same man who’d questioned me moments ago was shielding me now.

His grandmother’s face went cold. “Victor. This is about the Vance bloodline.”

His voice dropped, cold and final. “And she’s carrying a life.”

The room went silent. The comments drifted through, slow for once.

[Victor is protecting her and Lily is PANICKING.]

[In the original book, Grandma handpicked Lily as her future granddaughter-in-law. But Chloe just blew the doors open with a baby.]

[Don’t get too comfortable, Chloe. The branch families are gonna come for those inheritance rights real soon.]

His grandmother settled onto the edge of my bed and took my hand. “Chloe, sweetheart, what do you need? We have the best nutritionists and doctors at the estate. Just tell me where you’d like to stay.”

I opened my mouth, ready to say I didn’t care. Lily got there first.

“The estate is peaceful. It would be a wonderful place to rest while you’re pregnant. I could look after Chloe, too. I actually trained as a nurse.”

My lip curled.

“You’re going to look after me?”

Lily gave a gentle nod. “I’d hate for you to feel lonely.”

I looked at Victor.

“I’m not going to the estate.”

His grandmother’s warmth soured. “Why not?”

I let my eyes prick with heat and softened my voice into something small and fragile.

“I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

I pointed at Lily.

“Her.”

Lily’s expression froze. His grandmother went very still.

I dropped my gaze and rested a hand on my stomach. “The first thing she said when she walked in was that the baby needed to be confirmed. Now she wants me at the estate, where she can keep an eye on me.”

“What happens if I fall asleep one night and the baby’s just… gone?”

Lily stepped forward. “Chloe, that’s not what I meant.”

I pressed myself into Victor’s chest.

“See? She’s doing it again. She’s glaring at me right now.”

Lily’s mouth opened. Nothing came out.

Victor looked down at me, and something flickered behind his eyes, the ghost of a smile he killed before it could land. His grandmother’s gaze on Lily cooled by several degrees.

“Lily. Go home.”

Lily’s lips went white.

“Mrs. Vance.”

“Go. Home.”

Lily picked up the sleek lunch tote and left. The second the door clicked shut, his grandmother’s entire demeanor flipped.

She squeezed my hand. “Chloe, honey, you live wherever you want.”

I looked at Victor.

“I want to stay at his place.”

Victor’s brow twitched.

His grandmother didn’t miss a beat. “Done. You’ll stay at his place.”

“I didn’t agree to that,” Victor said, voice flat.

His grandmother brought her cane down hard on the floor.

“Nobody asked you.”

I bit back a laugh.

The comments scrolled past.

[Step one of baby-powered social climbing: COMPLETE.]

[Too bad the Sterling family hasn’t caught wind of this yet.]

My phone buzzed an instant later. Mom’s name lit up the screen.