Chapter 14
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She hadn’t expected herself to be so impulsive.
She’d spent years perfecting the role of the gentle, well-mannered wife. She knew all she had to do was let Nigel stew in guilt long enough for the divorce to go through smoothly.
So why had she said something so… unnecessary?
She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling. Her eyes felt dry and sore.
Before she could make sense of the mess in her chest, her phone buzzed. It was Nancy. “Lottie, feel like grabbing a drink tonight?”
“Sure,” Lottie said quickly, then paused. “But it’ll have to be a little later. I’ve got a wellness livestream-it ends around ten.”
It was for the traditional medicine clinic. Technically not her responsibility, but she’d once filled in for a colleague who had an emergency.
Back then, she’d hesitated-being involved publicly wasn’t something either the Pollard or Mathis families would look fondly on.
But then her colleague showed her how to use a beauty filter. After seeing the result, Lottie figured even her own mother might not recognize her.
She had the looks, and her soft-spoken tone was easy on the cars-audiences loved it.
Soon enough, the clinic started asking her to go live regularly.
“Perfect,” Nancy said. “I’ll swing by after my shift and pick you up-should be right on time.”
“Sounds good.”
After a few more minutes of chatting, Lottie hung up feeling lighter.
She returned to her room and reviewed her notes for the livestream one more time.
If marriage to Nigel had any silver lining, it was the freedom.
He never cared what she did.
The Pollard family still tried to keep her from flying too high, but they no longer had the power to monitor her every move-not when they had to factor in the Mathis family’s reputation.
So she poured herself into her studies, honed her skills, and picked up shifts at the clinic when she could.
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Chapter 14
Three years in, she’d built up a respectable savings.
At exactly ten, her livestream ended.
Feeling pretty good, she headed downstairs just as Nancy pulled up outside.
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When Lottie got in the car, Nancy raised an eyebrow. “You look like you’re in a great mood. The divorce going well?”
“Pretty smoothly.” Lottie smiled. “Definitely worth celebrating.”
They arrived at the bar right during peak hours-lively, packed, and loud.
Fortunately, Nancy knew the owner and had reserved them a spot in advance.
While she ducked into the restroom, Lottie started drinking.
When Nancy came back, she saw the half-empty glass and shook her head with a grin. “Does Nigel even know you drink?”
“Of course not.”
Lottie tilted her head slightly, a soft smile forming, her dimple faintly visible. “Just like I didn’t know his so-called ‘special someone’ was Es-”
“Kiss! Kiss!”
“Come on, make the first move!”
“Let’s go!”
The shouting from the dance floor cut her off mid-sentence.
She turned her head-and her smile froze in place.
Nancy followed her gaze, her expression immediately darkening. “That’s… Nigel, isn’t it?”
Right in the center of the dance floor, under the flickering lights, was Nigel-his sharp, striking features unmistakable.
In his arms was a woman in a red dress-gorgeous, captivating.
And the always-cool, self-contained Nigel was looking at her with unmistakable tenderness.
Nancy got a clear look at the woman’s face and visibly winced. Her expression looked like her worldview had just been run over. “Wait. His special someone is… Esther?”
“Yeah. Surprised?”
Lottie tipped her glass back and drained it, voice raspy. “I didn’t see it coming either.”
Just as she finished speaking, Esther rose on tiptoe and kissed him.
Nigel instinctively pulled her closer, hand circling her waist.
Picture perfect. Just like a couple out of a magazine.
“Whoa!”
“Girl’s got moves!”
“Nigel, guess you’re not going home tonight, huh?”
The group of men-clearly older than Lottie but always teasingly calling her “little sister”-were now hyped and loudly egging them on.
