Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 29

Zachary hadn't watched the live interview the night before; he was too busy coaxing Vera.

By the time he left the office and arrived at Vera's place, it was just past eight.

When the door opened, Vera was standing in the entryway wearing his dress shirt. The top two buttons were undone, giving a teasing glimpse of her collarbone. Her eyes were rimmed red, a clear sign she had been crying.

"I thought you weren't coming," she said, her voice hoarse.

Zachary swapped his shoes for slippers and pulled her into his arms. "I said I was coming, so of course I came. I was stuck in a meeting all afternoon and had my phone on silent. I didn't see your call."

Vera didn't say anything, just buried her face into his chest.

He looked down at her. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes were full of anticipation and insecurity. As the light hit her teary eyes, it made her look undeniably pitiful.

He knew she was fixated on what she had asked earlier—having a baby.

At the time, Zachary had only responded with silence.

How could he possibly have a kid right now?

How would he explain that to his grandfather? He hadn't even begun to break off the engagement yet. If word got out that he had a mistress and a love child, he could kiss his position at the Sutton Group goodbye.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her slightly, and pressed a kiss to her eyelid.

"Don't be silly," Zachary murmured softly. "Do you think I don't want a child? But think about it—Audrina and I haven't broken up yet. If you get pregnant now, what will people say about you? The mother of an illegitimate child? The homewrecker who stole the wife's place? Could you handle that kind of talk?"

Vera bit her lip and stayed silent.

"Even if you could, I couldn't. It would break my heart." Zachary gently tilted her face up.

Looking into her eyes, he continued, "I'm doing this for you. Let me handle things with her first, and then you can walk through the Sutton family's front doors with your head held high. Our child will rightfully carry the Sutton name, and no one will dare utter a single word against it."

The tears welling in Vera's eyes shimmered but didn't fall.

She lowered her gaze, letting her eyelashes mask her true emotions. A few seconds later, she looked up at him again, her eyes impossibly soft.

"Zachary, I'll do whatever you say."

Relieved, Zachary pinched her cheek. "Good girl."

He leaned down to kiss her, and she tilted her neck up to respond eagerly. His hands slipped under her shirt at her waist, and she pressed herself flush against his chest.

Just as half the buttons were undone, she suddenly grabbed his hand and whispered, "Then... stay with me tonight."

"I will."

She turned on her side, curling deeper into his embrace, and gently rested a hand on her lower stomach.

Later that night, Zachary woke up.

The woman in his arms was fast asleep, the corners of her mouth curved up in a faint smile, lost in some dream.

He watched her for a moment.

Suddenly, he thought of Audrina.

He had been running around all week, practically living out of his office, yet she hadn't called or texted him even once.

Then again, Audrina was swamped with work right now; she barely had time for anything else.

Still, Zachary felt that it would have been nice if she had thrown a tantrum just once.

But ever since she returned to the country, she hadn't picked a single fight with him.

She was so well-behaved it almost made him feel guilty.

She was nothing like Vera, who was becoming increasingly demanding lately...