She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 31

Chapter 31 The Breakdown

(Chase)

Seated across the long glass table of the boardroom in our Tokyo hotel, Jeffrey Bauer frowns deeply, tapping his silver pen against a thick file.

Beside me, Nathanial shuffles his notes for the third time in five minutes.

His hands are shaking and a thin sheen of sweat coats his forehead.

“The integration timeline,” Nathanial stammers, losing his place on the page again.

“We project a smooth transition by Quarter three, provided the server migration…”

He trails off, staring blankly at the wall.

Silence stretches painfully across the room and Bauer exchanges a dark look with his lead engineer.

Stepping in, I smoothly pull the presentation file toward me.

“Provided the server migration aligns with your current infrastructure,” I finish, projecting calm confidence.

“Which our team has already mapped out. Let’s take a ten-minute recess to review these schematics.”

Bauer gives a stiff nod and stands up.

Grabbing Nathanial by the elbow, I steer him out of the boardroom and down the quiet hallway into an empty side office.

Shutting the door firmly, I turn to face my business partner.

“What’s going on with you?” I demand, keeping my voice low but sharp.

“You’re falling apart in there. Bauer hasn’t signed the final contract yet. He’s looking for an excuse to walk now that he knows Natasha is back on her feet.”

Nathanial doesn’t answer.

He leans back against the wall and buries his face in his hands. His shoulders shake violently.

Then a harsh sob rips out of his throat.

Seeing the composed, arrogant man I know so well break down in front of me is jarring.

My anger falters, replaced by genuine concern.

Becoming a father seems to have softened me more than I realized.

“Nathanial,” I say, softening my tone. “Tell me what happened.”

Reaching into his suit jacket, he pulls out a folded piece of paper and shoves it into my chest.

Taking the document, I unfold it. It’s a death certificate.

The name printed at the top reads Natasha Morton. 2

“My sister,” Nathanial chokes out, sliding down the wall until he sits on the floor.

“I hired a private investigator. I wanted to find her. Sonia always told me to let it go, but I couldn’t.”

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He looks up, his eyes bloodshot and filled with tears.

The investigator called me an hour before the meeting. He found her records. She died. My little sister is gone, Chase.”

Staring at the paper, a heavy weight settles in my chest.

Thinking of Lily, a sudden, fierce wave of empathy washes over me. Losing a child, losing a sister, it must be a nightmare.

Crouching down, I place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him honestly. “I know how much finding her meant to you.”

We stay in the quiet office for several minutes while Nathanial cries.

When we finally return to the hallway, Jeffrey Bauer is waiting near the elevators.

He looks impatient.

“Walk with me, Chase,” Bauer orders, gesturing toward the lobby.

Leaving Nathanial to collect himself, I follow the tech billionaire.

“Nathanial has turned into a liability,” Bauer states bluntly as the elevator doors close.

“This merger requires steady leadership. I gave you my verbal agreement because I believed Warren Global could handle the transition. Right now, I lack confidence.”

“Nathanial received some devastating family news,” I explain, defending him. “Just give him a few days to

recover.”

“Business doesn’t wait for grief,” Bauer replies coldly.

“I want stability. I think I may have made a mistake in not following my gut and going with Natasha’s proposal.”

“Natasha is still on medical leave,” I remind him.

“Perhaps. But she’s out of the hospital, and from what I’ve heard, fully recovered,” Bauer counters, his eyes narrowing.

“If you want my signature on that final contract tomorrow morning, Natasha needs to be here. I want her consulting on the integration. If she doesn’t join the party, I walk.”

The elevator dings, and Bauer steps out, leaving me alone.

As soon as I’m back in my hotel suite, I check my watch, calculating the time difference.

It’s late evening in Los Angeles. Natasha has always been a bit of a night owl, she should still be reading in bed.

Pulling out my phone, I dial her cellphone. The connection clicks, and her voice comes through the speaker.

“Hello?” Natasha answers softly.

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