She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34 The Fragile Truce

(Natasha)

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Lily is lying on her back in the center of her playmat, her dark eyes tracking a plush toy dangling above her.

We spent the last hour working on tummy time, and now she’s enjoying a well-deserved rest.

Eleanor walks into the room, stopping in her tracks when she secs me sitting on the floor.

A few weeks ago, this encounter would have sparked a bitter argument.

The air would have cracked with insults and thinly veiled threats.

But Eleanor has been surprisingly civil lately.

She lowers herself onto the edge of the velvet sofa near the playmat.

The stiff, formal matriarch leans forward and her sharp gaze softens drastically as she watches her granddaughter kick her tiny legs.

Lily lets out a soft coo, waving a clenched fist in the air.

Eleanor reaches down and offers her index finger. Lily immediately wraps her tiny hand around it, gripping tight.

Watching them, a knot of lingering resentment loosens in my chest.

Eleanor loves this little girl.

The tenderness in her eyes can’t be manufactured.

She traces the baby’s soft cheek with her thumb, showing a gentle patience I never expected from her.

“You have a natural touch with her,” Eleanor murmurs, her gaze still fixed on the baby.

Coming from her, the compliment is a genuine shock.

“She’s my daughter,” I state simply.

“Patience is easy when you love someone that much. She obviously loves having you around.”

Eleanor gives a short, dignified nod, accepting the mutual praise.

She finally looks up, folding her hands in her lap.

Her eyes scan my face, and the way my simple blouse fits my frame.

The scrutiny makes my skin prickle, bracing for an inevitable insult.

“I must admit, Natasha, you look like a different person,” Eleanor says.

Her tone lacks its usual venom. It sounds more like genuine bewilderment.

“When Chase first brought you into this family, and throughout the marriage, I despised the fact that you made no effort to improve your appearance.”

A bitter laugh escapes my throat before I can stop it. “You assumed I just didn’t care about my appearance.”

Eleanor straightens her posture, her chin lifting defensively.

Chantor $4 The Frogio Truces

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“You always looked so heavy and exhausted. Your clothes never fit properly. What else should I have thought?”

have a disease, Eleanor,” I tell her, my voice turning hard and flat.

“I have to take steroids to keep it under control, or I will die. The medication made me look that way. A good friend found out there’s another product on the market and I switched, hence the sudden changes.”

The older woman freezes. The defensive tilt of her chin drops instantly and dead silence fills the nursery.

Eleanor stares at me, her mouth parting slightly.

For the first time since the day we met, the great Eleanor Warren looks genuinely ashamed.

“I didn’t know,” she whispers, her voice tight. “I judged you very harshly,” Eleanor admits.

The words seem to cost her a great deal of effort.

“I assumed you didn’t care, but it was the illness all along. You suffered a great deal to bring my granddaughter into this world.”

“I did,” I agree quietly. “And I would do it again a thousand times. She’s a miracle.”

“I respect that kind of resilience,” Eleanor says, looking back at me.

I’m not naive enough to believe that we’re suddenly friends. The year of sharp remarks and cold shoulders won’t vanish after a single conversation.

But the tension that always defined us eases, leaving a careful truce behind.

Eleanor stands up, smoothing the wrinkles from her skirt. Her posture returns to its usual rigid perfection.

“We’re having a formal family dinner tonight,” Eleanor announces, her tone shifting back to crisp authority.

“Sonia is arriving at six o’clock.”

My stomach drops.

“Why is she coming?”

“She’s carrying Chase’s next child,” Eleanor replies matter-of-factly.

“Her doctor recommended a stress-free weekend, so I offered her the guest room. The future of this family requires my full support.”

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