She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 83

(Gloria)

I have attended enough industry parties to know that the real entertainment is never the canapés.

It's the people in the room.

Specifically, tonight, it's the corner near the bar where Nathanial is standing with a glass of scotch.

Wearing the expression of a man who’s recently had his entire personal history rewritten and isn’t quite sure what to do with the new edition.

Sonia is across the room in ivory silk, positioned at Chase's elbow like a very elegant barnacle.

And Piper, who apparently decided that flying home could wait, is in black, near the window, talking to no one and watching everything with the focus of someone who came here specifically to monitor a situation.

I know all of this because I’ve been keeping track of each and every one of them.

I also know that the three of them have not yet been in the same area of the room tonight.

That’s about to change, because Piper is moving in Nathanial’s direction.

I follow at a distance that could plausibly be described as coincidental.

Piper arrives at the bar two seconds before Nathanial turns around.

She orders sparkling water with the energy of someone who would like something considerably stronger but won't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing it.

"Piper," Nathanial says.

"Nathanial."

She doesn't look at him directly.

She accepts her water from the bartender and surveys the room.

"You look terrible."

"Thank you. You look like you haven't slept in days."

"I haven't. I've been dealing with the emotional fallout from your sister's confessional tour."

She takes a sip of her water.

"How's that going for her, by the way? Has she moved on to full martyr mode, or is she pacing herself?"

Nathanial's jaw tightens. "She's trying."

"She's always trying something."

Piper finally looks at him.

"The question is what."

This is the exact moment Sonia materializes beside them with the timing of a woman who’s been waiting for an opening and found one.

"Nathanial," she says warmly. Then, "Piper."

The warmth drops approximately ten degrees.

Piper turns to look at her step-sister with the expression of a woman examining something she’s stepped in.

"Sonia. Lovely dress. Who are you apologizing to next, or are you taking the week off?"

"I'm working on myself," Sonia says, with the serenity of someone who’s been practicing that sentence. "Something I'd recommend to everyone."

"How generous. Advice from the woman who spent ages lying to her brother about the person he loved."

Nathanial says nothing.

He’s doing the thing where he goes very still and lets the room resolve around him.

This in itself is rather telling.

The Nathanial of old would have automatically jumped to Sonia’s defense.

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