Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Blair had prepared for a battle, but not for war. She couldn’t believe aunt Viv had invited Dan without telling her.

As she stepped into her aunt and uncle’s grand dining room, the scent of roasted lamb and fresh bread filled the air, but it did nothing to soften the tension in the room. Aunt Viv and Uncle Peter sat at opposite ends of the long mahogany table, their expressions carefully neutral. Paula stood near the fireplace, quiet, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

Dan was already seated, one arm draped lazily over the back of his chair like he had every right to be here. The look on his face said it all. He believed he was about to get his way. Fat fucking chance. Blair hated him.

Then the door creaked open behind them. She knew before she even turned. Laura. Just great.

So all the key players were here. This was going to be explosive.

Blair’s breath caught for half a second before she forced herself to exhale, slow and controlled. Laura stepped inside, scanning the room before settling on Dan. She didn’t say a word. Just moved to the table and sat down.

Had she told Dan she was pregnant yet?

Keira stiffened beside Blair. “Didn’t realize this was a full–on intervention,” she muttered.

Blair’s fingers curled into fists. Aunt Viv clasped her hands together like she had just solved some grand dilemma. “We’re all adults here. It’s time to sit down and work this out.”

Work this out? Blair nearly laughed. There was no working this out. Not after being with Roman and Dan’s cheating.

Sutton must have sensed the storm brewing, because she stepped in smoothly. “Why don’t we sit? Because being on my feet is killing me.”

Blair didn’t move right away. She wasn’t sure she could without saying something she’d regret. But then Paula caught her eye. She gave the smallest nod, a quiet show of support.

Blair took a seat next to Sutton. Keira didn’t sit. She stood behind them both, arms crossed.

The moment they were settled, Aunt Viv launched into her well–rehearsed speech.

“Blair, I know things have been strained between you and Dan, but you’ve been together for years. It would be foolish to throw that away over a misunderstanding.”

Blair scoffed. “Misunderstanding?”

Dan leaned forward, flashing the charming smile that had once made her heart race. Now it made her sick. “Babe…”

Keira held up a hand. “Nope. Absolutely not. You don’t get to ‘babe‘ her. That ship sank, hit the ocean floor, and was eaten by

sharks.”

Viv shot Keira a sharp look before refocusing on Blair. “You love each

Aunt Viv. My life is no longer aligned with Dan’s. He made his

had been silent until now, finally spoke. “You’re being stubborn. Marriage is about forgiveness. About building a

out a humorless laugh. “Is that what you told yourself

room went

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Chapter 28

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neck. He would hate her for

“Blair, this is not the

She turned her attention back to Dan. Would he come clean, or was she going to have to do it for him? Uncle Peter would have no issue with Dan sleeping around. How could he when he’d done the same? But Aunt Viv? Would she be okay with it?

throat. “I made a mistake,

a disgusted noise. “That’s

ignored her. “We’re meant to be together. To get married. Start a family. I still want that.

squeeze her hand

“what you want stopped mattering the

flicked her eyes toward Laura,

away.

closely. Dan didn’t

was the first time she had moved since entering

jaw tightened. “It wasn’t like

was it like?” Her voice

long–suffering sigh, like this entire conversation

an unnecessary

4

“A mess for who?

had done. Because they didn’t

together, it

Peter exhaled through his nose. “For all of us. Your wedding was planned. The whole town knows. This

Blair’s control snapped.