Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 26

Nathan’s insight surprised me. He seemed to know me better than I’d realized.

“Have you been checking up on me?” My smile faded. The collapse of my marriage was painful enough without strangers poking through the remains.

“Sorry, I overstepped,” Nathan blurted out, uncharacteristically flustered. “Just heard some things in passing. No background checks, I promise.”

“Lovely meeting you.” I gave him my best polite dismissal and walked away.

Nathan stayed frozen where he stood.

Back at our table, Melissa was still nervously eyeing the handsome stranger at the other table, clearly working up the courage to talk to him.

“Melissa, ready to go?” I asked, already gathering my things. Nathan’s lingering gaze and that unsettling confession had me suddenly desperate for an exit.

She rose with obvious reluctance, just as Nathan came back inside.

I pulled Melissa forward. “Mr. Hallman, meet Melissa–legal genius and my best friend. Keep her number handy for when you inevitably need a lawyer.”

“Victoria…” Melissa hadn’t expected me to be so forward. She turned bright red, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

I shot her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. Mr. Hallman and I know each other.”

Nathan handed Melissa a business card. “Ms. Jenkins, my company could use legal counsel. If you’re interested, reach out to my assistant, Zachary Chandler.”

“Hello,” said Zachary, the handsome guy across the table, raising his hand. He slid his card toward her. “Just give me a call.”

Melissa took both cards, her face burning. “Nice to meet you,” she murmured, and then yanked me out of the restaurant at lightning speed.

one look at her tomato–red cheeks and burst out

stomping her foot. “How could you just ask for their contacts like that? Now I can never show

nudged her. “You’ve got their cards now. It’d be a waste not

strange and grabbed my arm. “You know Mr. Hallman? How? Where

you two meet?”

froze, caught off guard by

I can see it in his eyes–the way he looks at you isn’t

my friend, and I didn’t want to hide things from her.

of yours created a tech mogul?” She’d seen his business card–the same guy I’d helped was now Nathan

a 27–year–old rising star who was killing it in the tech

and I didn’t even know who he was. Back then, people talked about this genius kid- how his family went

charity work at the time. When

Your instincts are

a wry smile. “It was Jared’s money, not mine. If anyone deserves credit, it’s

her knee. “This is perfect. Jared financed his own

quickly covered her mouth. “Keep your voice down. If

her voice dropping to a whisper. “So… you’re really divorcing Jared? Need me to handle the paperwork? It’s what

made me laugh. “Alright, draft something up for me to

you think Jared will give you half?” Melissa asked, her eyes alight with

not. I don’t expect half. Even ten percent of his fortune

he’d probably hand over whatever you needed without

walked down that aisle, did you ever think it would end in divorce?” For all her blunt humor, she asked with

thinking about divorce?” I said bitterly. “We were all

Melissa interrupted. “Truth is, it’s just a partnership. Pick right, you’re golden. Pick

losses early,” I

smile. “Exactly. We’re still

women are all the same. The magic always fades. Why not just keep dating? Always