Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 268

At the same time, in the glass-walled conference room of Nelson Corporation’s gaming division.

Two minutes earlier.

The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

James sat at the head of the table in a sharp black suit, gold-rimmed glasses framing a pair of eyes as cold as midnight. The air around him practically buzzed with pressure.

“This is your final plan?”

He tapped his well-defined fingers on the table, sending the “Letter from the Other Side” marketing proposal skidding across the polished wood. It landed dead center, like a gauntlet thrown down.

A line of game directors and senior programmers sat frozen, heads bowed, not daring to so much as exhale.

Right then, his phone started to vibrate against the table.

Everyone saw it: the man who’d just been an ice storm in human form melted the moment he glanced at his screen.

He picked up the phone and answered.

And right there, the whole room heard their terrifying boss speak in a voice so gentle it didn’t seem possible.

“Hey, baby.”

The entire team: ???

Then he went on, “No, I’m not busy. Just taking a break.”

Everyone: !!!

Wait—taking a break? In the middle of this meeting?

Without another word or a single glance their way, James stood, phone in hand, and walked straight out, leaving a room full of stunned employees behind him.

The silence was absolute.

After a few seconds, the dam broke and everyone started whispering at once.

“Oh my god… Mr. Nelson is actually sweet?” A young programmer clutched his chest, looking completely betrayed by reality.

“That ‘baby’ just about made my heart melt. I can’t believe he’s so in love with his wife!” The female director’s eyes were practically sparkling.

The project manager was sweating bullets. “So… are we done here? Didn’t Mr. Nelson have two more meetings after this?”

James just listened, quietly soaking it all in, letting her talk herself breathless about every little victory.

He could feel warmth blooming in his chest. She was sharing her secrets with him, letting him in. That meant she was starting to see him as family.

Before he knew it, half an hour had slipped by.

Her words grew softer and softer until all he could hear was her slow, steady breathing.

She’d fallen asleep while talking.

James couldn’t help but laugh, helpless and completely charmed.

He remembered how little sleep she’d gotten last night and his eyes softened, warmth flooding them.

He set the call on mute, but didn’t hang up.

Then he waved his assistant over. “Bluetooth headset.”

The assistant handed one over without missing a beat.

James put the earbud in, pushed open the conference room door, and strolled back in—his steps lighter and a smile lingering on his lips.