Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 534

534 /630

It was a beautifully made red pouch, the kind you’d find in an old jewelry box or tucked away in a grandma’s drawer. Gold thread traced swirling clouds across the fabric, all soft and warm under her fingertips.

Emmy absently stroked the pouch, lost in thought, until her finger caught on something small and firm inside. She paused. Then, careful not to tear anything, she undid the red string at the top.

A tiny square of yellow paper slipped out and landed in her palm, perfectly folded. She opened it, heart thumping. On the paper, in bold black calligraphy, were the words:

“Bless the Nelson family’s children. May they grow up safe and sound.”

Emmy shot upright, her breath catching in her throat.

The Nelson family?

This was a good luck charm, the kind Mrs. Nelson would get to protect her kids. But why did it say “the Nelson family”? Why not a child’s name?

Was it Grandma again, mixing things up on one of her bad days?

Emmy folded the charm back up and slipped it into the pouch. She grabbed her phone, fingers flying across the screen as she opened her search app and typed in: twins.

A flood of short videos popped up. Cute, round-faced kids grinned at her from the screen. Twin boys in matching soccer jerseys tore across a field, chasing a ball and laughing so hard they could barely run straight. Two girls in sparkly princess dresses leaned their heads together, sharing a single slice of cake, their giggles bright and sticky-sweet. Even a pair of old women, hair pure white, shuffled down a street hand in hand, their faces lined in exactly the same way.

Every video was just double the laughter, double the love. No curses. No disasters.

Emmy’s lips twisted into a cold little smile.

Of course, the richer the family, the weirder the rules. People treated lives like poker chips, then blamed the kids when things went wrong. It was ridiculous.

But what she really couldn’t wrap her head around was James.

He’d had the strictest training. He was supposed to be the type who believed in facts, not fairy tales. So why did he believe in the same superstitions?

The thought made her restless. She closed the video app and opened her social network. As she scrolled, she saw Isabel’s new group photo and tapped a quick like, remembering the favor she’d promised her.

Back in her contacts, Emmy hunted for Mr. Nelson’s name. His profile picture was just a blank black square. Nothing there, nothing to give away who he was—just as mysterious and closed-off as ever.