The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart

"Ms. Patel."

Kari stepped out of the office, her face flushed with discomfort: "Since when did a husband bringing lunch to his wife become a sign of being a kept man?" "Looking after your wife is just what a man does."

"Is Ms. Patel so resistant because she hasn't got a man like that?"

"You-"

"Kari, why are you out here?"

Kari moved to stand beside Ronald: "Barking dogs, so noisy!"

"Kari, who are you calling a dog?"

Ms. Patel was on the verge of a meltdown: "I am a guest here. Aren't you afraid I'll cancel the order with this kind of treatment?"

"The cancellation fee is triple."

Kari didn't even want to entertain her, she was waiting for just that.

"Ronald, let me take you home."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Ronald raised an eyebrow, "Sure."

Kari knew the rumors were swirling and was worried Ronald might take them to heart: "Don't listen to what they say. You're my husband, not some kept man." Ronald actually didn't care about those comments.

The more intense the public scrutiny, the more Kari showed her concern for him. That was all he wanted-her care!

"Are you, feeling indignant for me?"

"Of course!" Kari huffed, "They don't understand our relationship, so why should they get to say things like that?"

She knew all about Ronald's goodness, and it made her angry to think that people would talk poorly of him just because they saw a disparity in their successes: "Ronald, you've worked so hard these years. Now that you finally have some time to rest, just relax. I'll take care of us."

Ronald's eyes twinkled for a moment before he leaned in and kissed Kari.

Kari immediately responded.

It was lunchtime, and the parking lot was nearly empty, eerily quiet.

Ronald lifted her into the car, then pulled her onto his lap, his voice husky as he spoke: "The things those people say, they bother me. Do you want me to be happy, Kari?"

Kari hadn't realized the danger she was in, "Yes."

Ronald chuckled softly.

"So, what would make you happy?" Kari asked, realizing she might have been tricked.

Ronald closed the car door with a sweep of his arm, leaning in: "For starters, having a child with me!"

Kari immediately realized she'd been played but it was too late to escape!

The news of Kari's marriage reached Nathan a week later.

Nathan took a leave of absence and returned to H city that night.

Since the collapse of Nathan and Kari's engagement, Nathan had never stepped foot in the Jarvis family home.

Mila, seeing her son return, thought he had come back to fight for his inheritance.

"You actually came back?"

Mila put on airs, her eyes gleaming with pride. "I told you, you just had to come back, join the company, and

as long as you listened, the Jarvis

family would eventually be yours!"

"I came back, not for the family business."

Nathan cut off Mila's monologue, his voice firm: "I'm on leave."

Mila was taken aback, then quickly sensed something was off: "Aren't you a workaholic? Why take a leave out of the blue? Were you bullied?"

"No."

Nathan thought she was overthinking.

Mila wanted to press further.

"Mom, I'd like to go upstairs." Nathan was feeling overwhelmed.

After Nathan left, Mila couldn't sit still, summoning the butler: "Check if the young master has run into any trouble."

The butler promptly investigated, finding no trouble for Nathan but stumbled upon Kari's news instead.

"Madam, Miss Kari got married."

"What?"

Mila was shocked: "To whom?"

"To the Malone family of Imperial

City, Ronald, the illegitimate son they acknowledged a few years back, who has since cut ties with the Malone family."