Chapter 34 Heated Ride
Xavier strode ahead, the hard click of his shoes breaking the quiet hallway.
He walked ahead, while the nanny followed behind, carrying the baby.
Once they reached the ground floor, two black Rolls–Royces were already parked out front, their polished bodies gleaming in the sun.
It was the thick, suffocating kind of heat only late summer could bring. The second they left the air- conditioned building, it felt like stepping into a sauna.
Becky felt it instantly. A wave of hot air hit her in the face, and within seconds, sweat started to form.
Xavier glanced down at her without a word.
But she noticed–he picked up his pace.
Randall stepped forward to open the back door, and Xavier lifted Becky into the car with little effort.
Becky looked over her shoulder. “Let me hold the baby.”
Xavier spoke calmly. “Sit still. The nanny’s got him.”
“But I want to,” Becky said softly, a little hurt.
Xavier glanced at her, his voice a notch lower. “You can hold him at home. Right now, your body’s still too weak to carry him for long.”
Frustrated but unable to argue, Becky leaned back and stayed quiet.
The nanny got into the second car with the baby.
Randall started the engine. His face was calm, but his mind was racing.
He hadn’t seen Ms. Quinn in months–and now, suddenly, she had a child with Mr. Bolton?
Becky sat in silence for a while, staring out the window, lost in thought. Suddenly, she spoke up, leaning forward. “Randall, take me to Luminous Heights.”
Xavier turned his head. “That’s not the address you gave me last time.”
Becky shrank back, her voice low as she looked down. Busted.
Xavier studied her for a beat, and it clicked.
She’d lied–intentionally given him the wrong address.
“Randall, take us to Westview Pavilion.”
Becky’s eyes widened. “Wait–are you seriously planning to take me back to Westview Pavilion?”
Yeah.”
Xavier didn’t look up. He was typing something on his phone, messaging someone. He replied casually,
“No! We’re divorced. We shouldn’t be living together–that’s totally inane-
Chapter 34 Heated Ride
Xavier finally looked up from his phone, his gaze sharp. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
Becky’s jaw dropped.
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Does he really think I had a baby just to manipulate him into coming back? That I’d go this far to force him into a relationship again? Give me a break. That’s not what this is.
“Xavier, you’ve got it all wrong. That’s not what this is.”
“Stop pretending, Becky.”
I’m not pretending! I really don’t want to go back to Westview Pavilion–I want to go to Luminous Heights!”
Xavier’s expression hardened. “Becky, that’s enough.”
She could guess what was running through his head. In his eyes, she was being unreasonable–he’d made a generous offer, and she was still pushing back.
But she truly didn’t want to go back.
She didn’t want to live under the same roof. She didn’t want this mess again.
“I’ve already set everything up for the baby at Luminous Heights. That’s where I plan to raise him. Xavier, I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. I’m not trying to use this child to hang onto you. Yes, I divorced you because I was afraid you’d force me to get rid of the baby–but I never planned to use him to pull you back into my life. I wanted this child because I love him. That’s it.” She said it all in one breath, then turned to Randall. “Randall, please take me to Luminous Heights.”
Randall glanced at Xavier.
It was obvious who he’d be listening to.
Xavier acted like he hadn’t heard a word Becky said. “We’re going to Westview Pavilion.”
Randall obeyed without question and headed in that direction.
Becky turned and glared at Xavier. “Why are you doing this?”
He didn’t answer. He kept typing, his expression cold and unreadable.
Becky reached over and snatched the phone out of his hands. “I said I want to go to Luminous Heights!”
“Becky” Xavier said quietly, his voice low and dangerous, “you’re pushing my limits.”
She froze, her hands trembling. She slowly gave the phone back. “I just… I just want to go home.”
Xavier turned the phone in his palm, fingers tightening around it.
“You think just because I haven’t called you out on everything yet, you can walk all over me?”
That hit hard.
Becky’s nose stung. Her eyes filled with tears.
And then she started crying
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Chapter 34 Heated Ride
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Tears streamed down her face–silent at first, then all at once.
She didn’t want to cry. She really didn’t. But she couldn’t stop it.
It’s the hormones, she told herself. That’s all it is. It’s not me.
Fin
She wasn’t the kind of person who broke down just because someone raised their voice. If she were, she would’ve been crushed long ago.
From the front seat, Randall heard the shift in mood and spoke up, clearly panicked. “Ms. Quinn, please don’t cry. It’s not good for recovery. Crying during postpartum can really mess up your body.”
Becky said nothing.
But the more she tried to stop, the harder she cried.
Xavier grabbed a tissue and awkwardly reached over to wipe her tears. He looked panicked.
“You’re crying this hard over a couple of words? Seriously, Becky, you’ve gotten really good at the drama.
She turned away from him and swatted his hand.
If you don’t know how to comfort someone, maybe just don’t talk.
His words only made her feel worse.
She turned her head away, refusing to look at him–refusing to let him wipe her tears.
Randall grew even more anxious. “Mr. Bolton, please–this kind of stress isn’t good for her healing. She needs to stay calm during recovery. She really can’t be getting emotional right now.”
Xavier looked stunned.
After a beat, he sighed. “Randall, take us to Luminous Heights.”
At the next light, Randall made a turn.
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