Me Novel 17

? Views, Released on March 11, 2025

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

སཊྛི 40%©

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I stood there, glued to the ground, watching as Helen hopped off his arms and immediately into mine. The look on Neil’s face was something I could not describe. He looked like he had just seen a ghost, and he continually glanced between Helen and me, as though waiting for some sort of explanation.

Helen’s call for me a second time finally pulled my attention. I shifted my gaze from Neil and turned to look at her.

I crouched to my daughter’s height, brushing her hair back and holding her shoulders.

“Why did you run off? I told you to stay by my side.”

“I’m sorry, Mommy. I saw a nice toy.”

“Toy or not, you shouldn’t have run off,” I scolded, “and especially not ended up with a stranger.”

Just then, Max ran up behind me. “I called the security. They’re going to announce-” He trailed off when he saw Helen beside us. “Oh, thank God.” He pressed one hand to his chest. “I told you coming to shop was a bad idea.”

“You always say everything is a bad idea,” I said, watching as he lifted Helen in his arms.

For the first time, he seemed to notice Neil, who was standing there dumbstruck.

“Why is he here?” Max said with a poison–laced tone.

“He found Helen.”

“What?” He blinked in surprise.

“Let’s just get out of here before things get worse,” I said, changing the topic.

Just like that leaving Neil to continue to stare at air we left.

Once we were in the car, I stared blankly ahead. “What just happened?” I asked, after we had strapped Helen properly into

her seat.

“I should be asking you that question.” Max said, starting the car.

“How am I supposed to know how he got

here?”

“You never listen to me, I told you going out was a terrible idea.”

“What would I have done? Helen said she wanted to go out-”

“You can’t drive her out just because your life is in danger,” he said in a muted tone. “You need to be more careful.”

I stayed silent, staring out the window, still in disbelief that Neil Devon had held Helen.

Raising my daughter on my own was not as difficult as it might have seemed because I had Max by my side, giving me strength when I needed it. Most times, I was on the brink of losing my mind, thinking about how the man I once loved–the man I wanted to separate from–was now permanently tied to me through our child. But Max had been my rock through it all.

I never thought about the day Helen might bump into her father. I had prepared questions and answers, expecting them to come when she grew older, when she would inevitably ask about him. She hadn’t done so in five years, but now I feared those questions might come sooner than I anticipated.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” Max cut through my thoughts.

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Chapter 17

“Are you worried that he-” Max trailed off, glancing into the rearview mirror. Seeing that Helen was absorbed in her iPad, watching the cartoons that always captured her attention, he lowered his voice and continued, “Are you worried that Neil will come to take her from you?”

“Are you insane?” I shot back. “Maybe five years ago I would have been worried about something so silly, but no one can take my child from me now. I’m just… more surprised that I keep bumping into him recently. I didn’t see him for five years. Come to think of it…”

“You’re right. That is very suspicious behavior,” Max said, his voice firm. “We have to be careful. Why is he suddenly around you? And even if we backtrack to that day–the incident–it was the day you met him again for the first time. I’m telling you, Leah, you need to be careful around him.”

“I’m not bumping into him intentionally,” I defended.

“Yeah, but he seems to be everywhere you go. That was a shopping mall for children. Why would he even be there?” He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel as he continued to steal glances at me mid conversation.

“Tell me about it,” I said with a sigh. “I feel like he’s actively following me.”

A frown deepened on Max’s face, and his knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. He slammed the brakes when we reached a red light. “But then you decided to disappear with him to a place by yourself,” he said, his tone sharp. “Leah, I don’t understand why you’re being so reckless.” I could hear the frustration starting to deep into his voice and it made me hate the situation even more.

“And I turned out fine,” I snapped. “Let’s stop bringing back the past, okay? Just focus on heading home. I don’t want to talk about Neil. I don’t want to talk about anything. I just need to get home.”

I stared out the window, my thoughts still tangled. I hadn’t yet recovered from the fact that Neil had held my daughter–our daughter. If he knew I had a child, curiosity would certainly get the better of him. And knowing the Devon family, he’d hire people to look into it.

What if he found out I’d been pregnant before the divorce?

I didn’t know who Neil was now, but the Neil Devon I had known back then would stop at nothing to involve himself in Helen’s life. The thought alone made my stomach churn. The idea of being tied to him again, in any way, was unbearable.

My spiraling thoughts were interrupted by my ringing phone. I glanced at the screen.

“It’s the detective from the station,” I told Max, picking up the call. “Yes, officer?”

“We caught the suspect,” the detective said immediately.

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Chapter 18

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Leo pov

I stood there blankly until she was completely out of sight. It didn’t make sense. The calculations began to add up in my mind. The little girl I had just seen was about the age Leah’s child would be, based on the timeline when she left.

I clenched my fists by my side, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Then I turned and headed back to the apartment.

I had come to the mall earlier because they had recently signed a contract with my company, and I was here for a low–key inspection. Never in my wildest imagination would I have expected to bump into that little child–the one who had tripped and fallen in front of me.

I had picked her up and gently asked who her mother was. Surely my ears weren’t deceiving me, even if my eyes had been playing tricks. That little girl called Leah her mother.

Furious, I drove back to the penthouse. Ella was waiting in the living room when I arrived.

“Neil, I was waiting for you to show up,” she said, looking at me with a knowing expression.

I stared at her for a moment, my thoughts clouded with frustration. Then, without a word, I grabbed her hand, pulling her close. My lips found hers in a kiss that seemed to shock us both. Ella’s eyes widened in surprise.

The last time we had kissed was during that night at the hotel. It was shortly after I had last seen Leah. Ella had needed a place to stay, and I had taken her there, trying to be supportive. She had kissed me that night, but I had warned her not to do it again–I was still trying to process my divorce. Ever since then, she had kept her promise, waiting patiently until I was ready.

But now, here I was, kissing her again.

Yet, something was missing. Our lips pressed together, but the spark I was supposed to feel wasn’t there. I pulled away.

“What was that about?” she asked, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

I stared at her. I must have suppressed my feelings just because of how distracted I was in this search for Leah, when I didn’t even want her. She had gone and built a life with a whole other man, a child, and everything. Here I was, wasting my time.

Ella tilted her head, confused.

“Ella?” I called, straightening

osture.

“Yes?” she said softly.

Th

“Pick out a fancy restaurant for tonight. A good one, for a date,” I instructed, turning away and heading toward my room.

Tonight, I was going to remind myself who I truly wanted.

I was dressed in a suit that Ella had picked out for me. She stood beside me in a black dinner gown, her hair gleaming from the excessive product she had applied, and her makeup heavier than I’d ever seen it. She clung to my arm with excitement.

“This is the best restaurant in LA,” she said with a wide grin. “I’ve been doing my research. You know, this feels just like old times. I’m glad you’re finally coming to your senses. I’ve waited long enough for this.”

Her voice carried enthusiasm as we walked into the restaurant.

The restaurant was a Michelin–starred gem, one only ever reserved for special guests. The staff escorted us to our private

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Chapter 18

table, and Ella’s excitement bubbled over.

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“You know, this is brilliant,” she said, her smile widening. “I can’t wait to tell your mom. I know she’ll be thrilled! You still haven’t spoken to her after the move, have you? She was so upset when you packed up and decided to work in the LA branch of the family company. But I had to come with you, and I’m glad you let me.”

I nodded absently, letting her words fill the silence.

Then, her chatter came to a halt, and my heart stilled as I caught sight of an image in the reflection of the polished wall behind us.

Leah.

She was laughing, her head tilted back in pure joy. And beside her, smiling just as brightly, was Max. They were on a date.

“Neil, is everything okay?” Ella’s voice drew me back to the present.

I realized I was gripping my glass tightly, so tightly that my knuckles had gone white.

I didn’t want to care about Leah or interfere in her life. She had chosen someone else, and I had no reason to concern myself with her anymore. She had moved on. So why shouldn’t I?

But my chest burned. Leah was here with Max, and I was here with the woman I had wanted to spend my life with this entire time. And yet, I couldn’t help but think how foolish she was.

My fist clenched, and I closed my eyes tightly. She shouldn’t be here not when her life was still in danger.

Then I saw her get to her feet and begin to walk away from her table.

“Neil, are you even listening to me?” Ella’s voice trembled slightly, her brows furrowing as she searched my face for answers.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I muttered, standing to my feet. My eyes never left Leah as she moved toward the back.

“Okay, but hurry back. Our meal will be here soon,” Ella called after me, her tone a little off as she narrowed her eyes at me.

I trailed behind Leah, watching as she turned a corner toward the bathroom. Without thinking, I stepped forward and grabbed her hand, causing her to gasp.

“Neil?” she whispered, startled.

I pulled her out of the restaurant, away from the noise and prying eyes.

“What is wrong with you?” I asked her.

I grabbed both her wrists and pinned them to the wall behind us. “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

My God, she looked breathtaking. Her sleeveless leather dress showed off half of her tits and the curve hugging dress displayed off her hips in ways I had never seen. She was gorgeous and despite myself, I thought I felt a shift in my pants.

“I’m starting to think you’re stalking me,” her lips pulled into an amused smirk. For a moment I was reminded about the situation from the mall. Her child with that man, and I knew I was overstepping my boundaries.

“I should be asking you that,” I snapped back. “Shouldn’t you be hiding away safely when you know your life is in danger?”

She pulled her hand away from my grip, shoving my chest and creating distance between us. She folded her hands across

. her chest.

“We were just on a celebratory date because the suspect was caught,” she said, her voice firm. I watched as she reached into her purse for something.

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Chapter 18

I raised one eyebrow, frowning, and pocketed my hands. “What do you mean?

“He turned himself in to the police,” she said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting the butt.

I was caught off guard but my expression remained the same.

“What?” My confusion deepened.

00

“It turns out he was an unsatisfied customer. I guess he had a bad experience a few years ago when one of our staff was rude to him. So, he decided to take revenge against the brand”