Evelyn made a face. “I absolutely refuse to be called something dreadful like Nana or Me-maw, and if anyone dares refer to me as a granny, it will be the last word they say.”
Chase sighed. “My child isn’t going to call youMs.Evelyn like a servant if that’s what you have in mind, Mother.”
“Grandmother will do fine,” Evelyn said.
Katie and Chase looked at each other, and he grimaced. Now she understood what he meant about his family making him miserable. They were terrible people, and she didn’t think she wanted them around her child. She added it to the pro column for moving to New York as soon as possible.
Chase dismissed them, and Evelyn gave her a quick hug on her way out the door. “Congratulations, sweetheart. Give me a call and we’ll do lunch.”
Billy shook Chase’s hand and offered his well-wishes on the baby. While they were busy talking to each other, Poppy grabbed Katie by the arm and steered her away from the men to a private corner of the conference room. Poppy’s fingernails were long, obviously fake, and polished blood red. They bit into Katie’s bare arm as the woman seethed with rage.
“You think you’ve got this all wrapped up, don’t you?”
“Get your hand off me,” Katie said.
“It’s too bad the lawyers didn’t get the codicil thrown out sooner. Chase wouldn’t have bothered to marry you, and he sure wouldn’t be having a kid with you.”
Katie jerked her arm out of the woman’s grasp. “What are you talking about?”
“You don’t know?” Poppy’s eyes lit up with obvious delight. “He didn’t tell you? Chase’s legal team got a judge to throw out the codicil, so he doesn’t have to produce an heir anymore. He doesn’t need a wife and he sure doesn’t needor wanta baby. You’re going to be out on your butt soon without a dime to your name.”
Her hand itched to slap Poppy’s smug face. She curled her fingers instead and tried to bury the fingernails deep in her palms. The pain kept her focused. “I heard you had me investigated. Let’s talk about that.”
The haughty smile curved Poppy’s red lips higher. “So what if I did?”
“I just wanted to return the favor.” Katie reached into her large bag and pulled out a folder. “Your background is simply fascinating, but what really impressed me was the number of surgeries you’ve had. See here?” She pulled out a large photo of a young Poppy. “This looks nothing like you, and listen to this. Breast implants. A new nose. Eye lift. Liposuction. It goes on and on.”
Poppy glanced over at her husband. He was still deep in conversation with Chase, and Poppy seemed to relax a bit after checking their position. Jaw tight, she whispered, “You had better put that away right now.”
“Or what?” Katie blinked. “If you’re about to threaten me, you’d better rethink, or I’ll put this picture all over the internet. You won’t be able to delete them. Anyone that Googles your name will find them.”
“You little b—”
“Maybe I should show this to Billy. I bet he’d be interested to see what his wife looked like before all those surgeries. I know your country club friends would.”
Poppy’s face turned beet red, and she was visibly shaking. “Put that away right now or I’ll—”
“You’ll what? If I were you, I’d start making a deal with me before I lose my patience.”
Poppy glanced at her husband again. “Okay, okay. Tell me, what you want in exchange for your silence?”
“It’s simple enough.” She returned the folder to her bag. “I want you to stop giving us a hard time. Stop trying to take the CEO position away from Chase. You and I both know Billy can’t handle it, and stop trying to talk Reginald Jacob out of his stocks. Be happy you’re a Grayson, and stop pushing your husband up that corporate ladder.”
“Deal.” Poppy gritted her teeth. “If that picture or that information gets out, you’ll wish you were never born. I guarantee it.”
The men walked over to them. Chase had a questioning expression on his face as he looked from her to Poppy and back again. He slid an arm around her waist in a protective gesture. Before he could ask if something was going on between them, she tugged on him, pulling him in the direction of the exit. She gave Poppy a warning look as they stepped out of the room.
That was one problem taken care of, and now she just needed to deal with the fact her husband didn’t want their child. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a friend with skills to deal with that. Chase was the only one who could change his mind on the subject and open his heart.
♥♥♥
She stewed over his alleged deception throughout the following week without saying a word to him. After three days helping out at the office, she’d gone home to the lake house and worked on getting ready for their baby. Poppy’s nasty comment returned again and again. Katie couldn’t shake it. “He doesn’t need a wife, and he sure doesn’t need or want a baby.”
Was it true? Had Chase’s legal team overturned the codicil? If so, why hadn’t he told her?
The fact was, Chase only married her to keep his position as CEO. That was the only reason he wanted to have a child. The timing was what worried her most. If Chase’s attorneys overturned the codicil after she was already pregnant, he’d end up resenting her and their baby. She certainly didn’t want to have a daughter with a man that never wanted her in the first place. Maybe she should call Bianca and arrange a move to New York right away.
But first, she needed to talk to Chase.