Chapter 511 I Make No Promises About Him

Katia’s POV

“Not anymore,” I replied. “You have your own life now.”

Gail remained quiet for a moment. Then a small, almost shy smile appeared on her face. I recognized that expression. She always looked like that when she was about to tell me something she had been keeping to herself.

“Talking of having my own life,” she began, “I met someone.”

I stared at her in surprise. For a moment, I completely forgot about Tessa’s live video and the reason I had driven all the way here.

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed. “Gail Windsor is dating? After waiting nine years for that man to come back?”

Gail gave a short laugh. “My wait was in vain. I could not bring myself to tell you. Anthony came back when we were in Harvard. He was already married. When you asked me to be Aiden’s godmother, it felt like a fresh start. We had Aiden to take care of, and I did not want to burden you with another painful situation.”

I sat quietly, trying to understand what she had just told me. Gail had never admitted that Anthony had returned or that he was already married. I remembered noticing something was wrong when he stopped calling her. I had asked her about it once, but she had changed the subject so smoothly that I decided not to push her. At the time, I had been busy with Aiden, the company, and Julian. Gail had allowed me to believe everything was fine while she dealt with her heartbreak alone.

“It’s all in the past now,” Gail continued. “I met someone. He’s cool. I think I’m falling for him.”

“No wonder the sudden ’I want my own space,’” I teased. “You fell in love, and you did not want Grandma meeting him before you were sure.”

“Yep,” she admitted with a smile. “So I am going to invite you all to my house in three days. You can meet him properly.”

I grinned. For the first time since watching Tessa’s live video, I could feel the tension in my chest beginning to ease. “I can’t wait. Though I’ve always thought Marcus was the one for you. I still think he is.”

Gail gave me a look. “Nope. I can’t date Marcus. Even if there is something there, Julian would kill him.”

“Julian would not kill him,” I argued.

“Still,” Gail continued. “I do not date a man who works for my brother.”

“You always go to him when you want to talk,” I pointed out. “I still think he’s the one.”

Gail shook her head, although she was smiling. “Do not let Callum Davies hear that.”

“Callum Davies,” I repeated, testing the name. “Is that your new man? Sounds like some cool British shǐt.”

“He is British, actually,” she replied. “Three days. All of you. My house.”

I leaned back against the sofa and looked at Clara. She had finally managed to position both hands beneath her chest and was concentrating hard on trying to push herself forward. “I still think you should use that personal space wisely and fǔck Marcus.”

“Katia, stop!” Gail protested, but she was laughing now. It was her real laugh, the one she always tried to hold back whenever I teased her and she didn’t want to give me the satisfaction of knowing I had won.

I laughed with her. Clara kicked both legs at once, almost as though she agreed with me. Gail reached down and gently smoothed the baby’s hair without taking her eyes off me.

“Three days,” she reminded me. “Bring Julian. Bring Aiden. Bring Clara if you want. I want you all there.”

“I’ll be there,” I promised. “And I will behave. Mostly.”

Gail raised one eyebrow. “Mostly?”

“Mostly,” I confirmed. “I make no promises about Marcus.”

“Katia!” Gail warned.

“Fine,” I said, pretending to surrender. “I will be good. I will smile at Callum, and I will not ask him if he knows he is competing with the man who drives your brother’s cars.”

Gail covered her face with one hand for a moment, still smiling. When she lowered it, she looked much happier and more relaxed than she had when I first arrived. The book remained closed on the cushion beside her. Tessa’s live video was still circulating online, and people were probably still discussing her accusations. But sitting here with Gail, laughing and talking about her new relationship, made the whole situation feel less overwhelming.

I stood up and bent down to kiss the top of Clara’s head. She made a little sound and grabbed my sleeve. I let her hold on to it for a moment before gently pulling away.

“I should go,” I said. “Julian will be home soon. I want to talk to him before Aiden gets back from school.”

Gail nodded. “Tell him I said hello.”

“I will,” I promised.

I walked back through the entrance hall and out onto the front steps. The driveway was still empty, and my car was exactly where I had left it. I got inside, started the engine, and sat for a moment with my hands on the steering wheel, looking at the house through the rearview mirror. Gail was still inside with Clara. She had met a man she wanted us to know. She was building a life of her own, one that did not require her to stand in front of cameras and pretend to be Catwoman just to protect me.

I drove out of the driveway and headed home. I left the radio off. But for the first time since watching Tessa’s live video, the silence in the car no longer bothered me. I could finally think clearly without hearing Tessa’s accusations repeating in my head.

I almost did not want to go.

Julian had read Gail’s text three times before setting his phone face down on the kitchen counter. She wanted us to come to her house in three days to meet the new man in her life. Julian had looked at me over the rim of his coffee and asked if I wanted to cancel. I had said no because Gail had asked us herself. She had never asked for much, and the way she had asked, sounding careful and hopeful, made it difficult to refuse, even with Tessa’s live video still sitting in the back of my mind.