The Bankrupt Billionaire's Bet Chapter 2

But today was Lily's birthday. She just wanted her parents together.

I sighed. "Tom, Lily misses you. You can come over for dinner."

On the other end, he exhaled.

It was the sound of a man who just realized he wasn't completely alone in the world.

"You guys still live at The Grandview, right? I'm on my way."

I blinked. "What? Where is that? I've never been there."

I rented an apartment in the Garden District. It was close to Lily's preschool.

Downstairs was a street full of food trucks. At night, we could hear drunk karaoke from the bar across the street, and the roach-spray truck drove by on schedule.

It was a far cry from the luxury high-rise Tom mentioned.

Tom went silent for a moment, then asked for my current address.

Even wearing clothes from a discount bin, Tom still looked like money.

The moment he walked in, Lily tackled his legs.

Tom patted her head affectionately, but as he scanned our small two-bedroom apartment, his eyes went cold.

"You let my daughter live in a place like this?"

I paused mid-tea pour.

The apartment was clean, decorated in a warm, minimalist style.

Everything from the appliances to the cartoon rug was hand-picked by Lily and paid for by me.

No matter how hard things got, I never let Lily feel poor.

But Tom walked in and immediately started judging.

Right. He and Chloe lived in a 5,000-square-foot mansion. Of course this felt like a shoebox.

I tossed the tea bag in the trash and pulled Lily over.

"Lily, go check your room. Mommy hid a birthday present in there."

She squealed and ran off.

My smile vanished. I glared at Tom.

"A place like this? Who was begging to come here five minutes ago? You're homeless now. What right do you have to judge?"

Tom quickly dropped the attitude.

Right. He was supposed to be a broke guy now.

Not a CEO.

He sat on the sofa, looking awkward.

"You misunderstood. I meant... why aren't you living in the house I gave you?"

I frowned. "What house?"

When we divorced, I left with one suitcase and a three-month-old Lily.

The only money I had came from selling the jewelry his parents gave me.

Tom’s brow furrowed.

"Sarah, you gave me a child. Even if I don't love you, I wouldn't let my own flesh and blood starve."

"I told my assistant, Ben, to buy you a condo and give you a huge settlement check. Did you not take it?"