Hailey’s POV
“Camilla, if you don’t come down now, I swear I’m going to lose it!”
She finally appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing a short black sleeveless dress and black-and-white sneakers. As she descended with a smirk, I couldn’t help but notice how much she was starting to look like me.
“I’m here, Mother. No need to yell like a crazy woman,” she muttered with a dramatic eye-roll.
“Cammy, don’t speak to your mother like that,” Paige said calmly from the hallway, her tone firm but fair. They were usually the best of friends, but Paige never tolerated disrespect — especially not toward me.
Camilla made it to the bottom of the stairs, letting out a sigh before facing me again.
“I’m sorry, Mother,” she said, more genuinely this time.
“Don’t let it happen again,” I replied, picking Andrew up before heading toward the car. Our driver, Bobby, was already waiting outside.
I could hear Paige quietly scolding Camilla behind me — something about how she didn’t like it when someone upset her wife. I smiled to myself. God, I love that woman.
We all piled into the SUV. I strapped Andrew into his car seat — he loved car rides, which probably explained why he was obsessed with Gray. Those two shared the same restless, adventure-loving energy.
Paige helped Aliyah with her seatbelt, then slid beside me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders.
“Good morning, beautiful,” she whispered, giving me a soft kiss.
“No!” Andrew shouted from the back, making all of us laugh.
“I think that’s officially his favorite word now,” I said, amused.
“You taught him that,” Paige teased.
“He was trying to chew my phone.”
“I know, love.” She kissed my temple. “You're still his favorite, by the way.”
The drive to our beach house was a quiet two hours. Andrew and Aliyah dozed off halfway through. The teens were glued to their phones, and Paige and I just… held each other. Sometimes silence says the most.
When we arrived, the house staff helped with our bags while I carried Andrew to his room. Paige took Aliyah to hers. The beach house felt peaceful — like a safe little world we could escape to before the chaos of school resumed.
When I came downstairs, I was surprised to find Paige and Aliyah in the living room.
“She’s already awake?” I asked, kissing Aliyah on the cheek.
“Cammy’s phone went off,” Paige said. “Woke her right up.”
I sat beside them, brushing a hand through Aliyah’s hair. “Lunch will be ready soon, sweetie.”
“Yes, Mommy,” she nodded.
Paige turned to me with concern in her eyes. “Baby, I’m sorry about Cammy’s attitude earlier. I didn’t like the way she spoke to you. But I already gave her the talk.”
I smiled. “It’s okay. She’s thirteen. Her emotions are all over the place. It doesn’t excuse the attitude, but I get it.”
“I know, but she needs to learn respect — especially when the little ones are watching.”
“She’ll come around,” I assured her. “You and I did okay as teenagers… eventually.”
“She better come around before I lose it,” Paige muttered, then smirked.
YOU ARE READING
The Billionaire's Widow
عاطفيةHailey Anders After the death of her husband, the only thing that can keep Hailey going are her two little kids. They remind her that he still lives in them. Together with the company he left for her. Paige Carson Fresh out of college with impressi...
