Chapter 176: Chapter 176 The Photograph
Author
Meanwhile, in the Wolfe Manor.
Nancy fidgeted with her purse strap. "I’m really showing up empty-handed?"
"There’s a gift in the trunk. Already taken care of." Yardley’s voice was steady, reassuring in that way that made everything seem manageable.
Men like him never missed a detail. It was impossible not to feel secure around that kind of quiet confidence.
"Okay."
When Alpha Hunter spotted the woman trailing behind his son, he rolled his eyes internally.
[Yeah right, "not interested." Then shows up with her for Sunday dinner. Real convincing, son.]
Though honestly? He was pleased. "Nancy, come on in. You’re family now."
"Elara and Dominic are running late. Something about connecting flights."
Nancy settled onto the couch, placing a wrapped box on the coffee table. "Mr. Wolfe, just a little something."
"Cut it out. Next time, come empty-handed." Alpha Hunter shot his son a pointed look. "Couldn’t give your girl a heads-up not to fuss? Now she’s out money."
Yardley’s expression didn’t shift. "Nancy likes giving gifts. If I’d stopped her, she would’ve pouted for a week."
Nancy blinked. [A week? That’s... definitely not true.]
Orion came barreling down the stairs, homework abandoned the second he spotted their guest. His eyes went wide as saucers. "Aunt Nancy! Are you and Dad dating now?!"
The kid’s voice could’ve woken the neighbors three houses down.
Nancy’s cheeks flushed. Before she could fumble through a response, Yardley intervened.
"Orion. Use your inside voice." He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. "Nancy and I are together. Mind your manners."
"Can I call you Mom?!" Orion was bouncing like he’d had too much sugar.
Nancy froze.
"No good?" The boy’s face fell slightly. "How about... "
Nancy managed a weak smile. "Maybe let’s stick with ’Nancy’ for now."
Orion looked genuinely crushed.
Then he brightened immediately, tugging at her hand. "Grandpa, are you guys done with the grown-up stuff? I want Nancy to come see my room!"
Hunter’s jaw twitched. "Go ahead."
The second Orion dragged Nancy away, Alpha Hunter turned to his son with narrowed eyes. "Why is he so attached to her already? Should I be concerned?"
Alpha Hunter had learned the hard way to keep his guard up. Too many people had agendas when it came to wealthy families.
Yardley’s eyes went sharp. "Dad. She would never hurt Orion. I’d stake my life on it."
"And watch what you say. If she heard that, it would crush her."
Hunter huffed but backed down.
He didn’t dislike Nancy. But experience had taught him to stay vigilant around anyone who got close to his grandson.
If this Nancy truly loved Orion like her own, he’d welcome her with open arms.
But if she showed even a hint of gold-digging behavior, Alpha Hunter would shut that down faster than a Nevada divorce.
--
Upstairs, Orion was bouncing off the walls. "Nancy, don’t let Dad’s poker face fool you. He used to be way cooler."
Nancy bit back a laugh. "Your dad’s still very handsome."
"Really?" Orion wrinkled his nose. "He’s such a hardass now. Total buzzkill!"
The boy pulled out a leather-bound photo album from under his bed. "Look! But don’t rat me out, okay? He doesn’t know I snagged this."
Nancy was used to Orion’s mischievous streak. But what really made her curious was whether the album contained photos of his mother.
[Would I finally see her? This mystery woman I supposedly look like?]
Orion flipped through the pages.
Then Nancy’s breath caught.
The photograph showed a younger Yardley lounging on the mansion’s lawn.
White Oxford shirt catching the breeze, sleeves rolled up past muscled forearms. His hair was tousled as he lay with one arm behind his head, lean frame stretched out lazily.
He had that classic All-American look - like a young Kennedy or something straight out of an Ivy League catalog.
"Hot, right?" Orion grinned proudly.
Nancy’s heart skipped a beat. "Yes. Very."
Orion kept flipping. "Grandma snapped all these on the sly! Dad can’t stand photos. Won’t even do selfies with me."
That explained why he never seemed to notice the camera.
Until Orion turned to the next page.
"Weird. I’ve never seen this one before!"
Nancy’s heart stopped.
A totally different shot. Yardley sat at a desk with an open laptop, looking right at the camera. His lips curved into the kind of smile that could melt hearts.
"Orion, can I take a closer look?"
"Sure!" He handed over the album eagerly.
Nancy carefully removed the photo. Her hands shook slightly as she flipped it over.
On the back, handwriting in blue ink. But one initial jumped out at her immediately.
N.
The same letter that started her middle name.
[The person who took this photo... we share the same initial.]
"Nancy? You okay?" Orion tilted his head.
She forced a bright smile. "Perfect."
She slid the photo back, mind spinning.
"Come on, Orion. I think we should head back downstairs."
"Okay..." Orion looked deflated. [Guess showing off Dad’s old photos was a bust. So much for impressing her.]
--
When Nancy descended the stairs, Elara was already in the foyer.
"Nancy?" Elara looked genuinely surprised.
"Elara."
Nancy shifted awkwardly, suddenly unsure how to explain her presence.
Yardley stepped behind her, his hand settling naturally on her shoulder. "Everyone, meet Nancy. My girlfriend."
"You’ve already been introduced, I think."
Dominic let out a low whistle. "Holy shit,Yardley. That was fast."
Yardley’s eyes dropped to where Dominic’s fingers were intertwined with Elara’s. "Look who’s talking."
The brothers exchanged knowing looks while Elara did a double-take.
She opened her mouth, closed it, then tried again before she recovered. "Nancy, want the grand tour of the backyard?"
Nancy’s shoulders relaxed. "Absolutely."
--
Outside, under the string lights twinkling through the oak trees, Elara cut right to the chase. "You and Yardley... this is real, right?"
Nancy didn’t miss a beat. "We’re not actually together. It’s a fake relationship. But yes, I’m here by choice."
She paused. "I’d appreciate if you kept that on the down-low, though."
Elara looked almost impressed by her honesty. "Of course. Your secret’s safe."
"My parents have been pushing this whole marriage agenda, and I just got out of a relationship. You know how it is. Yardley and I figured we could help each other out."
Elara nodded sympathetically. "I totally get it. Though I’m surprised your parents are pressuring you like that?"
"That’s what’s weird." Nancy’s brow furrowed. "They used to be totally hands-off about my love life. But since I came back from Boston, something’s... different. Like they’re scared of something, but I can’t figure out what."
Elara squeezed her arm gently. "Hey, breathe. Hunter’s a total sweetheart. Dominic likes to stir the pot, but just roll with it. And Orion clearly thinks you hung the moon. So really, you’re golden."
Nancy felt the knot in her chest loosen. "Elara... have you ever met Orion’s mom?"
The question came out of left field. Elara blinked.
"No, I haven’t. But I’m pretty sure Dominic mentioned once that his brother was never married."
Nancy’s frown deepened.
[Never married?]
[So Orion’s mother was just some girlfriend who bailed? Someone who’d rather walk away from her own kid than commit to Yardley?]
[What kind of woman abandons her child?]
