AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She looks down her nose at me, her eyes taking in my jeans and T-shirt.
“Says you, honey. I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand what people like us get or deserve.” Her glare intensifies. “And Elijah is fine. He’s a big kid. He’ll get over losing his father.”
The world freezes, and my stomach falls through the floor.
“What do you mean?”
Natasha scoffs. “Not much of a brain in there, huh? Elijah is coming with me. Full custody. So say your goodbyes. You’re not needed. He’s going to have his real mom with him. Not some substitute.”
“You can’t take him away! Noah is a good father. He loves his son more than anything. He always does what’s best for him. Always. He’s thoughtful and kind, and even when work is driving him to the brink, he’s learned to stop and make time to be with his family.”
Tears well in my eyes as I speak. Natasha looks like she’s going to laugh at me, and then she looks down to where I realize too late my hand rests over my lower stomach.
Heat flares through my cheeks, and when we make eye contact again, Natasha’s mouth falls open. A cruel laugh fills the foyer as her head falls back in amusement, and I’m just frozen there.
“Holy shit! You’ve got to be kidding me.” She stops laughing, sauntering up to me and patting me on the head. “Well, isn’t that just perfect? I was going to just make something up, but this is actually true!”
I try to speak, but she cuts me off.
“Not a word, sweetheart.” Natasha grips my chin. “Now, here’s how this is going to go. You’re going to finish up your day and then quit. Leave my son and never see him again. Got it? Good. Then, you’re going to tell Noah to take my deal, or I’m going to take this information straight to the board. Hell, I’ll take it straight to the news. I’ll blab it up and down the damn streets, you hear me? So get gone and make sure Noah gives me the money.”
Shoving my chin away and turning for the door, Natasha offers one last glance as she leaves.
“And he gives me Elijah. We’re doing what’s best for him, after all. Come on, Henry.”
She shoves the man through the door and slams it behind her.
Just as I’m about to break down, I hear Noah’s footsteps coming up the hall. I face him, and as we make eye contact, I notice concern spread across his face.
It’s all too much.
“I left Elijah in the car. I need to get him.”
I leave for my car without saying another word, practically running toward it and stepping around to the back, out of view.
The tears come then, and as the sobs rack through me like a torrential downpour, all I can think is that the first person to learn I’m pregnant isn’t the father or a friend, but Natasha—a woman hell-bent on ruining our lives.
* * *
Pulling it together, I escort Elijah inside and immediately have him start helping me with dinner. I need to distract myself from what’s going on, and cooking up some Italian is the only available way to do so right now.
I chop vegetables as Elijah peels potatoes and carrots. The monotonous sounds of my knife hitting the cutting board serve to pull me out of my head, even if only a little.
We mix up the sauce together, and I put some noodles on to boil.
“Hey Liv, where’s Dad?”
Pulled from the blank place where I’ve let my mind sit, I focus on Elijah, and it occurs to me that I don’t know. I didn’t pay attention to what he was doing or what he said when I came back inside with Elijah.
“I don’t know. Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. I think maybe the office.”
“Oh. Okay. Should I tell him dinner will be ready soon?”
Just then, the man in question walks into the kitchen.
“No need, buddy. I was talking with my lawyer, is all. I’m ready for dinner.”
My heart stings as I look at Noah, and I have to swallow down more tears. I can’t let him see, though.
