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“You really dodged a bullet getting rid of that gold-digging whore. Now you can find a wife in the proper social class to give you the true heir you deserve. After you sow those wild oats, of course.” He laughed loudly.
Yeah, the rotten apple didn't fall too far from the diseased tree in that situation.
It wasn't even really about the money despite what his father seemed to think.
Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful that I got it. What I received in the settlement allowed me to buy my condo outright, and that was good enough for me.
Sure, it wasn’t enough to keep me from having to work ever again, but I don't mind working for my bread. I like it. It helps keep my mind off things and gives me a purpose.
What I think I might never get over, though, is the fact that he didn't have to pay the hospital bills from the damage he caused to my body or my baby.
Yes, technically, that’s me wanting more money, but it really wasn’t about that. It was the principle of the thing.
If you destroy your neighbors fence you have to pay to fix it. If your kid breaks another kid’s toy, you replace it—or at least offer to.
He broke me, so he should have to pay for repairs.
I think that's more than reasonable.
His scumbag lawyer didn't think so, though.
He argued that because Kyle would be losing half of what he had, it would be too much financial hardship to cover my medical costs as well, especially since the child was no longer legally his.
I didn’t find out until the next day why the lawyer had such a smug gleam in his eyes.
That’s what hurts more than anything else that happened—my life, my pain, was all just a game to them.
Nothing highlighted the fact that I was a toy for him to play with and discard more than the way I found out about his promotion.
That bastard wasn’t allowed within a hundred feet of me, so he sent me a singing telegram so he could gloat.
Yeah, I found out through song. Classy, right?
“Avery, are you still with me?”
Mom’s voice pulls me out of my head and back into reality.
“I’m sorry. I just got stuck in my head. Some days, I'm fine and others, it's like the memories are like quicksand and I get sucked back in. It's worse on days like today where I get reminded of him.”
“I understand, Love. But the most important thing for you to remember now is that it’s over. It happened then, but it’s not happening now. You made it through, and he can’t hurt you or Leo anymore.”
“But what if he comes back here? What if he tries to find me? What if he—” I choke back a sob. “What if he tries to take Leo from me?”
“Look at me,” she says sternly. “Kyle didn’t voluntarily give up his parental rights. They were stripped away from him legally. No judge would ever reinstate them.”
“But—”
“No matter how much power or influence they think they have, they don’t have a leg to stand on legally. Even if he did, he doesn’t care about you or Leo. They think you’re so far beneath them, you’re not even worth stepping on. You’re not even a blip on their radar.” She winces. “I’m sorry. That was harsh. It’s not how I meant it. I just…
“You know your father and I don’t feel that way, right? You are everything we could have possibly dreamed of and more. When I said that to you, I was just trying to help. I’m sorry it came out wrong.”
“I know what you meant, Mom. It’s your way of saying that I’m safe from them. I know that’s what you were trying to say, and it helped. Really, it did.”
“Yes. Exactly. I just wish I could have said it without putting my foot in my mouth. I’m really sorry, Honey.”
“It’s alright.”
It really was. Even if the way she phrases things is not always the best, her frankness has always helped me stay grounded. It has since I was a little girl.
