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I should be grateful she isn’t asking more questions and poking holes in this flimsy lie, but it’s only because Dominik found the magic solution. My mom will do anything to protect the baby I’m selling.
It’s more than I can say for myself.
“Are you sure we won’t be imposing, though?” Mom peers past Dominik, squinting deeper into the house. “What doesMrs. Adamov think about all of this?”
I file through possible lies at rapid speed.
Mrs. Adamov is out of the country on business.
Mrs. Adamov lives overseas and Mr. Adamov will join her there once the baby is born.
Mrs. Adamov is nocturnal—a vampire, actually. She only comes out to wander the halls once everyone else is asleep. And she feeds on the blood of orphan children. That’s actually why they’re adopting: gotta secure the food chain.
“Mrs. Adamov has recently passed away,” Dominik answers before I can. Then, as an afterthought, he adds, “Sadly.”
Mom and Evelyn spin towards me, twin looks of horror on their faces. “Laila, did you know about this?”
Did I know Dominik was dumb enough to drop bombshells like this during the freaking introductory house tour?
No. No, I did not.
“I… erm… I just found out. Last night.”When all else fails, go with the truth.
Mom is still squinting like she can see straight through me, while Evelyn reaches for Dominik’s bicep. “Please accept our deepest sympathies.”
Dominik gives her a formal half-bow. “I’ll convey the message to Mr. Adamov.”
Mom is still focused on me, tracking every flicker of emotion on my face, when Polina walks into the room with exquisite timing like the guardian angel she is.
“Ladies, please allow me to show you both to your rooms.”
Mom and Evelyn are so stunned by the appearance of even more household staff that they follow Polina without any hesitation.
The moment they disappear around the corner, I turn on Dominik. “What the hell?!”
He shrugs. “They had to find out at some point.”
“That point didn’t need to be right now. They literally just walked through the door.”
He’s not meeting my eye. The tile grout at our feet is suddenly much more interesting. “Yeah, well… Circumstances being what they are, best to rip the bandage off, y’know?”
“No, I don’t know.”
Truth be told, I don’t know anything. What to do or how to do it or where I’m supposed to store this mounting pile of unprocessed thoughts and emotions about all the insanity raining down on me relentlessly. I don’t have a single idea how to navigate my baby daddy’s wife being murdered the day beforeme and my mother move into his house. No one alive knows how to handle that. Except maybe Arsen.
“Where is he?” I ask.
Dominik knows who I’m talking about. “Planning the funeral. That’s why I’m here instead. He wanted your mother to receive a warm welcome.”
I roll my eyes at the obviously rehearsed line. “Don’t be ridiculous. He doesn’t care about meeting my mother. Stop trying to make it seem like he gives a damn about me, either.”
“Laila, he does care. Of course he cares.” Dom looks offended on his boss’s behalf, but I’m not buying that load of B.S.
Fool me once? Shame on you.
Fool me dozens and dozens of times, repeatedly, for eight months straight? Well…
“I want to speak to him, Dom. Where is he?”
