Page 19 of Pregnant By A Rich Demon 2

Looked away.

“I got the building,” she said quietly. “For the new shop. I signed the lease three months ago. But the build-out costs more than I thought, and I been taking my car note to buy equipment when I can afford it. A chair here, a dryer there. I thought I could catch up before they noticed.”

“But they noticed.”

“Yeah.” She laughed again, but this time it sounded more like a sob. “They noticed.”

I looked at her—really looked at her.

Raven, who’d been giving me shit since the day I told her about the surrogacy.

Raven, who’d called me stupid for getting involved with a rich man I barely knew.

Raven, who’d warned me I was catching feelings and setting myself up for heartbreak.

Raven, who’d been struggling this whole time and hadn’t said a word.

I reached into my purse and pulled out my checkbook.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

I didn’t answer.

Just wrote out a check for $3,500 and tore it off.

Held it out to her.

She stared at it like it was a snake.

“Truth—”

“Take it.”

“I can’t?—”

“Yes, you can.” I kept my hand extended. “You helped me when I had nothing. You were right by my side after my first round of egg transplantation didn’t take. You been doing my hair for free since the divorce. Now it’s my turn.”

“This is different?—”

“How?”

“Because—” She stopped. Swallowed hard. “Because I’m supposed to be the one who has it together. I’m supposed to be the one helping you, not the other way around.”

“Says who?”

She didn’t have an answer for that.

I stood up and walked over to her chair.

Pressed the check into her hand.

“Catch up on your payments,” I said quietly. “Get ahead if you can. And when we’re done here, I want to see the new shop.”

Raven looked down at the check.

Then up at me.

Then back down at the check.