Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Yes, I remember you,” I say, my voice coming out hoarse. “You have somehow managed to stay off my team’s radar. My men have been looking for you.”
“I…I…” She pauses and huffs. “I thought I was going to return home. I was going to, but something has kept me here. I’ve been with an acquaintance of Addison’s. That’s probably why you couldn’t find me.”
“Um, I see. Why are you calling now? How can I help you?”
“I think… I… I want to help you. Or at least… I think you should know something. It’s about Chloe,” she says.
I sit up in my bed. A chill runs through me. I toss the cover back and throw my weak legs over the edge. When I go to stand, my body protests. It’s not ready to leave this bed.
“You have the address to the house?” I ask in frustration.
“Yes,” she says in a soft whisper.
“Be here tomorrow morning. You can tell me what you have to say then,” I snap and hang up without another word.
I glare at the wall. I’ve known from the beginning Addison was playing some type of game. My jaw works as I think of all the things this Emma may tell me.
My mind turns to Cee. I think she would be just as devastated as I would be to find out my daughter indeed isn’t mine. My teeth grind at the thought of putting her through all this unnecessary pain.
I stop. My head hammers as I think of my daughter. She has no one else. If I’m not her father, I’m still the only one she has. I don’t think I would be able to walk away from the little angel I’ve only ever known as mine.
“What the fuck did you do, Addison?” I breathe out.
Chapter 32
So Sorry
Chloe
Gregor has a tight grasp on my hand as the woman before us fidgets in her seat. Her nose and eyes are red from the tears that have been rolling down her cheeks. I can feel Gregor’s patience is running thin right along with mine.
“You’ve come to tell me something, but you’ve yet to spill a word,” Gregor says, his voice still raspy from his cold.
I never did make it back to his room last night. I was exhausted from caring for everyone and warring with my own emotions and thoughts. I found him showered and slowly getting dressed this morning.
When he told me of the call and this woman coming to see him, something within told me to be here for him. He looked as if he were going to come unglued. I hate to think the worst, but I know it will rip him apart to find out that little girl isn’t his.
It hurts to say it, but he’s an amazing father. He’s patient and so attentive when it comes to Chloe, and she adores her father as much as he does her. I think I’ll fly at this woman if she says the wrong words this morning.
“I never wanted to be in the middle of this. Addison thought you would get here in time for her to tell you. She was going to come clean,” she sniffles.
“Come clean?” Gregor growls. “What the hell does that mean?”
“When Addison first asked for my help, I begged her to tell you. She told me everything. None of it was right. I… I couldn’t believe she would do something so… so.” She shakes her head.
“I’m going to need you to spit this out,” I snap.
Gregor squeezes my hand. I clamp my mouth shut and frown. I’m growing annoyed by the minute.
“Chloe isn’t mine?” Gregor asks in a strained voice that has nothing to do with his physical health.
The amount of pain I hear in his voice tugs at my heart. Another large chunk of my armor falls off and floats away. I turn to look at him and his gray eyes look so… afraid.
“No, no. She’s yours,” the woman says as her cheeks turn red. “Do you remember donating…do you remember giving. This is so personal.”
She looks between me and Gregor, licking her lips. She reaches to wipe the sweat from her upper lip. I swear I’m about to take my shoe off and throw it at her.
“You were a sperm donor at a clinic. Do you remember that?” she continues.
“Yes,” Gregor says, moving forward in his seat. “My samples were destroyed.”
Emma—the woman who calls herself Addison’s friend—shakes her head. She looks Gregor in the eyes as she drops a bomb on us both.
“Addison overheard your call to the clinic. She got in touch with them and made arrangements to intercept your instructions. She’d been plotting all along. When you tried to pull away from her, she played her final hand. Karma had the last laugh. She only found out about the cancer because of the pregnancy.