Chapter 8. Who Did You Scam?

Katherine POV

“Mommy.” I woke up to a faint voice and a nudge on my arm. 

“Erin.” My hands went to my face to rub it before standing up to lean over my daughter. 

Erin tried to sit up, but I was quick to assist her. 

“Careful, honey. The doctor said not to overexert yourself.” I reminded her, smoothing the top of her head before tucking the loose strands of her long, glossy black hair to the back of her ear. 

Erin’s small hands stalled my movement when her fingers glided to my face and under my eyes, where I was sure bags could be seen. 

“The nurse broke her promise. I told her to hold your hand so you wouldn’t be sad.” 

I bit my lip because a sob threatened to slip past them. 

“Hush, honey.  She was there.”

“You still cried.” Erin looked sad, making me quickly shake my head in response. 

“I am not. I just did not have enough sleep.  Doctors and nurses kept coming and going through the night to check on you.” 

It was the truth. 

During the operation, Erin’s heart stopped beating for a while. The medical team thought that they lost her, but my daughter was a fighter. And now, she was here, awake and worried about me. 

“Stop worrying about mommy, okay, and concentrate on yourself.” I was telling her when the door burst open in time for Erin’s eyes to instantly light up when her gaze shifted to the direction of the door. 

“Aunt Noreen!” She cried excitedly. 

My body stiffened at the mention of the traitor.

Slowly, I pulled my gaze from my daughter to watch Noreen glide through the floor, arms laden with decorative balloons and a teddy bear for my little girl. 

Erin happily received the gifts, and while she was busy, I took the time to confront Noreen. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Noreen’s expression shifted. 

“Greg’s outside. He wanted to talk to you.” My heart started to beat fast at the mention of my ex-husband. 

I knew what this was all about. Greg wanted the repayment for his money since I failed to deliver on our agreement.  Lucas Sanders fired him. 

My lips pursed. 

The s*umbag did not even bother to see his daughter. Even if he was not Erin’s biological father, he was still the only father she had known. 

I grabbed my bag, pulled out the check Oliver Mans gave me yesterday, and marched out of Erin’s room. 

I had already prepared for this eventuality, but the indifference in his expression still rankled - not for me, but for our daughter. 

“Where’s my money?” He asked the moment he saw me. 

He did not even ask about Erin. “Our daughter almost died yesterday, and all you care about is your money?” I asked bitterly. 

For a split second, Greg looked startled before his expression became cruel. 

“Stop saying that she was my daughter when we both know she was not.  Now, where’s my money?” He bit out harshly. 

Angrily, I shoved the rectangular paper in the middle of his chest.  Greg stepped back at the unexpected attack. His hand held to the wall for balance while the other pressed on the check to secure it to his chest. 

He peeled the check off his chest to inspect, and after a while, he looked at me with malice in his eyes. 

“I see that you did not waste time.” 

My eyes narrowed at the implied insult. 

“And what do you mean?”

Greg glared at me.  “Stop acting, Katherine. We both know you are a con artist - pretending to  be innocent and pitiable so men would scramble to give you their money.” The tone of his voice suggests his distaste. 

“Don’t twist what happened five years ago to make you look like the aggrieved party in our situation, Greg.  You asked me to marry you. I did not force you, Greg.”  

Greg’s mouth thinned.  “Yes, and I regretted everything.  Who did you scam this time? I bet he was a wealthy man.” He commented.  His voice was filled with contempt.

My eyes narrowed into slits when confronted by Greg’s insults, and the last iota of my restraint snapped. 

“Get lost, Greg. I don’t need your insults here.”

Greg looked stunned before his face tightened in anger. He roughly grabbed my arm to grip it tight. 

“Not before you tell me who gave you the money!” He hissed. 

I was about to shout it to his face when someone butted in. 

“I did. I gave Katherine the money.” 

Greg and I both turned our heads in the direction of the speaker and saw Lucas Sanders striding toward us in anger. 

I gasped at his unexpected appearance, but couldn't seem to pull my eyes away from him. 

He stopped beside me and pulled me toward him.  “Now, does that satisfy your curiosity, Mr. Combs?” Lucas Sanders asked in a challenge. 

Greg, on the other hand, looked like he could not believe what Lucas said. His eyes went back and forth between Lucas and me, eyes burning in rage as if he realized something.