SEVEN

KEONA

There’s something niggling at the back of my mind. It’s a distant memory.

A memory of all the times I practically begged Hardin to spend time like this with me and Cora, as a family. And all the times he brushed me off, claiming he was too busy with the company. 

Maya once told me that a man would never be too busy for the woman he truly loves. Now I understand.

Hardin’s eyes narrow to two glinting slits as he takes in my damp clothes and dripping hair. 

“Keona?” 

He takes a step towards me and I take one back, my fingers curling to fists at my sides. 

He goes dead stiff, his gaze flickering to my tightened fists and back to my face, his eyes gleaming with a dark, shuttered expression.

I know he notices the tension between us. 

Keona of the past would have pounced on him anywhere and anytime, clinging to him like a koala and covering his face with kisses.

Now, the mere sight of him just triggers an anger I’m not sure I know how to control. 

“Why are you so wet?” He growls, slipping both hands into his pockets. “What happened?”

He doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. I repeat those words in my head like a mantra. 

“I’m fine,” I respond, my words obviously lacking conviction. “I’m just here Cora. The school called and said she was sick.”

“But I’m fine, mommy!” Cora squeals beside me. “Ms. Sophie took very good care of me. She even bought me this dress.” I watch her twirl, forcing my lips into a thin smile even though jealousy threatens to burn me alive. 

“Mommy, do you know Ms. Sophie prepared a special room for me in her mansion? It’s filled with all my favourite toys. She even got me that Barbie doll in the blue dress. You know, the one you refused to buy for me.”

The silent accusation in Cora’s words hits me so unexpectedly that I’m left speechless.

But I recover quickly, refusing to let my daughter think another woman loves her more than I do.

“Sweetie, I didn’t buy the doll because it costs way too much, and you’d just end up destroying it anyways.” 

“So what if it’s expensive?” Cora pouts. “Daddy can definitely afford it.”

My gaze finds Hardin’s and as usual, his silence is the loudest in the room. 

At this point, I’m convinced he enjoys listening to Cora paint me as the villain, even though he knows damn well that every decision I make is for our daughter’s own good.

Anger sizzling in my veins, I turn to him;

“Why didn’t you inform me that Cora was sick?”

His expression doesn’t change.

“I didn’t want you to worry. I had it handled.”

By bringing her to your mistress’s house? The words burn on the tip of my tongue, but I force them back down.

“When were you gonna tell me that you erased my name from Cora’s emergency contact at school and replaced it with Sophia’s?”

Something shifts behind Hardin’s dark orbs. Guilt? Anger? At this point, you honestly couldn’t pay me to give a shit. 

“You seem upset, Cora,” he observes, sounding infuriatingly calm. “Why don’t you calm down and we’ll sort this out when you’re in a better mood.”

I lift my chin. 

“Don’t treat me like I’m dumb, Hardin. Answer the question.”

Instead of answering, he takes a measured step towards me. 

I instinctively take one back, then force myself to stay still when I notice his jaw tighten. 

“Stay where you are, Hardin. There’s no need to crowd me.”

A faint, humourless smile tugs at his lips. 

“You always want me to crowd you, Keona.” 

The words slide straight through my anger, leaving me momentarily stunned. 

“You’ve been running from me since yesterday,” he continues, his voice dropping. “When will you stop?”

I pause, observing him for a moment. Observing the impatience in his eyes and the annoying tilt of his jaw.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was actually bothered by my sudden lack of affection.

But I do. Know better, I mean. 

I know Hardin doesn’t give a hoot about me. I know he only cares about Sophia.

Speaking of the devil, she sashays into the room, and I don’t miss the way Hardin’s entire attention instantly fixates on her. He doesn’t even bother trying to hide it.

Sophia comes to a stop beside me and I’m instantly aware of all our differences. 

Her blonde hair gives off a shiny sheen, falling in glossy waves around her face. Dressed in a hot pink dress that shows off her legs, she resembles a delectable candy cane.

And me? 

My stubborn red hair is stuck to my face and back, and I’m pretty sure I look like someone’s grandma in this oversized shirt.

Beside Sophia, I resemble a dull, stab hole in the wall. 

“What’s going on?” Sophia asks, her gaze ping-ponging between us. “I hope there’s no problem.”

“Why would there be a problem?” This is coming from Kaliyah.

“Keona has confirmed that Cora is doing fine. I’m sure she can take her leave now so we can focus on the tea party. Right, Keona?”

The old, obedient Keona would have responded in the affirmative and even apologized for disrupting their party. 

Too bad she’s long gone. 

I lift my chin, staring Kaliyah down.

“I actually do have a problem with Sophia collecting my daughter from school without my permission. And I have a problem with Cora’s emergency contact being changed from mine to Sophia’s without my knowledge or consent.”

Silence follows, so thick and oppressive, I can feel it pressing against my ear drums. 

Suddenly, Sophia reaches for my hand.

I blink in surprise as her expression crumples, tears quickly filling her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Keona. I never mean to take your place as Cora’s mother, I promise.”

She pauses, sniffing heavily, “It’s just that… I already promised Cora yesterday that I’d pick her up for the tea party today. When I got to her school and found out she was not feeling well, I had to bring her home immediately…”

“Hold up.” I raise one finger and she falls silent. “What did you say? About the tea party?”

She sniffs. “Uh… I promised Cora I’d pick her up for a tea party today.”

Something hot and blinding settles behind my eyes.

“So you’re saying you planned on taking my daughter away from school during school hours for a tea party without my knowledge?”

Sophia blanches, her eyes widening like saucers;

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think of it that way. I… I…”

“She had my permission,” Hardin’s deep baritone cuts in.

I open my mouth to respond but the words get stuck in my throat, so I just settle for; “excuse me?”

Hardin doesn’t seem the least bit perturbed by my surprise.

“Sophie spoke to me about organizing a tea party for Cora’s birthday, and I agreed.” 

His voice drops, firm and final; “she had my permission.”

I fold my arms, shaking my head in disbelief. “The same way she had your permission to put her name down as Cora’s emergency contact?”

“You will watch your tone when speaking to my son, Keona!” Kaliyah’s voice cracks through the room.

She steps in front of me, her face set in stern lines. 

My bottom lip quivers;

“Mother…”

“Don’t you dare call me that.” Her eyes flash with anger. “Two months ago, when Cora almost went missing from school, where were you?”

I freeze, the question hitting me like ice water. 

The room has gone silent once again. I can literally feel the weight of their accusation pressing into my bones. 

Of all the things Kaliyah could have said, I never expected her to bring up that day. 

The memory comes rushing back, along with the guilt I’ve carried ever since. 

Two months ago, Hardin had traveled abroad for a business meeting. That day, I was at his company, representing him at an important board meeting. By the time the meeting ended, I realized I had over twenty missed calls from Cora’s school.

Apparently, Cora had wandered away from school during recess and nearly got kidnapped by child traffickers. To make matters worse, they had lured her towards their car with peanuts, triggering her severe nut allergy. 

She had nearly died. 

“I asked you a question, Keona.” Kaliyah’s stern voice snaps me out of my reverie. 

“While you were off being busy with your career, guess who made herself available to look after your daughter when she was fighting for her life. Sophia.”

“M-mom, please,” Sophia whispers, “you don’t have to do this.”

Kaliyah ignores her. 

“You chose your career over your child…”

My anger finally snaps and I glare at her;

“You know I didn’t ignore those calls on purpose, mother. Hardin asked me to…”

“There’s no excuse for being a shitty parent!” She snaps right back. 

“Bottom line, Sophia was there to handle your motherly duties when you couldn’t. In case you’re wondering, that was the day Hardin decided to change Cora’s emergency contact from yours to hers. And I advised him to do it.”

Just when I think she couldn’t possibly dig the knife any deeper, Kaliyah hits me with the final blow;

“There was really no point in leaving your name there when you couldn’t even fulfill your responsibilities.”

My gaze drifts to Sophia, my chest tightening when I find her standing beside Hardin, all pressed up against him. 

“Are you happy now?” I whisper. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

Her tears spill faster, and beside her, Hardin’s eyes flare with anger.

Of course he doesn’t like seeing her upset. 

The realization almost makes me laugh. 

My husband has never batted an eyelash when I’m the one falling apart.

“I just wanted to give Cora a nice day,” she sobs. “She hasn’t seemed happy lately.”

She hasn’t seemed happy lately? 

Of course. Leave it to Sophia to make it sound as though I’m the reason my own daughter isn’t happy.

“I appreciate your unwanted concern, but my daughter’s happiness is none of your business, Ms. Bennett. You had no right to take my child.”

“Keona, enough with the tantrums!” Hardin snaps, wrapping one strong arm around his childhood sweetheart and tucking her head beneath his chin. 

“Don’t use such language with Sophia. Her concern is not unwanted. In fact, there are very much appreciated.  She was only trying to help.”

I observe them for a long moment, all cuddled up together, and I can’t help but feel stupid. 

Why didn’t I see it before? 

Why didn’t I notice Hardin’s obsession with Sophia? 

Was I so blinded by my own delusions that I couldn’t see my own husband couldn’t stand me? 

They’re all staring at me like I’m a ticking time bomb, waiting for me to finally explode.

And I don’t blame them. 

This is all my fault. I allowed them think I was stupid.

But not anymore. 

Without bothering to respond to Hardin, I turn to Cora and hold out my hand.

“Come on, baby. Get your stuff. It’s time to go.”

The atmosphere is tense as Cora slowly makes her way towards me. 

But just as I reach for her, she suddenly turns on her heel and runs towards Sophia, wrapping her little arms around Sophia’s legs.

“No! I’m not gonna go with you. I want to stay here!”

I swallow hard, forcing down the hurt threatening to choke me.

“Cora, baby, come on. Let’s not disturb Ms. Sophia any longer.”

She whips her head in my direction, her brows furrowed in annoyance. 

“You’re the one disturbing Ms. Sophie! She was happy before you came here. Now you made her upset. You made her cry, and it’s really not fair. Why do you have to be so mean, mommy?”

For a moment, I forget how to breathe. 

I could take everyone else not being on my side or hating me, but my heart cracks at the anger I see in Cora’s eyes. Anger directed towards me.

“I’m not being mean, baby,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Please, just come with me. Let’s go home.”

I’m not ashamed to resort to begging for my child. 

If I have to leave this house without her, I might not survive it. 

“No!” Cora bites out, clinging to Sophia and taking her hand. “I want to stay with mommy Sophia.”

I go completely still. 

It can’t be…

She didn’t just…

“What did you say, Cora?”

My daughter juts her chin stubbornly.

“I said I want to stay with mommy Sophia. I love her. I want her to be my new mommy…!”