Ryan’s POV“Right this way, Mr. Edwards.” the Maître d’ said with a flourish of his hand.I followed him down a quiet hallway, lined on either side with French doors and exquisite oil paintings. The last thing I expected today was an invitation to a family dinner/lunch with my father. We weren’t exactly on the best of terms since I moved out.“Your private dining room.” the Maître d’ opened the doors and stood aside, bowing. “Please enjoy your visit, Mr. Edwards.”Maybe my father just wanted to thank me for looking after Molly while my brother was away on business. Maybe he wanted to strike my name from his will. Whatever it was, I wouldn’t back down, wouldn’t let him control my life.I focused on my posture, back straight, but shoulders relaxed and strode into the room. Relief washed over me when I saw he hadn’t arrived yet. Seated at the lavishly decorated table was my brother, sister-in-law, and–“Uncle Ry-Ry! You’re here!” Molly dashed off her seat and ran straight for me. “Ryan?
Celeste’s POVI laid sprawled on the sofa in my apartment, rewatching Bridget Jones’s Diary–my comfort movie–after leaving the studio early. Well, I didn’t exactly leave willingly. Grace kicked me out.I had remade Julie’s necklace and then fussed about the studio, cleaning and reorganizing because there wasn’t a lick of work to be done. My friend shoved me out the door with explicit instructions to wind down before our lunch meeting and not think about the disaster that was my life for a couple of hours.I was failing miserably.The apartment buzzer rang, startling me. My heartbeat quickened as I answered the door. Had Ryan decided to pay a visit to smooth things over? “Mom?” I said, stunned.“So you remember you have one of those?” she asked sternly, raising a brow.Her reproachful stare made me gulp.“I’m sorry, mom.” I said, stepping aside so she could come in. “Things have been insanely busy with work and Bonnie. I just haven’t had time to visit.”My mother harrumphed and strode
Damien’s POV“Did you have to scream at her like that?” I demanded, storming into the nursery. “Celeste would never treat a child so abhorrently.”I stood beside Bonnie, a hand stroking her head, and glared at Vanessa. No one treated my princess like that.She opened her mouth to respond when her phone blared.“I need to take this,” she stammered, turning to leave the nursery.My eyes narrowed. Why couldn’t she answer it here? She’d been distracted and on edge throughout the gender reveal party.Was Vanessa hiding something?But then she stopped in her tracks and answered the call in the doorway, annoying me but putting my suspicions to bed.“Bon-Bon, don’t cry.” I murmured, kneeling to hug my sobbing daughter. “Auntie Vanessa just shouted at you. You’re alright.”She shook her little head.“No, Auntie Vanessa smacked me again.” She hiccuped. “Why is she the kindest mommy ever sometimes, but then other times she’s so mean?”I gritted my teeth in frustration. She had no fucking right to
Vanessa’s POVMy mind raced at a hundred miles a minute as I sat on the sofa after the gender reveal party. That stupid night of indulgence was going to cost me everything!I couldn’t even focus on all the attention as our guests fawned over me and my extravagant home because of this massive hurdle in my plans. My acrylic tipped nails drummed on my phone screen as I glared at the newly added contact–Andre.The way he leered at me in the garden made my stomach churn. A hand flew over my mouth as I suddenly gagged, pregnancy nausea mixed with the rising tide of fear.I was so freaking glad I hadn’t had a bite to eat at the party.“Judging by your day job, things are not going well for you. I’m sending you some money, so take it gratefully and stay out of my life.” I sent the text and immediately transferred most of my allowance from Damien.I tapped the screen, anxiously waiting for Andre to accept the hush money.Dread filled me when I saw the bank notification–he had returned every c
Third-Person POVCeleste dragged herself up the steps to her studio, completely drained. It had taken every ounce of her self-control to walk away from Vanessa and Damien without causing a scene. She unslung her handbag from her shoulder and wandered to Grace’s office.“Knock knock?” She said, leaning through the door with a weary smile.Her business partner looked up from her computer screen. “Any luck with Julie’s butler?”Celeste sighed as she came in, shrugging off her coat and tossing it aside.“Something’s definitely up.” She said, voice low and hoarse as she sat on the edge of the desk. “He’s too anxious and defensive to be innocent, but I couldn’t get a confession out of him.”Grace swept the loose strands of her pixie cut out of her eyes, disappointed but not surprised.“Don’t blame yourself, love. Confessing means losing his job–he’ll never do that.” She said, chewing on her lip.Celeste nodded. “What about you? Were you successful in persuading our clients to trust our bran
Vanessa’s POV“Do you want to borrow an umbrella before you go?” I called out to Celeste’s retreating figure, my tone light yet barbed. “Today’s weather forecast predicts heavy showers.”The slight stiffening in her shoulders told me she understood I was referring to the shitstorm that was about to hit her business. “No? Suit yourself.” I said, waving with a malicious smile on my lips. “Bye-bye, Celeste!”“That’s enough, Vanessa.” Damien frowned.I matched his frown with a pout. “But babe, I was just concerned about her…”His eyes darted to the neighbors’ houses and down the street. “Well, keep it down. I don’t need my reputation falling to tatters like Celeste’s did from a simple video,” he said curtly.I turned to the side so he wouldn’t see the smirk on my face. The dumb bitch should have listened when I warned her not to mess with me or my man at Celine Mars’ party. Her annoying brat of a daughter already preferred me. Now that video with the butler I made viral was the final na