CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

GWEN POV

I was supposed to be doing homework, but I found myself continually looking up at the wall with the art piece Nolan had given me. I’d hung over my desk, and a part of me wondered why I still had it, much less hung in a place where I could easily see it. I told myself it was because the artwork was lovely and compelling, too much so to get rid of it simply because I didn't like the man who gave it to me.

 But I couldn't look at it and not think about Nolan. He'd said he'd known exactly how I would've responded to it and that was part of the reason he bought it for me. What did that mean?

  I shook my head and returned my gaze to my computer sitting in my lap as I studied on my bed. It didn't matter what the gift meant. It didn't change anything. The way Nolan snapped at me in the car ride back from the doctor's office was a reminder that he was too easily triggered into lashing out. Did he really think buying me art and holding my hand at the doctor's office yesterday would make up for the terrible things he'd said?

      My gaze lifted again to the picture.

      'You're fucking amazing.'

      Nolan’s words and the kiss on my forehead came back to me. Somewhere deep inside, I wondered if it did mean something.

      But why the hell did I still care? How could there be a piece of me that still cared for him? It made no sense. The only explanation was that all the time he was spending with me recently, especially his understanding how nervous I was at the doctor's office, had somehow softened me. I would have to do better to guard against it because I couldn’t allow myself to be in a position where he could shatter me again.

 For the umpteenth time, I pulled my attention back to my homework. I'd been able to keep up on my studies during my medical rest period, and next week, I'd be able to resume my student teaching. I was back on track to get my degree, and hopefully, a job that would allow me to be financially secure without Nolan.

      I was just finishing up a video when there was a knock on the front door. I closed my eyes and hoped to God that it wasn't Nolan. When would the guy get a hint and stop showing up? I didn’t need help anymore.

      I slid off my bed and headed to the front door, yanking it open, ready to tell Nolan to go home. The words stalled in the back of my throat as I took in who was standing on the doorstep.

      "Mira?"

 My former stepmother worked her face into concern. "I just heard, Gwen. My goodness, you're the last person I ever thought would accidentally get pregnant. You were always so responsible. But no worries. I'm here to help you."

My eyes narrowed. Mira didn't have an empathetic bone in her body. She had to be here for some other reason. "How did you know?"

"It's all the buzz of the neighborhood, including how that beast of a baby daddy treated you." She still had friends in the neighborhood? That was news to me.

      She stepped forward, and I moved out of the way, knowing that she would've walked into me if I didn't.

      She stood at the entryway, taking in the house. "I see not much has changed. Your father was never one for housekeeping, was he?" She smiled, and like her concern, it was fake.

      "Dad's not here."

      "I figured as much. But I'm here for you. A baby." She clapped her hands together and smiled. "This is exciting. I mean, I know it wasn't planned, but still. Now that I'm here to help, everything's going to be okay."

      "Does Dad know you're here?" I was still standing with the door open, hoping she would turn around and leave. She made her way through the living room toward the kitchen. With a sigh, I shut the door and followed her.

      "As I said, I'm here for you."

      "For how long? I mean, won’t your husband miss you?" The rumor was that she had been through almost four husbands in the years since she had left my father.

      She was opening the cabinet doors and the refrigerator. What was she looking for?

      "Oh, no. I'm free as a bird now. Why do husbands become such a disappointment when you marry them? You're lucky that you know the type of man you're dealing with. It's just unfortunate that you can't fully get rid of him now that you're having his baby."

      I pressed my hand over my belly, not liking her talking about my baby. Or knowing my business.

      She stopped rummaging and turned her attention to me. "I have to say that I am shocked, simply shocked, at who your baby’s father is. I have to admit, Gwen, I didn't think you had it in you to attract a man like Nolan Douglas, look at you." She said it like it was a compliment, but it was actually an insult.

      I had an epiphany. She wasn't here to help me. She was here to get access to Nolan. She might talk about him like he was a jerk, but I knew Mira so fucking well. She saw dollar signs in my situation.

      "It's very sweet of you, Mira, to stop your life to come help me, but I assure you, I'm fine." I don't know why I thought that would make her leave, but I had to try something.

      "You definitely need my help. First of all, someone needs to go to the grocery shop. You have a baby growing inside you. The heir to the Douglas fortune."

      And there it was. She was after money.

      "April is the heir…we all know that!”

 "And so is that little baby growing inside you. And imagine if it's a boy. Men love to give everything to their little boys."

  It was clear she was focused on Nolan’s money, but if all his money went to my baby, what was in it for her?

 "And of course, I can help you make sure that he pays you his fair share. In fact, I don't know why you're still in this hovel. You would think a man like Nolan Douglas would put you in a nice home, have servants taking care of you night and day."

 "This is my home." I couldn't hide the offense I felt at her calling this house a hovel. It wasn't fancy, and in fact it needed work, but it wasn't a hovel.

She gave me a sympathetic stare. "I don't mean to insult your home, Gwen. I know you love this place, but that's because it's all you've known. Of course, you're going to love it. But now you have the opportunity for nicer things. And I'm going to help you get that."

She walked over to me, setting her hands on my shoulders. I wanted to shirk them away, but I also didn't trust her to not do something terrible if I offended her.

"I know how rich people like Nolan think…he might try to say that the baby isn't his, so we’re going to have to have a DNA test. Are you sure the baby is his?"

 There was no doubt in my mind that her question had nothing to do with wanting to help me and everything to do with gathering as much information as she could to figure out how she could use it to her benefit.

 "I'm sorry, Mira, but this is really between me and Nolan."

  Her eyes flashed with heat. In a nanosecond, it was gone, but not before I had seen it.

   "Well, if it’s between you and him, then I guess that answers that question. Now, I'm going to order some groceries and have them delivered. And I'll have somebody come by to clean the house." She started back toward the front door.

"That's not necessary," I said as I followed her.

 She waved her hand as if she were flicking away my comment. "You have a baby to think about now, Gwen. I'll be in touch." She opened the door, and I wanted to tell her again not to bother, but then I didn't want to do anything that would stop her momentum from leaving. When she finally stepped outside and shut the door behind her, I sank down onto the couch, blowing out a breath. This wasn't good.