I folded my arms across my chest and repeated the text I'd sent that day, word by word.
"We broke up. Three years ago."
"You ditched your girlfriend to travel the world with your first love. I wished you a beautiful reunion, and I wished you'd crash and burn all over again."
Silence.
Then two mocking laughs rang out in unison.
It didn't matter what I said. They both assumed I was just lashing out.
I couldn't be bothered to waste another second on these two idiots. I grabbed the toy and headed for the register.
Just as I was about to pay, Alex cut in front of me and slapped a black card on the counter.
"Everything in this store. Wrap it all up."
He glanced down and pointed at me. "Including whatever she's holding."
I swallowed my fury. "Layla's baby is still floating in amniotic fluid. What's it going to play with?"
Layla clung to Alex's arm and cocked an eyebrow at me, smug as ever.
"Oh, Felicia, you're so out of the loop. These aren't for the baby."
"They're birthday gifts for the billionaire's son."
The moment she mentioned him, my fingertips twitched. My mind went blank.
I didn't even notice when Alex snatched the toy right out of my hands.
His gaze swept over my clothes and jewelry, his eyes full of open contempt.
"All these years, eating my food, wearing what I paid for, and now you want to spend my money fighting me over toys?"
"Felicia, could you at least try to keep some dignity?"
Seeing me frozen in place, Layla giggled.
"Scared already, Felicia?"
"Imagine how you'd lose your mind if you knew Alex and I are heading to that birthday gala next."
My eyelid twitched. The words left my mouth before I could think.
"Funny. I don't recall seeing either of your names on the guest list."
Layla scoffed and rolled her eyes at me.
"Called it. Who do you think you are?"
"Without Alex pulling strings for you, you wouldn't even qualify to set foot in a store like this."
Alex shot me a guarded look.
"I pulled every favor I had. Greased every palm. All to get a meeting with Melvin Henson."
"I'm warning you, Felicia. Don't you dare follow me there and make trouble."
"Whether my company goes public rides on today."
I never involved myself in his business dealings. But I knew one thing.
"Even if you bought out this entire store and laid it at Melvin Henson's feet, he still wouldn't give you the time of day."
Back then, I'd returned the infertility diagnosis to Alex. He'd been furious, convinced I was playing some sick joke, so he'd retaliated with an even crueler one.
He'd waited until the housekeeper's back was turned and stolen Melvin's late brother's orphaned child.
If I hadn't begged Melvin to show mercy for old times' sake, Alex would've been rotting behind bars. He wouldn't have had three years of freedom to enjoy.
Going public? Once he found out the truth, the only thing he'd want to go was six feet under.
He saw the mockery on my face and shoved me, hard.
I stumbled backward and hit the ground.
"Ignorant woman. You think you can just throw around a billionaire's name like that?"
"Just because you're too broke to sit at the table doesn't mean you get to stand in my way."
That was when Layla took two steps toward me.
Sweet words dripped from her lips, but calculation flickered across her face.
I hadn't so much as grazed her. Yet her whole body suddenly tipped backward.
Alex caught her with lightning-fast reflexes.
"Felicia, why did you push me?"
"Alex, she's not just trying to ruin your deal. She wants to hurt our baby."
"I shouldn't have come back and bothered you two. I only wanted to fulfill my father's dying wish. Is it really so wrong to be a good daughter?"
