Page 62 of Matteo

“Because it’s not a simple or straightforward process. Once I was sure it wouldn’t upset you, I would have. It had to start with getting you an address here in Dallas County. There are a bunch of requirements around divorce in Texas I had no fucking idea of. One of them is you have to live in a county for ninety days before filing there?—"

“Ninety days?” Her words drip with fear.

“Hey, it’s going to be all right. This is why I didn’t want to tell you ahead of time. Your old boss, the hotel owner, was willing to provide the video of the day you came in, showing you had obviously been beaten. We also have a statement from the neighbor who your ex tried to attack. He heard him beating you. The lawyer is hoping we can use that to get around the ninety-day thing to serve him with divorce papers within the week.” I want to pull over and hold her, except we’re only five minutes from home.

“I’ve purchased a small house to set as your place of residence through a shell company unrelated to me and hired a rental company for it. It’s less than a mile from us—close but not too close. The lawyer already filed an emergency protective order with that address. It was approved. Although it’s only good for twenty days, there’s more than enough evidence for it to keep being approved. She’s already drawn up divorce papers and paperwork for him to sign away his parental rights to Layla.”

“How can you be so sure he’ll sign?” Amy clearly wants to believe me.

I exhale a laugh. “Money will get him to do it.”

She shakes her head. “If he knows you’re a billionaire, he’ll demand more than he deserves. I don’t want him making any money for all he’s put us through.”

“He won’t know I’m a billionaire. He’ll know I’m a doctor, and that’s enough. Enough for him not to question where the money I offer him comes from. Not enough for him to think I’ll be able to give him more. As for him making money, he won’t have it for long. Once he’s signed everything, I’ll put the worker’s comp insurance company onto the fact he’s not as hurt as he says he is. They will sue him for the money they’ve paid him?—”

“Wait, he got money? When did he get money?” She’s pissed.

“He received his first check a week before Layla was born. Since it included back pay, it was almost five thousand dollars.”

“That son of a bitch. He had five thousand dollars but no money for diapers for Layla.” She closes her eyes. “He’s on drugs. He spent that money on drugs and the women he was cheating with.”

Relief fills me. She knew he was cheating on her. “Yes, OxyContin and cocaine. He’s got a few girlfriends. One of them is his best friend’s wife, who lived in the same apartment complex you did.”

Her sigh is heavy. “Can you please keep me informed of this whole thing going forward?”

I’m grateful when I pull into the garage and can give her all my focus. “Yes, I will,” I promise her. When she doesn’t say anything, I press. “What else is upsetting you?”

A frown appears. “Your grandfather… I didn’t get the feeling he liked me.”

I shrug. “I don’t give a fuck if my grandfather likes you. We still don’t have the best relationship after the whole refusing to pay my tuition bullshit. I understand why he did what he did. While he’s apologized, we both said things we regret. Our relationship has never truly recovered. I’m sure me living on the other side of the country all these years hasn’t helped either.”

“I give a fuck.” She whispers.

Taking her hand that’s balled up on her lap, I squeeze gently. “He doesn’t know you yet. It was one afternoon. In time, he’ll see everything I do and lo—like you too.”

She sighs. “It doesn’t feel all right. But if you say so...”

“I do.” As badly as I want to, I don’t tell her if the choice was between her and my grandfather that I won’t hesitate to choose her. She’s still not ready.

I can’t go upstairs and pretend nothing has changed when it feels like everything has. “How about we go check out the art museum?”

Her eyes go wide. “I’d love that.”

CHAPTER 19

Amy

The next day, I’m cleaning the kitchen after breakfast when there’s a knock at the door.

I open it to find Hope holding two large cloth grocery bags. “Hi, I’m here to teach you to cook. I was talking with Elizabeth, and she mentioned you take lunch to Matteo every day. Javier comes home for lunch. I figured we could make something to feed them.”

“Oh, yeah, okay.” I totally planned to come up with an excuse to avoid her. Only she’s so happy. I step back to allow her into the condo. “Thank you. I didn’t expect you to take time out of your day.”

“I don’t mind at all. Although I did have to do some begging for Javier to let me come over. He was worried about me going into the grocery store to shop. I had to put an order in. He didn’t want me wandering around the store by myself.” Her giggle is adorable.

“It’s wrong to love how possessive he is. Blah, blah, blah, toxic masculinity. Whatever, I guess I’m a toxic woman because I’m just as possessive over him as he is about me. I can’t stand the sight of him even smiling at other women—so there you go.”

Glad I can be honest in one thing, I admit. “I hated the idea of Matteo out with Melissa. All week long, I was worried he’d fall in love with her or something.”

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