Page 55 of Anything To Be With You

That’s a fucking lie. That crotchety bitch never liked me. Said I seduced her son with my whore body—insert eye roll—when, in fact, he stalked me for months until I said yes to a date.

"How did you find me?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

She checks her nails as she speaks. "That is none of your concern." Her eyes are shrewd as she looks down her nose at me. "I must speak with you. It is regarding Mason."

My heart lodges itself in my throat. This is the first time she's ever said Mason's name. She used to call him 'that child.' Swallowing, I square my shoulders. Better get this done and over with.

I nod towards the conference room, walking in and motioning for her to sit. "What did you want talk about?"

She sits gracefully. Knees together, ankles crossed and her hands in her lap. "Joshua has retired from playing for Team Canada."

Whoopie.

"What does that have to do with my son?" I ask.

"He wants Mason to move in with him."

My stomach drops like a ball of lead and my heart slams against my chest. They want to take my baby. Mustering confidence that I don’t have, I say, "that’s not happening."

Helen looks at me shocked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Helen. Not. Happening."

She sighs in that condescending way of hers. "He is his father, Daniella. He has the right to have his son in his life."

I bark out a humorless laugh. "I seem to recall both you and John telling me Mason was someone else’s son."

"We said no such thing, Daniella." Helen says.

"Oh, you don't remember," I say, my confidence slowly rising. "Well, let me refresh your memory. You said, and I quote: that baby looks nothing like Joshua. It's obviously someone else's."

Helen scoffs. "I would never say anything like that about Mason. He looks exactly like Josh."

I gawk at her. Is she serious? "I'm not getting into this with you, Helen. Mason will not be living with Josh, so it's time to leave." I say.

"I’m not leaving." She pulls out her phone and taps on the screen a few times before putting it back in her purse.

"Yes, you are."

Helen crosses her leg over her knee and smiles as the door opens.

"Dani baby," Josh says with a slimy smile as he walks in. "Guess Mom told you I want my boy to come live me with permanently." He smirks.

"You do realize that he can decide where he lives, right. He's seventeen, not seven."

"Doesn't matter. We have the means to take him from you." Josh says.

I might not have been raised by a lawyer like Josh was, but I've done my research over the years. Any child over the age of twelve has say in which parent they want to live with.

"You dropped us after his first birthday. You would ignore us if we saw you in public. Why would you care now." I demand.

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"The fuck you don't. Mason wants nothing to do with you. You were nothing but a sperm donor!" I scream in their faces.

Helen’s hand moves and she slaps me across the face. "How dare you call my son a sperm donor!" she fumes.

"Well, what would you call a guy who knocks someone up then fucks off and doesn't pay a dime in child support." I ask.

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