Page 24 of Filthy Rich Single Daddies

Jesus. Who the hell is this? And why are they looking for Austin in the middle of a workday? Dude is a workaholic. No way he’s home at lunchtime.

"I'm sorry," I say, trying to keep my voice calm and authoritative. "Mr. Rhodes isn't here right now. Can I take a message?"

Another shriek, this one somehow even more piercing. "Who the fuck are you? Where's Austin? Let me in!"

I bite my lip, considering my options. On one hand, Austin's strict instructions didn't cover “what to do when a banshee tries to break down your door”. On the other hand, I'm not about to let some random psycho into the house with the kids.

"Ma'am," I say, injecting as much ice into my tone as possible, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Mr. Rhodes isn't here, and you're not getting in without his permission."

The pounding intensifies. "You bitch! You can't keep me away from my—"

I turn to the kids, who are huddled nearby with wide, frightened eyes. Lucas looks particularly pale, his small hands trembling.

"Hey," I say softly, crouching down to their level. "I need you all to go upstairs to the playrooom for a bit, okay? Everything's fine, I just need to handle this."

Elodie, ever the protector, wraps an arm around her older cousin. "Come on, Lucas. Let's go play."

As they scamper up the stairs, I pull out my phone, thumb hovering over the emergency call button. The woman outside has moved on from incoherent screeching to a stream of profanity that would make a sailor blush.

"You fucking homewrecker!" she shrieks. "I'll sue you for kidnapping! I'll have you arrested!"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. Austin's "manifesto" might not have covered this scenario, but I'll be damned if I let this woman think she can intimidate me.

The pounding on the door doesn’t stop, and neither does the shouting. Djinn barks even louder, his sharp yips blending with the woman’s shrill voice into a cacophony that grates on my nerves.

"You’re making a mistake, Austin!" she screams, her voice ragged. "You think you can just erase me and start over? Imadethis family!"

Her words hit me like a freight train.Replace? Made this family?What is this woman talking about? I grip the edge of the foyer table, trying to steady myself.

"You’ll regret this!" she yells again, her voice breaking. "You know I have rights! You’re not going to keep me from my son!"

Wait—son?I glance up the stairs where Elodie and Lucas disappeared moments ago, my stomach twisting.

The woman slams her fists against the door, rattling it in its frame. "Austin! Open the damn door!”

I swallow hard, the pieces clicking into place. Whoever this is, she’s not just some unhinged stranger. She knows Austin. She knows Lucas. My pulse races as a fresh wave of adrenaline surges through me.

This must be his ex-wife, Lucas’s mother. Well, that complicates things.

I pull up Austin's contact card, the urge to call him overwhelming. But I hesitate, doubt creeping in. It's my first day, and I don't want to give Austin any reason to think I can't handle this job. Plus, a nagging suspicion tugs at me—what if this is some sort of test? It wouldn't be beyond Austin to orchestrate something like this to see how I'd react.

"You've got this, Skylar," I mutter to myself, pocketing my phone. Djinn whines at my feet, his massive body vibrating with tension.

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders and plastering on my best dealing-with-difficult-parents smile. It's the same one I've perfected over years of parent-teacher conferences and PTA meetings. With a steady hand, I unlock the door and open it just enough to wedge my body into the gap.

The woman on the other side looks like she's been slapped. Her mouth drops open, eyes widening in comical surprise. She's tiny, barely reaching my shoulders, but the rage emanating from her is palpable.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself against her venom. "Hi, I'm Skylar. And you are?" I ask, though I already know the answer. Djinn's growls intensify behind me, his nails scratching at the hardwood as he tries to squeeze past my legs.

The woman's eyes narrow, her lips curling into a sneer. "Brielle," she spits out, as if the name itself is poison. "I'm Lucas' mother. Now move aside."

She lunges forward, trying to shove past me into the house. I plant my feet firmly, gripping the door frame with white knuckles. My heart races, but I refuse to show fear.

"I'm sorry, Brielle, but I can't let you in without permission from the owners," I say, my voice firm despite the tremor I feel in my chest.

"Owners? This is my husband’s house, you little bitch. That's my son in there!" She slaps her hand on the door and pushes.

I grit my teeth, pushing back against her surprisingly strong grip. "Be that as it may, you're not on the approved list for entry. If you'd like to schedule a visit, I'm sure we can arrange something with Mr. Rhodes."

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