Page 1 of Ex's Accidental Baby

ChapterOne

MEREDITH

“Meredith Whitlock,what are you doing with that awful bag?”

My mother’s voice makes me cringe as I drag my bag on the lush carpet down the hallway.

“Taking my dirty clothes to the laundry room.” My teeth grit together.

“Why on earth would you do that? The staff?—”

“I don’t want someone else doing my laundry, Mother. I prefer to do it myself.”

I turn, and my mother is staring at me as if I’ve lost my mind.

Before my father and brother went no contact with her because of what she did to Lillian, that look in her eyes would have made me recoil. Mallory Whitlock’s stare has brought many powerful people to their knees.

Now, I’m the only one still talking to her. I would go no-contact too if I had my own place. Since I still don’t, I have to suck it up for a bit longer, because there is no way that I’m going to crash at my dad’s or Grayson’s. Grayson and Dad have their arms full with work, and Grayson has his family to take care of on top of that, and I refuse to add myself to their workload.

So, I just keep walking, ignoring her, and when I’m inside the laundry room, it’s finally quiet, the hum of the dryer the only noise in the house. I’ve already done one load, and this is the last of my laundry.

I’m glad to be able to just be by myself for a bit and do this mindless task because my mind is at a whirlwind.

I’ve got an important day today, and I can’t let my mother spoil it.

I sit on top of the dryer, liking the warmth, and I scroll through my phone. I’ve got texts from my sister-in-law, wishing me luck.

I smile.

Lillian came into our lives like a hurricane, but my brother has never been happier. And I love having their babies to play with. I absolutely love them.

I don’t have any kids of my own. Not because of a medical issue or anything. I just... haven’t found the right guy.

For a long time, I thought I had.

But I’m not going to think about that. Because right now, I have an opportunity to get the hell out of this mansion and live my own life.

I know it’d be easy to get a job at my mother’s foundation or my father’s company, but that’s not what I want. I’m too old to have never had a job outside of college, and I can’t expect to get in on the ground floor anywhere amazing.

I don’t have the experience or the degree–thanks to a certain someone.

But I promised myself I wouldn’t think about him today. Even if he did ruin my life.

I take a deep breath when the dryer beeps, finally getting into motion and putting on my second load. I take the clothes out of the dryer and hold them in my arms to take them back to my room. I’m just washing socks and underwear in the first load–my suit had to be dry-cleaned, of course.

I may not have a job or a degree, but I’ve got a trust fund, and I need to make an impression, so my pantsuit is a big name, and it’s very expensive.

It’s a pastel purple color, and I hope they appreciate the yellow dress shirt I wear underneath.

I get dressed quickly, working on my hair and makeup before I transfer my second load to the dryer.

By the time my clothes are done, it’s nearly time for my interview.

“Purple? And white shoes after Labor Day?” my mother drawls as I hurry down the stairs.

My hands turn into fists at my sides. “Sorry I’m not up with the latest trends, Mother.”

“At least you’re not wearing shoulder pads.”

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