Page 86 of Breaking
Margaret's face darkened, but she said nothing, taken aback by Grant's rare moment of defiance.
Troy cut in, voice decisive. "Grant, there's a coffee shop around the corner. Maybe take Mom for a drink."
Margaret straightened, her voice rising in forced indignation. "I want to stay. I won't let you bully Lila-"
Jenna cut in sharply, her voice carrying an edge of finality. "Oh, Margaret, please spare us the dramatics. This isn't about Lila, and we all know it. This is about you refusing to accept that you don't get to dictate everyone's lives anymore. Troy has made his choice, and once again, it's not the one you planned for him."
Troy's gaze was cold. "You can either go to the coffee shop or all the way back to Brighton. It makes no difference to me." He turned to Lila. "And you can go with her."
Lila tilted her head, considering for a moment before giving a small smile. "I think I will stay."
Chapter 65
Lila smirked, leaning back into the couch with an air of satisfaction. "Well, that was entertaining."
Troy exhaled, rubbing his temples before glancing at Jenna. "Is there anything we haven't covered?"
Jenna looked back at him, one knee crossed over the other and her hands resting on her knee. Her expression was serene and maybe a little amused, "Nope, I think you were pretty spot on."
Lila chuckled. "Oh, there are a few minor details you missed out. Goodness me, this almost sounds like a board meeting. Good old days." Lila sighed dramatically. "It's good Jenna is here. Maybe she can talk some sense into you."
She shifted slightly, her gaze locking onto Troy. "We've grown up together. We have so many common interests. Your family loves me. I fit in seamlessly. Your kids admire me."
Troy grumbled under his breath. "Not as much anymore, I suspect."
Lila's lips tightened, but she powered on. "Jenna, you cannot compete. You don't really believe we never slept together, do you? All those dinners, all those trips. Do you really think nothing happened? Men lie all the time and Troy tries to be an honourable man. It would not look good if he abandoned you now that you are all used up."
Jenna simply watched her, unreadable. Lila's smile sharpened. "I heard you finally got your diploma...And you have got yourself a little job. Congratulations. But that hasn't cured you of your stupidity. Youare still so blind to what is in front of you. Why do you still cling to him when you know you are surplus to requirements?"
Troy's face darkened, his hands curling into fists. "You know that's not true. I have never so much as looked at you in that manner. Why are you lying?" His voice carried a note of desperation as if needing Jenna to see through it.
Jenna tilted her head, her expression still thoughtful. She had known Lila long enough to recognize her tactics. "I'm actually surprised," she mused, her voice almost amused. "I half-expected you to show up claiming to be pregnant with Troy's baby."
Lila's smirk grew, a cruel glint in her eye. "Funny you should say that. I am. And it's Troy's."
Jenna's lips parted slightly, then she shook her head, laughing softly. "Lila, you can't be that stupid. That's an easy lie for us to catch you out on."
Lila shrugged. "Only if I allow you to do a DNA test. And you'll need my permission for that. I won't ask for child support, and I won't allow a paternity test. You'll always wonder."
Troy looked thoughtful. "How far along are you?"
Lila hesitated for the briefest second before answering, "Six weeks."
Jenna caught it-the hesitation, the way Lila's fingers clenched into her palm. And then there it was, the smallest twitch at the corner of her eye. Jenna almost smiled. She had dealt with Lila long enough to know this was her tells. Every time Lila lied, her eye twitched, just the slightest flicker, but Jenna had learned to catch it.
Troy was staring at Lila, his expression blank and cold. For a brief moment, Jenna mistook it for indifference. But then, somethingclicked. This wasn't apathy-it was fear. The same fear she had seen before when he felt trapped. He wasn't dismissing the situation; he was bracing himself for the worst. Jenna recognized the signs immediately.
Jenna leaned forward, her voice cool and measured. "Lila, you should seriously consider the stage. You are wasted on IT."
Lila's composure faltered, her breath hitching in a way that wasn't quite steady. "Wh-what?"
Jenna tilted her head, studying her. "You look a wreck, Lila. Those dark shadows under your eyes. You have lost weight. This little act is wearing you down, isn't it?" She paused. "Troy has been holed up next door for a little more than eight weeks, and we have very nosy neighbours. You can't take a leak without the neighbours knowing. A beautiful woman like you would have been noticed coming or going. Just do the math. Are you sure you didn't get drunk and confuse one Bradshaw brother for another?"
Lila's lower lip trembled, but now there was something else in her expression-fear. She quickly stepped in, her voice rising dramatically as if she didn't hear a word Jenna said. "If Troy doesn't do the right thing, my child will be cut out of the inheritance! There's a clause in the family trust-if the parents aren't married, the child gets nothing."
Troy growled, "Then you should be talking to the father of your child, not me."
Jenna let out a short, humourless laugh. "How convenient," she murmured. "An archaic trust clause that just happens to support this entire ridiculous charade."
