Page 62 of The Billionaire's Temporary Governess (French Conquests 2)

She fished into her purse and withdrew a thin sheaf of documents, which she handed to him without a word, then folded her wrists in smug silence as she waited for him to peruse them.

He read them through once, and then again. “You cannot be serious!”

“I can and I am,” she snapped. “I am petitioning the court to take custody of the child. My daughter’s child.”

“Her name is Willa! Do you even know this?”

Her eyes squinted. “I know what her name is. I met her as a baby!”

“Oh, you met heronce, and that was enough for you to know her? For you to decide you want her?”

“Both her real parents are dead! I am now her closest relative!”

William threw the paper onto the floor in contempt. “So for 12 years you play no part in my daughter’s life—”

“She isnotyour daughter!”

“Silence!” he roared. “I am speaking!”

The woman cringed a little, but still continued to glare mutinously at him.

“You have nothing to do with my wife throughout our marriage, don’t even deign to visit or get to know your own grandchild, and then all of a sudden you take it upon yourself to arrive on my property, on my doorstep, to demand I hand my child over?” He slapped the side of his head in the classic French gesture for madness. “You are insane,non?”

“I am not, but it appears that you are,Comte!”

“You question my sanity?”

This time, it wasshetaking steps towardshim.“I have seen photos of your bride, and I want you to know that I am disgusted. I am horrified that you would allow a person such as this—”

“A person like what?” he demanded, knowing very well what she in her small, twisted mind meant, but he wanted her to say it, hear the words coming from her mouth. “You need to explain, because I am unable to understand.”

“You are bringing a negra into your family. Into my grandchild’s family. And if, God forbid, you decide to have offspring,” her face wrinkled with disgust, “you will be forcing upon her half-breed relatives! What if you have a male child with that woman! You will be destroying the legacy of purity that your family has enjoyed for centuries! Have you no shame?”

Never in his life had he felt so much distaste for another human being. So much loathing. He knew he could have called for Hassan, but this creature deserved to be escorted out of his home personally. “You will leave at once, Madame.” He stalked to the door of the waiting room and gestured her through it.

She sailed through unperturbed, confident now that she had dropped her bombshell. Hassan appeared out of nowhere, concern written all over his face. He must have heard the shouting. He threw an enquiring glance at William, who nodded. Immediately, Hassan was on his phone to Juneau.

“My security team will escort you off the grounds,” William told her tightly. “You are never to approach my estate or my daughter ever again.”

She snorted. “You may throw me out if you like, but that does not change the truth. I am now this child’s only living female relative, and I will not allow a purebred child to be besmirched by some,” she sputtered, “some black American whore because you think with what’s in his pants! I will see you in court.”

Since the day before, when William had come back into the room and explained to them who the woman was and the purpose of her visit, Naisha hadn’t been able to stop throwing up. Sure, it could have been ordinary morning sickness, but William had insisted on calling one of the top OBGYNs in Aix.

The doctor had comforted them, assuring them that Naisha’s pregnancy was progressing beautifully, and that they had nothing to worry about. He did, however, caution them that in any pregnancy, stress was a bad idea. “She needs to be calm and enjoy this wonderful period in her life. Please ensure that all stressors are removed.”

“Removed indeed,” William muttered sourly after the doctor had gone. “Wouldn’t it be great if this particular stressor was ‘moved’ to the bottom of the Mediterranean?”

She almost smiled at his loyalty to Willa and her. She allowed him to enjoy the fantasy for a brief moment and was glad when he got real and called a family meeting.

Now, Naisha, William, Alex and Jacyn were on the balcony of his suite, sitting in a sober circle, discussing what to do about this new threat.

Alex had led them through a recounting of all he knew about Sofia from when they dated. “The woman was a bad mother.”

“Racist, too!” Jacyn burst in, exchanging looks with Naisha. They’d both endured many such prejudices in their lives, and this woman’s attack on their ethnicity and that of their children did not go down well.

Alex nodded, his lips curling in distaste. “Sofia always mentioned her envy for the relationship between maman and me.”

“Did she say anything about her home life?”

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