Page 127 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

Liberty

It took less than twenty-four hours to receive an email from Alexander’s lawyer advising me I was not to leave the country or town with Brandon without checking in with Alexander or his lawyers first.

First anger rose within me, immediately followed by an overwhelming sadness. A ridiculous part of me wanted him to come after me, tell me he wanted me, wanted Brandon and me in his life forever, or at least call me. But he did none of them. I should’ve been grateful, but I was disappointed. But then what did I expect? He asked me to stay and I said no. Yes, I should definitely look into getting a therapist.

God, I loved him so much. How could a man infuriate me so much, and at the same time, make me love him?

I just couldn’t come to terms with everything. It felt like my whole world crashed and burned in a single day. My mother was abused by my father in the worst possible way. She killed my father but Alexander’s father took the blame. My husband hated his father for decades for abandoning them for his obsession over my mother. He was so young to carry such a heavy responsibility on his shoulder taking care of the family businesses and putting up with a tarnished last name. And I loved him.

Yes, I should definitely get a really good therapist.

“Why are you staring into a blank space like some crazy woman?” Sister or no sister, Layla still managed to be a pain and drive me crazy.

In the past twenty-four hours, she caught me lost in my thoughts too many times. She knew why, but wanted me to say it out loud. I couldn’t even do that because then, it would feel like there was no coming back from it.

“Alexander’s attorney sent an email,” I replied instead.

“What?” Her screech made my head hurt. I didn’t have much sleep.

“Yes, but it’s not a big deal,” I told her, already regretting saying anything.

“Really?” She eyed me suspiciously, not believing a word I said.

“Yes.”

I shouldn't be surprised. After all, Alexander was used to ruling his company and taking care of all the business, family and personal. He would ensure his family’s assets are protected when it came to Brandon and dissolving this marriage.

True to his word, Alexander’s grandfather sent a car. Brandon went to daycare, I went to the publishing house for the morning until Maxim finally made me go home after lunch. He said I looked like hell. God knew I felt like hell.

“You will not be getting sick on my watch,” he claimed as he gently nudged me into the car, telling the driver to take me home. I wanted to tell him I wasn’t on anyone’s watch and I wasn’t anyone’s concern, but he shut the door and smiled knowingly. At that moment, he reminded me so much of his brother that I felt like crying.

So here I was. In the middle of the day, at Layla’s, getting scrutinized for staring into space. There was no point in trying to sleep, I couldn’t sleep without Alexander.

“Are you just going to let him do whatever?” Layla’s question confused me for a second, but then I remembered. Oh yes, we were talking about the email from his attorney.

I shrugged my shoulder. “No, but I won’t deal with it today.”

After everything, it was better that I kept my distance. I needed time to forget about his touch, his smell, his blue gaze that burned with desire.

Knowing Alexander, fighting back wouldn’t do anything but make me even more upset or pissed off. Maybe pissed off was better, but today, I had no energy for it. So I ignored the email, deciding it didn’t deserve my response.

Several days after the charity reception, Alexander’s grandfather brought my mother’s parents, my grandparents, to the publishing company. I shouldn’t have been surprised, his grandfather kept hinting for me to officially meet them ever since the Buckingham Palace fiasco. As he brought them around to my office, we all stared at each other, silent seconds ticking away while we watched each other.

“Liberty,” my grandmother’s voice shook badly, “I’m Lily’s mom, your grandmother.” Tears glistened in her sad hazel eyes and I remembered my mother’s words that I looked like her and her mother. “I know that you probably want nothing to do with us, but I hoped-”

Her voice broke and a small sob escaped her lips. Her husband, my grandfather, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Just that small gesture proved they were good, caring people.

“I’ve always wanted to meet you,” I spoke softly and both their eyes snapped to me. “I would love it if we could get to know each other.”

A whimper left my grandmother but she quickly pulled herself together. “Yes… yes, we would love that too. And your son.”

My eyes traveled to Alexander’s grandfather. He must have filled them in on our family situation, although I wondered exactly how much he told them. It didn’t really matter though, did it?

“Brandon… yes, he would love to meet you. He's actually my nephew,” I explained in a low voice. “Mom adopted Lena, my sister, when she was little.”

“He’s our great-grandchild, and we’ll love him just the same,” my grandfather spoke in a gruff, choked voice while his eyes shone.

“Yes, we will,” my grandmother gushed. “We can’t wait to meet him.”

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