Page 8 of Empire of Hate (Empire 3)

“I’m going to call your mum.”

The scent of peaches disappears and so does he.

And I’m left on the ground with my half-eaten peach and the doll.

Abandoned.

Lifeless.

Invisible.

1

NICOLE

TWENTY-ONE YEARS LATER

If life throws you a lemon, you should probably eat it or else you’ll remain hungry.

At least, that’s true in my case.

The fact that I got fired from my last job should say something. Apparently, I’m not supposed to call a customer a “creepy old man” if he “accidentally” touches my butt.

And okay, maybe pouring water all over his head was a bit of an extreme reaction, but I don’t have a filter when it comes to these types of things.

Not after everything that’s happened in the past.

So now, I’m hoping one of the companies that I interviewed with will call me back. Otherwise, Jayden and I are screwed.

I might not have finished university, but I did study at Cambridge for two years, and I have some experience.

But oh well. It’s brutal out here in New York, so my small amount of experience may mean nothing.

“Are you okay, Nikki?”

I lift my head from my task of chopping vegetables and stare at the adorable face of my little Jayden.

He looks so much like me, it’s a little freaky. But his blond hair is shinier, like my mum’s, and his eyes are a light brown, like a warm forest during a sunny day.

Despite being only nine years old, he’s the definition of a blessing. I don’t know what my life would be like if he weren’t around.

“I’m fine, baby.”

A delicate frown appears between his brows as he trudges toward me. “Stop calling me that. I’m not a baby anymore.”

“As if.” I ruffle his blond strands and he whines wordlessly. “Have you taken your medication?”

“Yeah, I did. I told you I’m not a kid.”

“If you say so.”

“Uh-huh.” He strains to see what’s on the stove. “What are you making for dinner?”

“Fish. Your favorite.”

A slow grin spreads across his beautiful little face and every hardship I’ve ever gone through seems to vanish into thin air.

As long as Jay is happy and safe, I can fight through every battle and win any war.

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