Page 22 of The Billionaire's Secret

"What?" I scream as rage takes over me. I stop crying as I face her.

She shrugs. "You know, now that you're working for that rich guy, I bet you have some money. Have you thought of sleeping with him? I bet he would give you anything you asked if you did." She stops for a couple of seconds and smiles excitedly. "Oh, I bet I can get anything from him if I threaten to take Winston from him. Don't you think?"

She looks at me expectantly.

I pull my arm from her hold and take a step closer to her.

"What the hell is your problem? It's your child! You can't just sell him for your next fix. And you can't keep showing up in my life anytime you want something."

Hannah looks confused. "What do you mean? What am I supposed to do?"

I sigh, exasperated. "You're supposed to find a fucking job and keep it, so when you need money, you don't have to come to me for help!" Taking a deep breath, I try to calm down. "I would do anything to help you if you decided to get better, but you won't. All you care about is money. I don't even know what you're using right now, and I just hope you managed to stay away from that shit while you were pregnant."

She nods slowly. "I wouldn't use while I was pregnant. I couldn't hurt my baby. But after that . . . you have no idea, Diana! He would cry all night, and I just couldn't take it anymore."

Relief runs through me as she speaks. At least she was strong enough to do what was best for her kid while pregnant.

"I'm glad to know that, but I don't have any money, and even if I did, I'm done giving you anything. If you ever decide to get better, I'll help you. But until then, don't contact me."

Ignoring her painful expression, I walk away. This time she doesn't follow me, and a part of me wishes she would. I feel like I'm being selfish, but I push that aside. Every time she shows up in my life, everything goes to hell. I can't take it anymore.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, and I reach for it. My heart skips a beat when I see that Kevin is calling me.

Accepting the call, I beg him mentally to take me back.

"You need to come over to the apartment." It's all he says before ending the call.

Tears fill my eyes again, and I bite my lower lip, trying to control my emotions. I hate this. I hated lying to him. I should have told him the truth from the beginning. I should have believed that he would let me around Winston.

Walking back to his place, I use my keys to enter before leaving them on the small table by the door. After tonight, I know they don't belong to me anymore.

I find Kevin alone in the living room, and my heart shrinks at the thought that this might be the last time he's this close to me. The painful look in his eyes when he turns to me is too much, and I glance down to my feet.

"What were you thinking?" he asks in a harsh tone. "And don't even think about lying to me again."

I take a deep breath before looking him in the eyes again. I need to face my mistakes and fix them. This might be the only chance I have to explain what I did and apologize.

"Hannah showed up when I was working, asking for money, just like she did today," I start, explaining everything that brought me to this point. "At first I wanted to take Winston, but I didn't have a job, and the moment I saw the life you can give him . . . I just knew he would be better off with you. But I couldn't stay away from him. He's my nephew. I want to be a part of his life, even if I never tell him the truth about who I am. I just want to see him grow up and become an amazing man, like you." I pause again, fighting the tears that threaten my eyes again. "Then I got to know you better, and the more time I spent around you, the more I was scared to tell you the truth, and you would send me away. I didn't want to lose any of you."

He sighs, turning his back to me in silence.

I wait for him to say something, but after a couple of minutes, it becomes clear he won't speak to me again.

"I'll clear my room, and leave," I tell him, stepping away from him. "I know this is too much to ask, but can I at least say goodbye to Winston?" My voice trembles with emotion, as I realize I won't see him again.

"Diana."

I turn immediately, hope bursting in my heart as I hope that somehow he forgave me.

He's still facing out of the window.

"You can stay and be with Winston. You are his family, and I wouldn't want to keep you away from him." Kevin finally turns to face me, his expression unreadable. "I don't want Hannah around him. I understand she's his mom, but she gave her baby to a stranger in the middle of the street. I could have dropped him in the trash on my way home and never again thought about it. I want him to have a connection with his family but want it to be safe for him, and I don't believe that having contact with his mom would be good for him right now."

I nod silently. I couldn't agree more.

"I'll take care of him."

Kevin walks away from me. "Good, and if you ever lie to me again, you'll be gone for good."

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