Page 257

“You won’t get away with this.” Esther spoke between clenched teeth.
“I already have.”
Their eyes locked with each other, and this time Esther slowly came to understand it was over for her, just like that. In an instant, her son truly had taken everything away from her.
“You will do this to your own mother just for that bitch’s sake?”
His face hardened. When he spoke again, he made no effort to lower his voice, allowing everyone to hear him. “I’ve changed my mind, Mother. You will only receive money from meifyou get on your knees now and beg for it – and promise never to call my wife any kind of name again.”
“Never.”
“You’re free to go anytime, Mother, but I will not make the offer again. Once you turn your back on me, it is over. You will be forced to make your own way from here.”
And since her son always meant what he said, Esther knew she had no choice. “Bastard.” But the way her voice shook was answer enough, both of them knowing it was only a matter of time before she gave in.
“I actually hope you don’t fall on your knees, Mother. If you did, and just for the sake of money, wouldn’t that make you the gold-digger now?”
Esther whitened.
Hearing Damen speak so cruelly was unbearable, and Mairi tugged on Damen’s sleeve. “Damen.” She knew he was only saying such things because he had been angered on her behalf, but Esther wasn’t worth all this nastiness. She knew, one day, Damen would despise himself for letting his anger take control of him.
Slowly, Damen looked down at his wife. When he saw the pleading look in her eyes, he said grimly, “Don’t say it, Mairi.”
She nodded towards their daughter, dozing quietly in her stroller and looked after by Jane. “Think of what she’ll say when she finds out how hard you can be.”
His jaw clenched. “She doesn’t deserve your pity.”
“And I don’t want it, either!” Esther spit on Mairi, but it landed on the scrap of fur in the other woman’s arms.
“You...” Damen started towards her, but Mairi quickly blocked his way.
“Damen, please, no!”
“Can’t you see?” she asked in a low voice. “It’s just her pride talking. She’s got nothing already.Nothing.She can’t hurt us ever again. That should be enough.”
When she turned to face her mother-in-law, Esther spit on her again but this time, Mairi was ready and she stepped back in time, almost bumping against her husband in the process.
“Will you please stop spitting?”
“I can’t help it,” Esther answered snidely. “You look like trash to me.” She looked at the mongrel in Mairi’s arms. “Like that dog you’re holding. Ugliest four-legged trash I’ve ever seen—-”
“Eslee is not trash!”
Damen’s head snapped towards his wife. “Eslee?” he repeated slowly.
Esther’s eyes widened.
Mairi’s did so as well. Oh shit, she hadn’t intended to let it slip.
“Eslee...is short for something, isn’t it?” Damen asked.
“Yes, kinda...it’s short for Esther Leventis?”
“YOU NAMED YOUR DOG AFTER ME?”
Esther’s face as she screamed the words was indescribable.
Cameras clicked, light bulbs flashed, and a photographer gasped, “Isn’t that meme-worthy?”