Page 49

Atlas

As soon as my mother and Ashlen stepped through the door, I felt the temperature drop. Standing side by side, they looked more alike than I’d ever noticed—same cold green eyes, same striking red hair, same air of superiority. It struck me for the first time, seeing them together like this, how much they had in common. Yuck.

“After my son let me know I had a new grandchild, I ran into Ashlen in Paris,” my mother started, her tone dripping with forced politeness. “Ashlen let me know what was really going on, and I had to come see it for myself.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. I didn’t know why I hadn’t thought about the two of them meeting up. But then, I wouldn’t have really thought they would team up; they hadn’t gotten along in a while. My mother had always made it clear that she wanted grandkids and a daughter-in-law she could parade around. Ashlen’s miscarriages, in my mother’s eyes, had always been an Ashlen problem. My mother had even once suggested, in that cool, calculated way of hers, that I consider finding someone “whole.”

I never told Ashlen what my mother had said. Now I wondered if I should have, if it would have forced things to go differently. Maybe I wouldn’t be dealing with both of them right now.

Kairi stepped forward, folding her arms, her expression unyielding. “See what for yourself, exactly?”

My mother answered, looking at me instead of Kairi. “I’m here to make sure you aren’t making a mistake—an emotional decision about splitting up. You know you don’t have to raise your son with her,” she nodded in Kairi's direction, her voice laced with judgment. “You and Ashlen could get custody.”

“The fuck they can,” Kairi yelled, her words sharp enough to silence the room for a beat.

All hell broke loose.

Ebony and Lu were on their feet instantly, their voices overlapping as they cursed out Ashlen and my mother. Ashlen turned her venom toward Kairi. My mother, looking down her nose, held up her hands as if she was afraid someone would hit her.

Ashlen laughed, crossing her arms as she sized Kairi up with an icy glare. “Of course you’re loving this mess. You were always envious of me, Kairi, pretending to be the best friend but watching every move I made. Must feel pretty good, doesn’t it? Living my life, being with my husband, playing happy little family.”

Kairi stepped in front of Ebony and Lu, who went quiet. “Your life?” Kairi’s laugh was sharp and humorless. “That’s funny, because I never wanted your sad life, and I damn sure was never jealous. All I ever wanted was for you to stop treating me like I was beneath you. I was nothing but good to you, Ashlen. But I’m going to beat your ass if you fuck with my child.”

My mother shook her head. “This type of—” she started, but I cut her off.

“Enough!” I shouted, my voice echoing through the room. I stepped forward, blocking Kairi from my mother’s gaze. “Mom, we’re done here if you can’t speak respectfully. You don’t get to come into her home and start tearing into Kairi just because things didn’t go your way. This is my life.”

Ashlen’s face twisted into a bitter smirk. “My life too, Atlas. Mine. The life I built with you, the life she’s taken. You think I don’t know how she schemed, keeping herself in the background? She’s had this planned from the start.”

“You’re delusional,” Kairi shot back. “This was never your life, Ashlen. That’s laughable. You already admitted you knew Atlas wanted me. I’m done apologizing for something I didn’t steal. He begged for me, not the other way around. You should thank me for even allowing you the time you had with him.”

Ashlen scoffed, her gaze flicking between Kairi and me. “You think you’re so special, don’t you, Kairi? You think you’ve won. But let’s be real—you’ll never measure up to me. When the newness wears off, he’ll be back.”

Kairi took a step forward. “Bitch, you don’t even believe that. That’s why you’re here now, you swamp-pussy bitch.”

Ashlen gasped.

My mother stood. “You’re throwing away everything we built,” she said quietly. “All for... this.” Her gaze landed on Kairi with so much contempt. “This is the kind of woman you want to bring into our family?”

I could feel the anger boiling over. “Mom, that’s enough. I’m not going to stand here and let you insult her like that. Kairi is a part of my life, whether you like it or not. And if you can’t accept that, then you’re the one who doesn’t belong here.”

Ashlen scoffed, crossing her arms. “You think I’m just going to let you play house with her?”

“This isn’t a game, Ashlen,” I said. “This is my life. Dion is my son, and I’m raising him with Kairi. Take the money I'm offering and find someone else to use and manipulate.”

Ashlen’s face twisted in anger, and she stepped forward. She looked like she was about to say something else, but my mother placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. “Let’s go, let the lawyers handle this,” my mother said, her tone colder than I’d ever heard it. She looked at me one last time before she turned to the door.

Ashlen hesitated, glaring at me, then at Kairi, before finally following my mother out. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving an unsettling silence in the room.

I let out a long breath, feeling the tension finally start to ease. Kairi’s hand was still in mine, and I squeezed it, pulling her close. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that,” I said quietly.

Ebony crossed her arms, sizing me up. “You better take care of that shit before we do. I know people, and this shit will get ugly before Kairi gets hurt again,” she declared before grabbing Kairi by the shirt and pulling her into the kitchen.

I sighed, wiping my hand down my face. Kairi had told me Ebony was the daughter of an ex-kingpin turned banker. I didn’t want her getting involved in any capacity that didn’t include being Kairi’s friend and Dion's godmother. I needed to call my lawyer again.