Total pages in book: 198
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 931(@200wpm)___ 745(@250wpm)___ 621(@300wpm)
“I didn’t respond, not because I wasn’t decent, because I am, and the next time you approach someone to try and get them to listen to you, maybe don’t disrespect them. There is literally nothing I want from Kaden. Not six months ago, not a year ago, and definitely not today. I told him, Mrs. Jones, when he showed up at our house after spending the night at yours, that he didn’t mean what he said. That he would regret ending our relationship. And I was right.”
I exhaled through my nose and pulled my hand back, aiming another one of those deadly smiles at her so she would know her time for talking was done. She was done. “I don’t give a shit if he actually misses me or if he misses what I did for him and that’s why he wants me back. I know he loved me, at least he did genuinely for a while, and I hope he knows I loved him. But that’s the thing, I don’t anymore, and I haven’t in a long time. He killed every inch of the love I felt for him. You helped kill every inch of the love I felt for him too.”
I met her gaze and asked her as seriously as possible, “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Because he regrets ending our relationship? More like he regrets letting you talk him into it, right? Is he mad at you now? Are you here trying to clean up his mess because he blames you for this happening instead of being an adult and taking responsibility for his actions? I bet that’s exactly what it is. That should tell you everything though. Why your spoiled kid won’t get what he suddenly decided he wants again. Why I will never, ever go back.
“You all shunned me. Embarrassed me. You turned people against me, and that’s on them too, but it’s on you two for putting them into that position in the first place. At this point, I don’t wish bad things on either of you, but if you’re looking for a blood transfusion or an organ donor, don’t bother looking in my direction. I’ve moved on. I’m happy, and I’m not letting you or Kaden or any of your lackeys take that away from me.”
I was glad the waitress still hadn’t come. I was glad I could leave. I started to get up, taking in the furious but astonished expression that had taken over her entire face.
“Please don’t bother me anymore. And I’m only saying please to be polite because I really want to tell you to leave me the fuck alone. You always saw me as some worthless piece of crap that should kiss your son’s feet, but you forget what his career was like before I came around. Before I gave him all of my best songs. Before he took advantage of how much I had loved him. I will never go back. There isn’t enough money in the world that you could pay me to do so.”
I stood up straight and kept on going just as she opened her mouth to tell me I was a useless bitch, like she had once before when she’d been drunk after an awards show I hadn’t been allowed to go to.
“I wish that I could tell you that I hope you’ll both find peace and happiness in your lives, but I’m not that good of a person. What I hope for is that you’ll leave me alone. That’s what I hope. Those ten million you transferred into my account were enough to get me to shut up, and I’m going to take advantage of them. I’m going to put my kids through college with them, kids I’m going to have with someone that isn’t your son and will never be your son. You don’t have to worry about me running after Kaden begging for scraps, ma’am. Find someone else who doesn’t mind being in eleventh place, because it sure as hell isn’t going to be me.”
There were two last things left that needed to be said, and I knew my time was up, so I told her the words carefully, looking right into her soulless eyes as I did. “I can’t write anymore. I haven’t in over a year. Maybe one day the words will come back to me, but they’re not here now, and part of me hopes they don’t return. But even without my notebooks and without my songs, I was worth a lot. Worth more than all that money you paid me. So, please, leave me alone. All of you. If I see you or Kaden again, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
I leaned forward so she wouldn’t mistake how dead serious I was. “If any of you contact me, and I mean any of you, I will tell everyone about that lie we were all part of. I know people, and you know that. After that, I’ll spend every dollar of those millions you sent me taking you to court, Mrs. Jones. Every single penny. I’ve got nothing better to do. I would rather spend it on people that make me happy, but I won’t lose sleep using it on other things. So I want you to think long and hard about knowing where I live, knowing what my phone number is, if your little baby ever decides he wants to get in contact with me again.”