Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 82634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“What did you do?” I ask, my teeth clenched, my heart beating so fast I don’t know if I can even listen to her without hearing the beats in my ears as it echoes.
“Well, you left me no choice,” she says. “I had to tell her that she is not going to come into my home and just take what’s mine. I had to lay down my claim.”
“Lay down your claim?” I repeat the words, not sure if I heard her right.
“She was surprised.” She unties the apron she’s wearing. “I’ll give her that. She thought I was going to do it quietly. Oh, no.” She shakes her head. My phone rings in my hand now, and I see Tim’s name.
“Oh my god,” I say.
“Oh my god is fucking right!” she shouts. “She is lucky that I have class, and I didn’t knock her fucking teeth out.”
I walk to her now. Stopping right in front of her, I make sure she looks into my eyes. “You fucked with me for the last time,” I tell her. She tries to push me, and I grab her wrists in my hands. “You wanted a fucking war.” I get closer to her face. “You have one.”
I let go of her wrists. “Don’t you threaten me, Manning.”
I don’t bother saying another word to her. Instead, I turn and practically run out of my house. The first place I call is the school.
“Hi there, this is Mr. Stevenson,” I tell the secretary. “I’m going to be coming to pick up Jaxon in ten minutes. I forgot he had an appointment.”
“No problem,” she says, and I see that I have Becca calling on the other line as I race to the school.
“Hello.” I switch the calls, my heart beating in my chest.
“We got it,” she says, and if I didn’t have to rush to Jaxon, I would pull the car over. I would stop the car and ask her what she means by that, but I don’t have time. “Manning,” she says, “we fucking got it. I sent everything to your private email.”
“I need a favor,” I tell her. “I’ll be at your office in thirty minutes. I will have Jaxon, and I need you to watch him for a couple of hours,” I say, honking my horn while I pass a yellow light, and she hears my voice.
“Manning, I need you to tell me what is going on,” she says, and I hear the urgency in her voice.
“I’m done,” I tell her. “Done playing the game. Done waiting for shit to happen. It’s time for me to make shit happen. Can you watch him?”
“Of course,” she tells me. “I’m going to rent a room.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” I tell her. “I don’t know how she is going to react.”
“Oh, I can tell you right now how she’s going to react,” Becca says. “Bitch is going to fly on her fucking broomstick. I hope you're ready.”
“Almost,” I tell her. “Is everything ready on your end?”
“It is,” she says. “The papers are ready.”
“Good. I’ll see you soon.” I hang up on her, and I call Tim back. My heart beats so fast in my chest that I have no idea how I’m driving right now.
“Manning,” he whispers. “Did you not get my fucking texts?”
“I didn’t,” I tell him. “Or maybe I did. I just landed.” I don’t know if he knows anything, and I’m afraid to say anything. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” he says. “What’s wrong? I’ll tell you what's wrong. If your wife steps one fucking foot in this company again, I’m putting a fucking restraining order against her. I will knock her the fuck out if she thinks she’s going to come in here and spew her shit.”
I stop at a red light, my blood pressure going higher and higher. “What did she do?”
“She came here to attack my sister about sleeping with you,” Tim says, and now if I wasn’t done before, I’m done now. “In front of her whole staff. In front of everyone who works here and our father.”
“Tim,” I say, my voice soft. “I am so sorry. I had no idea.”
“No shit,” he says. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Where is she?” I ask, hoping he tells me, but knowing that even if he doesn’t tell me, I’m going to fucking find her.
“Murielle?” he asks. “Fuck if I know. Hopefully, a fucking house fell on her, and someone is wearing red fucking slippers.”
“Evelyn,” I say her name, my heart breaking for her. “Where is Evelyn?”
“She went home,” he says. “From your tone, I’m guessing some of what Murielle said is true,” he groans. “Fuck me.”
I pull up to the school. “Listen, Tim, I can’t explain right now,” I tell him, getting out of the car and rushing into the school, “but the second I can I will.”