Chapter 131
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“As if it wasn’t bad enough that you thought I was a gold digger,” I say, shaking my head. “Did you think that from the beginning? When we were first dating, did you think I was just with you for your money?”
Arthur’s silence is damning.
“Answer me!” I demand, my voice rising.
“I… thought you were happy to have a man who could provide for you,” he admits quietly. “Someone who could take you away from waiting tables at that diner.”
My stomach twists painfully. It’s even worse than I thought “So from the very beginning, you thought I was just thrilled to have a rich Alpha boyfriend? Someone who could pay for everything so I’d never have to work again?”
“I didn’t mind paying for everything,” Arthur says, as if that makes it better. “I wanted to take care of you.”
“I never asked you to take care of me! I just wanted to be with you because I loved you. Not because of what you could give me.”
“I know that now,” he insists, stepping closer. “I’ve changed, Iris. I understand now that-”
“That what? That I’m not just using you for your money? Wow, thank you so much for finally realizing that I’m not a manipulative gold digger after all! Now, I’m just your broodmare who happened to have your Alpha Heir.”
“That’s not true.”
“Then what is true? Because I don’t even know anymore, Arthur. I don’t know what the truth is, because you’ve done nothing but fucking lie to me over and over again!” My hands are shaking with fury as I speak, spittle flying from my mouth. In a sudden burst of rage and hurt, I grab the nearest thing–a small ceramic figurine from the hallway table–and hurl it across the hallway.
It shatters against the wall with a satisfying crash, fragments scattering across the hardwood floor. Arthur stiffens. But he’s not looking at me.
A small cry comes from the doorway, and I whirl around to see Miles standing there in his pajamas.
“Miles,” I start, immediately regretting my outburst. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
But Miles doesn’t come to me. Instead, he runs past me and straight to Arthur, wrapping his arms around his legs. “Daddy!” he cries, burying his face against Arthur’s thigh. Are you fighting?”
My heart shatters, just like the figurine. It shatters tenfold when Arthur kneels down, gathering Miles into his arms. “Everything’s okay, buddy. We’re just having a grown–up talk.”
“It’s too loud,” Miles sniffles, clinging to Arthur’s shirt. “Don’t be mad.”
I watch them together, father and son, and something inside of me breaks anew. Miles is looking at Arthur with complete trust, with love. And Arthur’s face, as he soothes our child, is full of such genuine tenderness that it makes me question everything.
This is what I wanted, isn’t it? For Miles to have his father? For Arthur to love our son?
But at what cost?
Arthur glances up at me again and mouths the words: “Don’t go.”
I swallow hard. “We’re not going to a hotel tonight,” I say quietly, the fight draining out of me. “It would only upset Miles more.”
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Chapter 131
“Thank you, Iris.”
1 turn away from them both, unable to bear the sight. “I’m staying for Miles, not for you.”
With that, I turn, crouching to pick up the pieces of the figurine. Arthur goes to tuck Miles back in, and I nearly need to plug my ears to drown out the sound of him speaking so tenderly to our son. The tears I’ve been fighting come now, tracking down my cheeks and dripping onto the shattered porcelain.
Everything I thought I knew about Arthur, about us, seems like a lie. He never respected me, never saw me as an equal. He thought I was with him for his money. And now, he’s keeping secrets about my own son from me.
I can’t do this anymore. I can’t live in this limbo, never knowing what’s true and what’s a lie.
I reach for my phone and open my email. The lawyer’s contact information is in the letter. I’ll email him tonight, set up a meeting as soon as possible.
I need to protect myself. I need to protect Miles.
I need to find a way out.
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