Norma

the Boston penthouse number lighting up my scre

panicked voice came thr

d the kitchen iPad from Montreal! He ordered me to dump out all

had a fresh burn blister on my wrist from simme

ll," Martha conti

e noon tomorrow to welcome Miss Candice to the penthouse! When I reminded them that you're severely a

Jaiden laughing together in the VI

filling it with flowers that made me struggle to breathe-w

my voice eerily flat. "And buy the ros

before she could

I felt a suffocating fury rise in my chest. I r

rp breath, I cal

ice before he sent me

l. This time, he rejected t

ird time, the line

name, Jaiden's shrill, angry vo

Didn't you see Dad hanging up on

till. "Jaiden, put

tly as he turned his head away from the phone

us! When we fly back to Boston tomorrow, you have to m

t laugh. "Sweetie, you can't call me Mommy

iliar voice-so close to the

"Since Jaiden likes having you around, you can stay

phone back. Without even bothering to check

went dead

y Can

ring into this world-was begging another woman to be his mother. And

orehead against the freezing glass of the cab window,

my coat pocket, I pulled out th

y growing inside me. If Bryant and Jaiden ever found out about her, would they treat her like a nu

never let th

pping the edges of the thermal paper with both ha

ded the pieces together and tore them again and again

, stinging my face. Extending my hand outside the window, I opened my finger

scrolled through my contacts, and called Arthur H

up on the

e voice came through the line. "It's

m blur past outside,

ontested divorce settlement. Have i

"How much of Bryant's net worth are we going after? Between his NHL cont

n't want a single cent of his money, the Boston real estat

over my flat stomach, and for

rily relinquishing all physical and legal custody-

ed on the other

ring. "Waiving custody of your son in a high-net-worth divorce means gi

t," I said, my voice devoid of emotion. "And I want ev

ting for you tomorrow afternoon. If you have personal belong

y screen. A sports tabloid feed had just posted fresh papara

Candice's shoulders, shielding her tightly in his arm while holdin

f watching three strangers. My

n tonight and wouldn't bring her back to the penthouse until

ext exit toward the airport. I would catch the first dawn flight back to Boston, pack up my be