Page 15 of The Billionaire's Destiny

I couldn’t help but smile. Mama’s ears missed nothing. Suddenly, I was a kid again, sneaking in after school with shoes on, only to hear her voice shout,“Take them off, Lina.”I’d kick them aside, and we’d watch her favorite soapy drama before homework, with me groaning and her utterly absorbed. Funny how easy it was to forget the good times.

“Uhm, yeah, I am. Sorry, I’m starving. I just woke up. Rocco’s here in Florence.”

“Yeah, I know. Hold on for a second, sorry.” Her voice was muffled, but she spoke loud enough for me to hear, “Just those boxes. Yes, thank you. Okay. Be right there.”

“Boxes? Where’re you going?”

“I’m moving.”

“Wait, what? You’re moving? Right now?” I set my pastry aside, my appetite forgotten.

“Yes, I am. Why should I stay here after Glenn announced our separation?”

I gulped. “He did what?”

“Yep. He’s a coward. No, he’s worse: a politician,” she mocked loudly.

Mama didn’t use to make fun of Glenn’s job. She was so proud of his status as attorney general.But she did say he was cheating, and so was she.

“Is it because of your fling?”

“Gavin? No. That was nothing. Glenn didn’t care about that. And he couldn’t throw stones anyway with all the women he’s had over the years.”

I frowned. “Then why now?”

“Because it’s an election year.”

“A divorce scandal would be a much bigger disaster for reelection.”

“Not if Eric told him that he would reveal what he made me do.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. Judge Colby would look like a scumbag, but everyone would know she was prostituted. Shockingly, Glenn didn’t try to use her as a victim to earn some political points.Probably because Mama told him she wouldn’t.

I pushed my hand back through my hair and held my hot neck tight. If there was anything I regretted most, it was not knowing about it beforehand. “I’m sorry, Mama. Did Judge Colby—”

“Your father,” she cut in.

“He’s never been a father to me.”

“I know, but he is still your father, even if he’s a piece of shit, and now everyone is talking about that video with you on the street with him. It’s everywhere. All those media personalities are insulting you online. Some of them I used to follow, but not anymore.”

“What are they saying about me?” I bit my lip.

“That you were theatrical.”

I tensed. “Theatrical?”

“People love to poke fun. Shoot. I always put my foot in my mouth. You’re already embarrassed, and I didn’t mean to make it worse. They don’t matter anyway. Rocco’s come out strong for you. His statement that he supports both of us was really nice.”

“Oh, I didn’t know he did that,” I said and glanced at the door.

“Yeah, and you know it’s him helping me move.

“Yeah, I assumed so.”I offered to help her leave, but only a man could get her to do it.My usual resentment of her rose, but in the end, she left, and that was what mattered. “So, which property are you moving to?”

“I took his penthouse on the Upper West Side,” she gushed with excitement.

“Really? Wow, Manhattan. That’s huge.” I tried to imagine my mother living alone in a big city, but I couldn’t. “This is all a bit fast, Mama. I mean, what right does Glenn have kicking you out?”

“He offered to let me stay with him if I could get the Marinis to send funds to his campaign. Not a chance, and he’s trying to avoid saying my name in public.”