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“That was nowhere in the deal.” She waved as if clearing the air. “But now you’re the father of my grandchild. If you want me to go away, I have a price.”
“Go to hell.” Marlow stepped forward, fists balled at her sides. “Is she my cousin?”
“You’re an only child,” Mr. Dixon said to his ex-wife.
“Did I forget to mention my sister?” she asked innocently.
“I had a niece I knew nothing about?” He looked at Terra as if he could barely believe it.
She stared back at him. “A nephew too.”
“Did you know about us?” Marlow’s wrath turned onto Terra.
“No.” She implored her aunt. “Who are these people? I don’t understand.”
“They don’t matter.” Ivette slipped an arm through hers. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix this mess.”
“She set this up,” I said. “And thinking about that night, I’m wondering if she didn’t arrange that too.”
Terra tried to pull away from her, but that grip was tight. “Did you?”
“Of course not. Who are you going to believe? These strangers or the woman who practically raised you?”
“You don’t know how to be a mother,” Andrew spat.
“She was the best. After my mom died, she was there for all of us through it. Especially Dad.”
Marlow’s jaw worked. “Just how long is the trail of men you’ve left behind? What does Oliver think of this?”
“That’s my father.”
Stunned silence fell over the group.
“And he agreed to pretend to be my dad? He knew about all of us?” Holt’s face crumpled in confused pain.
“He’s the only man I ever loved.”
To his credit, Mr. Dixon stood tall, even though the words had to have been a blow. “That’s why you never introduced me to your family.”
“It was unfortunate my sister was taken by cancer, but he and I were meant to be together. I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.”
Terra appeared slightly appalled, as though torn between this woman and the version she’d known all her life.
“Get away from her,” Marlow warned. “She’s nothing but destruction. Did you know she tried to take my baby? Did you know as soon as Holt was born, she left us? She’s not what you think.”
“Don’t listen to them, darling. What you’re looking at is a bitter family devoid of love.”
“Terra, I appreciate what you did today,” I said. “That took courage.” I turned my attention to Ivette. “And you think you’ve poisoned us, but what you’ve really done is made us realize how important we are to each other. You can’t stand to see them thrive without you, but I can promise you this. You won’t find a more bonded group of people. It’s too bad you threw it away. I think I speak for everyone when I say you’ll never be a part of it.”
“I already am,” she said darkly.
“You’ll have nothing to do with our children. None of them. They’ll never know you exist.” That wasn’t an idle threat. As soon as I got back to the office a detailed documentation of all the shit this woman had piled on was my priority.
“We’ll see about that.” She tugged on Terra’s arm and led her away.
Terra looked over her shoulder, uncertain, but her feet kept moving.
“Why?” Marlow called. “You ended up with the family you wanted. Why torment us?”
