I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
“The way I grew up allowed me to take a very different path because I had no love, no relationship and no respect or approval to lose. In the end, it was somehow… freeing.” He shrugged. “Soon will come the day when I will have nothing to lose at all.”
His words sounded like a threat and I would have been proud of him if he hadn't directed them at me.
“Light this match, little brother, and let’s see who gets burned.”
“Are we done?” he asked, tapping his fingers on the pad.
“I just want to know what’s up with her,” I admitted, hating that he knew something I didn’t. “She’s my employee and her health may impact me.”
“Let her go then—problem solved.”
I pursed my lips, already plotting my revenge. He was going to pay for this.
I swirled again and rested my hand on the doorknob.
“Everything is fine.” He let out a sigh. “She’s ten weeks along, as you already know and the baby is developing well—not that I can really tell from the spot on the sonogram.”
I smiled looking at the door; he was too soft.
Nodding sharply, I remained silent.
“Do you want to hear their heartbeat?”
I froze, unsure of what I should answer. Did I want to? Would it change anything?
Of course, it wouldn’t. This fetus was nothing more than a drunken mistake.
I turned back slowly but kept my hand on the door. “Why would I want that?” I replied with disdain when my whole body hummed with anticipation.
“Humor me,” he said before grabbing his phone and looking through it.
He pressed the button, and it felt like time stopped as I heard the rapid sound of a heartbeat. I frowned. Was it too fast?
I looked at Ethan wordlessly.
“It’s normal,” he said gently. “Babies’ heartbeats are much faster than adults.”
My frown deepened, somehow annoyed at the gentleness of his voice, the understanding etched on his face. It was like my brother was showing me compassion and wanted to soothe me.
I didn’t need compassion. I didn’t need soothing. Not from him, not from anyone.
“Well, thanks for wasting my time. I couldn’t care less,” I replied before exiting his office without another word.
Something had changed, though, even if I didn’t want it to. My stomach was a little heavier as I exited Ethan’s office.
I was going to be a father whether I acknowledged it or not. There was going to be a child in this world who was part me, part wicked enchantress.
A child who would be missing a father, someone crucial to their education, and it was harder than I thought for me to accept that another man would eventually occupy the role that was supposed to be mine.
I shook my head. I had to let her go soon because this was starting to feel like a punishment for me, and that was unacceptable.
Chapter 13
Ava
Hugogotbetterwithme, which was almost worse. I spent my days on edge, expecting him to do something horrible again. I wouldn’t say that he was treating me with kindness or like a man with a little decency or heart should treat the mother of his child, but like the other employees of his company—with the same disdain and dismissive nature that I almost enjoyed.