Chapter 6 - The Reckoning
He tried to step closer,
his hands reaching out,
as if he wanted to touch the boys.
I moved back,
a mother bird protecting her nest,
my eyes flashing with a warning.
"Don't,"
I said,
my voice a low growl.
"You have no right to them."
"They are my sons,
Audrey!"
he shouted,
his voice echoing off the playground equipment.
A few other parents looked over,
curiosity and concern on their faces.
He lowered his voice,
his body shaking with a mixture of fury,
and profound grief.
"Four years,
Audrey.
Four years of searching for you,
four years of wondering if you were alive,
if you were safe."
"You weren't searching for me,"
I spat,
the words tasting like venom.
"You were searching for the piece of jewelry you lost.
You were searching for your own comfort.
If you had truly cared,
you wouldn't have been in that office,
with her."
The mention of Madison made him flinch,
as if I had struck him.
"That was a mistake,"
he said,
his eyes pleading.
"A stupid,
meaningless mistake that I have regretted,
every single day since."
"It wasn't meaningless to me,"
I said,
shifting Max's weight.
"It was the moment I realized,
that I would never be enough for you.
And I refused to let my children grow up,
in a house where love is a secondary concern,
to status."
He looked at Leo,
who was still watching him with those serious eyes.
"What are their names?"
he asked,
his voice softening.
"Leo and Max,"
I replied,
because hiding their names felt petty,
compared to the secret I had already kept.
"Leo,"
Julian repeated,
a small,
sad smile touching his lips.
"My grandfather's name."
I hadn't even known his grandfather's name,
a testament to how little he had shared,
of his own history.
"I need to talk to you,"
he said,
stepping toward his car.
"Not here,
not like this.
Let me take you to dinner,
let's sit down and..."
"No,"
I interrupted.
"There is no 'us,'
Julian.
There is only me and my boys.
Stay away from us."
I turned and began to walk away,
fast,
not looking back.
I could hear him calling my name,
but I didn't stop.
I reached my old car,
buckled the boys into their seats,
and drove until I was sure he wasn't following.
But as I pulled into my driveway,
I saw the black SUV,
parked at the end of the street.
He wasn't going to let go.
The billionaire had found his greatest treasure,
May you like
and he would burn the world down,
to claim it.
