These were all valid questions, but of course, I couldn’t answer them.
“You said I'm one of your hardest workers,” I explained. “I hope to still work for you to support myself.”
I hated my job working for my father, but it would do until I found something else that could support Bella and me. Although Bella wasn’t too far along yet, I didn’t want her to have to get a temporary job too. Besides, I wanted to be in control and provide for us both. It made me feel . . . powerful.
My dad let out a derisive snort. “Why the hell should I help you when you're being so difficult?”
“Because you know what you did wasn't my fault. You need to clean this up yourself. You taught me that a man cleans up his own shit.”
Dad gaped at me. “Son, my company is at stake here. If Evelyn divorces me, I stand to lose everything. Everything. That means no construction company, no job, no paycheck, nothing! How the hell would I be able to pay you a salary? Huh?”
My dad shook his head. “No, what you’re going to do is stay here and do everything in your power to convince Evelyn that divorcing me is a bad idea. With your and Bella’s help, Evelyn should see reason.”
I glowered at my dad. This was exactly what I hadn’t wanted from the beginning—being used as pawns by our parents.
“We are a family unit, Stefan,” my dad continued. “I'm sorry, but I need some support. If you and Bella don't help me on this, don't expect financial help from me in getting your own place. If you do that, you're on your own.”
Silence filled the space between us and I studied my father. I could help him, of course, but I didn’t want to. Yes, Veronica had been the woman, and she wouldn’t have approached Dad if it weren’t for me and Bella. But did it matter? He still had a choice. He could have just ignored her. Either way, he’d just given me an ultimatum, and my pride demanded that I rebel just out of spite.
“Like I said, we're moving out,” I growled.
Without another word, I turned and walked out of his office, slamming the door behind me.
Chapter 29
Bella
“How’s the baby coming along, Bella?” Mother asked.
My mother smiled as she looked at me and I smiled back. The joy reflected in her eyes made my heart sing with elation, filling me with happiness.
We were sitting around a table out on the deck in the backyard with a group of women, all family members and close friends, enjoying a cup of cold, fresh lemonade. It was a warm, sunny day, with clear blue skies and soft breezes that felt soothing against my skin. The perfect day.
I rubbed my swollen belly. I was wearing a bright, yellow sundress that matched the beautiful summer day. “My little one is coming along just fine.” I glanced down at my stomach, smiling sunrises as I felt the baby kicking inside me. “Any day now.”
“Do you think it will be like it’s father?” one of the women asked, a sour-looking old woman who was dressed in a gaudy dress, topped by a stylish hat with a feather sticking out of it.
I held in a frown. The way the woman had said ‘it’s’ rubbed me the wrong way, but I brushed the feeling away. Perhaps she hadn’t meant any offense by it. “I think that it’s a he, and yes, I think he will be just like Stefan.”
The woman smiled at me, but it only made me feel more uneasy. “That is wonderful, Bella. But I have one question.”
The nausea I felt inside intensified. “Yes?”
The woman’s face became a mask of black anger. “What kind of slut fucks her stepbrother and then ends up pregnant with his bastard?”
“Bella, calm down! You’re going to wake up your mother!”
I gasped as I came awake in my darkened bedroom, my forehead and entire body covered by sweat. A dark silhouette stood over my bed. Crying out in fear, I lashed out. The shadow was quick, though, and caught my hand.
“Bella, it’s me,” said a familiar voice. “Stefan.”
“No,” I moaned softly, struggling to break free of the powerful grip. “You lie.”
I felt strong arms wrap around me, restraining me from fighting back. “Calm down, Bella. It’s me, Stefan.”
Feeling his warm flesh pressed against mine brought me back to the present. “Stefan,” I sobbed with relief into his shoulder. “I had the most terrible dream.”
Stefan pulled back and studied my face in the dark. To my surprise, he still had on his expensive clothing from the party, but now the front of his dress shirt was unbuttoned even further, teasing that beautiful chest and washboard abs of his. “Would you like to talk about it?”
I wiped away the tears flowing down my cheeks as images of being taunted and shunned slowly faded into the darkness. “No,” I said finally. “I’m just glad it’s over.”