Ella

“Wait, what!” I exclaim, not believing my own ears. “You got your job back?”

“It sounds like somebody very important called in some favors for me.” My sister confirms. “They even gave me a raise to compensate for my troubles.”

She doesn’t need to say more. There’s only one person with enough power to undo a command issued by Dominic Sinclair – and that’s Dominic Sinclair himself. “I can’t believe this. Why didn’t he tell me?”

“You mean you didn’t ask?” I can imagine the precise look on Cora’s face. Stunned and reeling at once.

“I mean, not after that first time.” I relate, wondering if I should have tried harder to help her. Did I misperceive my importance to Sinclair, or the power I hold now that I’m carrying his child?

“Well apparently that’s all it took.” She relates, her voice full of elation. “Thank you, Ella.”

“Don’t thank me,” I object. “I’m the one who got us into this situation to begin with.” I remind her ruefully.

“Of course you didn’t.” She refutes. “Listen, I don’t know how it happened, but either I made a mistake or…”

“Or what?” I press.

“Or someone did this on purpose.” She sounds uncertain now, as if she can’t fathom the motive for such an act. I find myself equally confused.

“Why would they?” I fret, not wanting to believe my sister messed up so badly, but not seeing any logic in the alternative.

“I don’t know.” She confesses. “But that’s not important now. It’s all going to be okay from here on out. You get your baby, I get my career… the only thing we need now is to find a way to get revenge on Mike.”

“That was a much easier problem to solve before he fled halfway across the country.” I share. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to enact any sort of plan against him when he’s so far away.”

for Sinclair’s help.” Cora suggests, a note of teasing in her voice – the same one children use

already helped me so much.” Glancing at the closed door Sinclair

seem like too much trouble he might change his mind about letting me have visitation rights with the baby. It’s honestly driving me crazy

as if you were an open book before, Ella,”

I’ll say the wrong thing and make myself seem weak or fragile, too annoying to put up with. It’s

It’s like walking an emotional tightrope. And the worst part is that

sweetie.”

a little more time to get my bearings. Once I figure Sinclair out I’ll understand what I

a pregnant pause on the

sister, knowing she wants

in survival mode – ‘keeping

my baby. The best I can hope for if I do perfectly is visitation rights after Sinclair finds his mate, and even that could mean anything from every weekend to once a year. I don’t want to

lets the matter drop. “How are you otherwise? Any morning sickness?” She asks,

all morning in the bathroom…

feel miserable

too.” The more the baby makes its presence known, the more secure I

gotta run. Sinclair brought me to meet his father.” I confess. “It was great to talk though, let’s have

in the wheelchair was far from the imposing figure I expected. He radiated quiet strength and dignity, but he also welcomed me to his family with

his stoic demeanor, but also the humility of a man whose circumstances had irrevocably changed and who chose to adapt rather than rail at the world for its injustice. He was obviously incredibly proud of his son, and obviously thrilled to become a

the changes, I just didn’t think they’d happen so fast. Of course after so much

my past: reliving the orphanage and the foster homes, all full of cruel adults and abusive parents. In my dreams I’m always running away from someone, trying to protect Cora and my other surrogate siblings. The dreams have gotten worse since I got

tears fill my head, as dreadful images fill my vision. The next thing I know

than the man who’d been attacking me in my

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