Page 91 of Forever Home

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

The last thing I will ever do is miss this Satanic woman.

“Is that any way to greet your future wife when you come home?” She replies, her smile falling as a sneer crosses her lips. “I know where you were, and it’s time to stop playing games.”

“The only one playing games is you, Caitlin. Now get the fuck out of my house.”

“No,” she snaps with a stomp of her pumps. “I’ve done watching you make a fool of yourself. You and I are going to get married, and you need to just accept that.”

Laughter escapes me at her delusional words. After all this time, she still thinks that she has a chance in hell at actually marrying me. “You and I, woman—will never be married. You’re going to come out and tell them you lied… or I’m going to make you regret crossing me.”

“Regret?” She scoffs, shaking her head before soft laughter escapes her lips. “The only thing I’m regretting is not having daddy take care of that whore like he did ensuring that you got the television production.”

I stop dead in my tracks at her statement. Her dad made sure I got the tv show?

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I reply, narrowing my eyes in her direction. A smirk of satisfaction crosses her face as she gives me a pointed look, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Did you really think you got that break all on your own? I told daddy to make sure you got it… you were always so worried about getting it, you never had time for me. So, he made a few calls and offered a deal to the production company they couldn’t refuse.”

What the fuck.

“You’re lying.” I snap, unwilling to believe that what she is saying is true. “You’ve always been a jealous, lying bitch. Why the hell do you think I’ll listen to you?”

Again, she laughs. Making the anger within me grow stronger. “I’m not lying, Jaxson. And now that the show is over, you and I will get married just as I planned. I mean… it’s already been announced.”

“Listen to me, and listen to me good.” I reply, fists clenched at my sides. “I will never and I do meanneverfucking marry you. Do you understand me?”

Regardless of what I’m saying, it doesn’t seem to register with her as she strides towards me in a casual kind of way. Her fingers reach out to brush against my chest as I quickly step out of her reach. “Oh, but it is. Because if you don’t, Jaxson. Daddy will pull the World of Foods deal with his national restaurant supply distribution company, and I’ll make sure you lose everything you’ve worked for.”

***

It’s been three weeks sinceI left Willowcreek. All my attempts at getting Caitlin to redact the lies she told have been refused at every angle I threw at her. So much so, that my PR team told me to stop contact with her. Though, it didn’t stop people from harassing me. My phone continuously rings off the hook with people trying to get the inside scoop on mine and Caitlin’s supposed relationship. As well as those wanting to book our wedding.

A supposed ‘highlight social’ of the season… or something like that.

Butas fast as they are working on trying to book me, my PR team is working to get rid of her and the entire situation. The only problem is that Caitlin’s claws have sunk so far into everyone with her bullshit story, it’s making it hard to solve. Or at least, taking longer.

Madison’s words sunk deep within me. The look on her face when she asked me to leave, the shimmer of hurt within the tears of her eyes. All of it ate at me day and night, and pushed me further to take care of this situation. To prove to her that I’m not the man she thinks I am. That I do care about her, and about… everything.

Especially the fact that she had thought she was pregnant.

God… if she had been—I don’t know what I would have done.

And though the idea of being a parent is scary, part of me actually likes the idea of her being pregnant. Though it’s not something I ever thought about, honestly. I suppose I expected one day that I would have a family, but it was never a topic I dwelled on. My mind constantly focused on work and the career I’ve made for myself.

The soft ringing of my phone brings me from my thoughts. My eyes glance down to the black smartphone on my desk as I take in my mother’s number calling. As much as I want to quickly answer it, I find myself too shocked to do so.

The only time she calls is if she wants something.Which is rare.

“Mother?” I say flatly when I answer the phone. “I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is everything okay?”

She’s never been the kind of woman to call and have idle chit-chat. Well, at least not unless you were my sisters. “Jaxson! Why haven’t you called?”

Is she being serious?

“I wasn’t aware that I was expected to?” The statement comes out more like a question that I’m unsure of even saying. Because as far back as I can remember, she never took interest, in me visiting, let alone calling her.

“I’m your mother, Jaxson. Every child should call their parents," she says with a snarky attitude that sounds more like her usual demeanor, than the happy front she put on when she first addressed me. “But that’s beside the point… why didn’t you tell me you made it on World of Foods? And, you’re engaged!”

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