Page 191 of Need You To Choose Me

Clara Parker only cared about one person—herself.

It was better this way.

“Okay.” I rest my hand against my stomach. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Those blue eyes that are so much like my own, narrow. “Such a goody-two-shoes. Just like your grandmother.”

Tsking, she turns around and starts to walk away.

I watch her retreating back, sadness and relief mixing inside my chest. Sadness for the little girl who’d never get the mother she deserved, and relief because I can break the pattern. I can be different. For me. For my kids. They’ll never know this pain.

I’m about to turn around when she suddenly stops.

“Oh, one more thing.” Slowly, she turns around, an uneasy feeling crawling down my spine, as she smirks at me. “I heard congratulations are in order.”

The nonchalant way she says it, has my stomach railing up.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your baby daddy.” Her smile grows bigger. “Didn’t he share the happy news with you?”

I press my lips into a tight line. I should have known she wouldn’t leave just like that. This was another one of her games, a way for her to taunt me. “I’m not doing this with you.”

Her lips part mockingly. “This isn’t a game, Savvy.”

My fingers curl into a fist. “Don’t call me that.”

“He didn’t tell you, did he?” She shakes her head. “Of course he didn’t. I told you; I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen. All men are the same. They all leave.”

“Blake isn’t leaving.”

“Isn’t he?” She tilts her head to the side. “His team called him. Did he tell you why?”

The rejected call from Blake’s coach flashes in my mind.

How did she know about that?

It couldn’t be.

Could it?

“Savannah!”

The sound of pounding feet moves closer, matching the erratic beat of my heart echoing in my eardrums.

Mom closes the distance between us, her hand brushing a strand of hair behind my ear as she leans in. “All these years, andhistory is repeating itself. I told you, baby. You and me? We’re the same.”

Her words still ring in my head when a hand wraps around my arm, and I’m tugged back. “Don’t touch her,” Blake hisses.

Mom lets her hand drop, her gaze on me. “Ask him.”

With that, she turns around and walks away toward a waiting car.

Leaving.

Once again, without a backward glance.

“What did she want? I saw Rose, and she said you went to talk to a blonde woman. Are you?—”

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