Page 28 of My Rockstar Ex's Broken Vows

Marcus lets out a bitter laugh. "Maybe not. But I do have a say in who my son sees."

"Stop trying to control me, Marcus. Remember, that's why our marriage ended."

This isn’t about you. It’s about Ollie. I don’t want some washed-up musician with a reckless past messing with his life."

"Washed-up?" I scoff. "You clearly haven’t been paying attention. He’s signed a record deal. Never mind. I'm not interested in trying to convince you of anything.."

"That’s not the point, and you know it," Marcus says. "He left you, Sienna. I was the one who stayed. I was the one who picked up the pieces when he selfishly walked out of your life. You think I’m going to sit back and watch you let him hurt you again? Or worse—hurt Ollie?"

I grip the counter, my knuckles white as his words sink in. "Stop trying to act like this is about Ollie," I say, my voice trembling with controlled anger. "This is about you trying to control me. Just like you always did."

There’s a pause, the kind that feels like the air before a thunderstorm. "That’s not fair," Marcus says finally. His tone is quieter but no less insistent. "You were a mess when he left, and I?—"

"And you swooped in to ‘save me,’" I interrupt, the bitterness spilling over. "But you didn’t do it out of love, Marcus. You did it because you wanted me to need you. And now, even after the divorce, you still want to control every part of my life. Just leave me alone, please. I didn't ask for alimony because I just want peace. You go on with your life, and I'll do the same."

"I told you I want to help you. Let me help you."

"You want to control me. No thanks. I can get by on the small inheritance I have and get a job.”

"That’s not true," he says, but there’s a crack in his voice, a hint of uncertainty that tells me I’ve hit a nerve.

"Isn’t it?" I say. "You’ve always been jealous of Callum. Even when I married you, you couldn’t let it go. And now you’re using Ollie as an excuse to keep me under your thumb."

There’s another pause, longer this time, and I can almost hear him grinding his teeth on the other end of the line. "You’re making a mistake," he says finally. "He’s bad news, Sienna. Always has been. Do whatever you want with your life, just keep him away from my son. I promise you'll regret it if you don't."

I shake my head, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. "Goodnight, Marcus," I say, my voice cold. "I’ll talk to you when it’s time to pick up Ollie."

I hang up before he can respond, the silence of the apartment crashing down around me like a weight.

I set the phone down on the counter, my hands trembling. Marcus has always known how to push my buttons, but tonight, he struck deeper than usual. Maybe because he’s not entirely wrong.

When Callum left, I was a mess. I spent months trying to put myself back together, and Marcus was there, steady and patient in a way I thought I needed. He offered stability and promises of a life that didn’t feel like it could fall apart at any moment.

And then I found out I was pregnant. For weeks, I wasn’t even sure if the baby was Callum’s or Marcus’s. It wasn’t exactly my proudest moment—turning to Marcus in my sadness, in mydesperation to feel something solid when everything else felt like it was crumbling. But he didn’t flinch. When I told him there was a chance the baby wasn’t his, he didn’t get angry. He just looked at me and said, "We’ll figure it out. Either way, I’ll take care of you."

It was Marcus who insisted on doing the paternity test, quietly and without drama, one of those at-home kits you can order online and then send off your sample. When the results came back and confirmed Ollie was his, I thought maybe that was my answer. A sign that this was where I was supposed to be. That Marcus was the kind of man who would keep me and my baby safe.

I thought I was being practical. Thought I was lucky to have someone who wanted me, even when I felt like a shell of myself. But looking back now, I realize that decision wasn’t about Marcus at all. It was about me, searching for validation that I was lovable and that I would be taken care of.

But Marcus didn’t loveme.Not really. He loved the version of me that fit neatly into his world—the one who painted over her chaos and settled for safety. He loved control. And I let him have it because it felt easier than fighting for the person I used to be.

But I’m not that person anymore.

Callum’s back, and whether I want to admit it or not, it’s stirring up everything I’ve tried to bury for years. Marcus sees it, and it scares him. Because he knows he doesn’t have a hold on me anymore. He has no control over what happens from here.

TEN

Callum

Your voice, your laugh, I hold them here

Monday, March 10

Electric Lady Studios

6:49 PM

The soundboard lightsflicker as the final chord fades into silence. Max Greene, our producer, nods approvingly from behind the glass, his chair creaking as he leans forward. "That’s it, man. That’s the take."

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