Page 75 of The Art of Deception

I curl up my lip at his wrong assumption of me and his threatstoward Xander. This man is a real piece of fucking work, and I’ve had about enough of his shit. If he’s going to sit there and tell Xander he can’t be a part of his own family because of me, then he has a screw loose.

No one should kick people out of their own family.

Doesn’t he realize that family means EVERYTHING?

In a blink of an eye, they can be gone.

He’s a damn fool.

Xander throws his napkin on the table, almost knocking over his wine glass. “She’s not a recovering alcoholic, Dad… she’s pregnant.”

Aldwin’s eyes widen as I hear Ophelia gasp, but I can’t concentrate on her right now, I’m too busy death-staring Aldwin to make a point.

“I’m not drinking your expensive wine because I’m being a responsible parent, something you know nothing about.” I turn to Ophelia. “Thank you for having me. Sorry, I can’t stay. I’ve lost my appetite.”

I turn and head toward the front door, my heels clicking on the tiles. My heart thumps. I’m going to be sick. When I swing the door open, a cool breeze rushes against my face, instantly refreshing me. I step out onto the porch and close the door behind me, leaving the Scott family inside.

That whole thing was a shitshow.

I knew his father was going to be tough.

What I didn’t realize was that, in the end,hemight just be a deal-breaker.

Chapter Twenty-Two

ALEX

Witnessing Tomi storm out is one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. She’s probably cursing my name right now. I didn’t fight for her when she needed me. But fighting for her with her here would have made my father worse. Now she’s gone, I can say what I need to.

“She’s pregnant?” Mom almost whimpers from the other end of the table.

I smile at her. “Yes, Mom, you’re going to be grandparents.”

Dad throws his knife and fork onto his plate. “You need a DNA test, Alex. I mean, look at her… that baby could be anyone’s.”

I start to pace the room as I run my fingers through my hair, trying to keep my shit together. “You don’t get it, do you, Dad?”

He lets out an unamused laugh. “No. How could you be with a thing like her?”

I turn to face him. “A thing? Can you hear yourself? She’s not a thing. Fuck! She’s a woman, a woman I love, a woman I intend to make my wife. She’s the mother of my child. And I know, believe me, Dad, I know you struggle with letting me go. But you… doing this shit is only pushing me further away.”

He scoffs. “You’re free to go whenever you want, boy. You want out of Scott Enterprises, you fucking go. But don’t expect a payout or your inheritance—”

“Fucking hell!I don’t care about money, Dad. That’s whatyoucare about. I want a family. I want Tomi, our baby, and Levi, all of us together as a family. You can’t understand that because youlack the capacity to love unconditionally.”

He scoffs, rolling his eyes.

“It’s true, Aldwin,” Mom mumbles from the other side of the room.

Dad glares at her, making her eyes fall to the table like she knows she spoke out of turn.

I hate she feels like that.

“You’re blinded by her charm or lack thereof. I don’t know what’s so special about her, son, but you need to make a choice. Her or us.”

I stand taller as I shake my head. “Then there’s no choice. I’m sorry, Mom, I love you.” I stare back at Dad sternly. “I’ll hand in my resignation on Monday.”

“Alex!” Mom gasps as I turn, walking out of the dining room.

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