Page 71 of Fake To Forever

Her eyes flicker with amusement. "I don’t need to be part of your life, Christian. All I want is what’s fair. I won’t take Oliver away from you, but I want to secure my future. And let’s be honest—you and Haven? That’s not going to last. She’s not good enough for you. She can’t offer you the prestige you deserve like I can. You’ll realize how beneath you she really is and want to get rid of her anyway. I’m just beating you to the inevitable punch."

I step closer to Theresa, my voice cold. "You don’t know anything about me and Haven. You think I’d sacrifice my marriage for you? For money? You’ve lost your mind."

Theresa’s smile fades, her eyes narrowing. "You think you’re better off with her? She’s already slipping away from you, Christian. You’re going to lose her, just like you lost me."

"I didn’t lose you," I snap. "You were never mine to lose. You walked away from me, from Oliver, from any semblance of being a decent person. Don’t pretend this is about anything other than greed."

Her mother steps forward, her eyes cold. "Think carefully, Christian. This is an offer that benefits everyone. Theresa gets what she deserves, and you keep your precious son without a fight."

Shit… that does make me pause.

Her offer lingers in the air like a toxic fog. Marry her again, give her access to my money, and in return, she’ll leave us alone—leave Oliver alone.

The idea turns my stomach, but then, so does the thought of dragging my son through a custody battle that could rip his world apart. He’s too young to understand what’s going on, too innocent to be caught up in his mother’s selfishness and greed.

All I care about is keeping him safe. My money? I could care less about it, but the life I’ve built with Oliver, the stability, the peace… that’s what matters. I know, deep down, that Theresa’s return threatens all of it. The idea of her being back in Oliver’s life, even partially, makes my blood run cold. She’s not fit to be a mother, and Oliver deserves better.

But then there’s Haven.

I pinch the bridge of my nose as the weight of everything bears down on me. Haven’s been pulling away, and I can feel her slipping through my fingers, but I don’t know if I’m ready to let her go. There’s a part of me—hell, a big part of me—that still wants her. That needs her. We’ve been through so much together, and despite all the uncertainty, there’s something real between us. Something I’m not ready to lose.

But what if Haven doesn’t feel the same? What if I’m holding onto something that was never as real for her as it was for me? She’s grieving, lost in her pain, and maybe that’s why she’s been distant, but maybe it’s more than that. Maybe she doesn’t want this life with me anymore. If that’s the case… where does that leave Oliver?

Agnes clears her throat, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. I look up at her and her brow is furrowed and her mouth pinched in clear impatience.

“Clearly, you’re not willing to be reasonable,” Agnes snaps. "We can tell the court how you’ve intentionally kept Oliver from his mother since the day he was born. How you’ve manipulated the situation to keep him away from her."

“That’s bullshit,” I growl. “Theresa’s been absent by choice. She walked away from both of us, only coming back now because she wants money.”

Agnes smirks. “You think the courts care about that? All they’ll see is a mother trying to reconnect with her son and a selfish father standing in her way. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to manipulate people’s perception of a situation if you know just the right strings to pull.”

Narrowing my eyes, I glare at Agnes, fury burning through me. If I let this continue, this is the kind of evil shit I’m going to have to deal with. That Oliver’s going to have to deal with. I can’t let this turn into a long, nasty ordeal. I won’t put Oliver through that. I won’t let him be dragged into courtrooms, forced to hear his parents fight over him like he’s some kind of possession.

But marrying Theresa? That’s like signing my soul over to the devil. I know it, and yet… what choice do I have?

I could fight. I could go to court, drag this out for months, maybe years, trying to prove that Oliver’s better off with me, but that fight would leave scars—on Oliver, on me, on everything I’ve tried to build for him. Theresa knows how to twist things, and with her mother’s influence, they could make it ugly. They would. They’d do anything to win.

A knot forms in my throat, and I clench my fists, trying to steady myself. Is this really my only option? Marry Theresa, let her have access to my fortune, and in return, she’ll leave Oliver and me alone? It’s disgusting. It makes my skin crawl just thinking about it, but… if it keeps Oliver safe, if it gives him the stability he deserves, is it worth it?

What about Haven? Could I really let go of her completely? There’s a part of me that still hopes we can fix things, that she’ll come back to me. That what we have isn’t just a fleeting connection, but something worth fighting for, but I can’t hold onto that hope if it means putting Oliver at risk.

Every instinct I have screams not to trust Theresa, not to give in to her demands, but if I don’t… I know what’s coming.

A battle I’m not sure I can win.

A battle that will hurt Oliver most of all.

Clenching my teeth, I have a sinking feeling in my stomach. I hate this. I hate that she’s put me in this position, forcing me to choose between the woman I care about and the well-being of my son. Deep down, I know what I have to do. I always have.

Oliver comes first. Always.

I close my eyes, trying to find some sense of peace in this storm, but there’s none. All I feel is the bitter taste of defeat.

“Fine,” I snarl. “I’ll make the deal. I’ll marry Theresa again if it means protecting Oliver from the fallout of a drawn out custody battle and gets you both out of his life again, but I have conditions.”

Theresa raises an eyebrow, her interest piqued.

“Conditions?” she echoes, a hint of amusement in her tone.

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