Page 101 of Love Me Not

“I'm taking you to court for custody of the child,” she said, and yanked her arm out of my grasp.She sent me a glare, looking me up and down, a disgusting smirk spreading across her painted lips.“If you make this easy, I won't ruin your image, but if you plan on fighting me, it's only going to go one way.My way.”

Anger boiled inside me, working its way up my entire body.It was so potent I felt the need to pull at my skin to find some sort of relief.It was either that or punching my own mother in the face.

“You can't take?—”

“Icanif you want to keep your livelihood,” she said, looking Juliette straight in the eyes.She was goading her.

But instead of taking the bait, Juliette paused, looking at my mother.Then something seemed to dawn on her.

“You know something.”

My mother let out a huff.“I'm resourceful.”

“I don't think that's the right word for it,” Juliette replied, her arms crossing in front of her.

Bella was still holding onto her for dear life, but her glare had not let up yet.I moved to them, a united front.

“It's all in the files, but let me tell you, it sure is damning.If this goes out, you'll never be able to work with children ever again.”

Stillness washed over Juliette, a sense of calm I wasn’t feeling.

“We know you talked to my aunt,” she said, and then corrected herself.“No, you probablystalkedmy aunt and then waited until you could get a chance to speak to her.What did she tell you exactly?”

“Oh, I didn'tstalkanyone,” my mother said with a huff.“I just met her at my normal floristry class, and as we were talking, I realized who she was.She told me someveryinteresting things about you, including that you’d recently come into some money.Given in exchange for sexual favors to my daughter.”

Rage coursed through me as I took a peek at the papers in front of me and saw what she was alleging as a reason to change Bella’s custody order.

I couldn't tell which was worse.Her aunt giving up this information or my mother using it as blackmail.

My reasoning stands when it comes to Juliette, but I fucking regret paying for that bitch’s medical expenses.

“This is low even for you,” I spat and threw the papers on the counter.They scattered all over the island and down to the floor.“If you take this to court, and this becomes public, we're not the only ones whose reputation will be damaged.”

She turned to look at me with a villainous smile that took her evilness to a whole other level.She’s enjoying this.

“Oh no, I already have my press tour ready,” she said and batted her eyelashes.“You're no child of mine.All ofthatcame from your father.”

Juliette leaned forward and grabbed the papers without leaving Bella’s side.Her eyes scanned them, and she let out a light gasp.

Meeting my eyes, I gave her a nod.It was even worse than either of us could've imagined.

Somehow—maybe by following me, possibly by bribing a few people, including someone there—my mother had found out that we met at a BDSM club.And while that wouldn’t usually be an issue, she was using it as proof that I was an unfit guardian to Bella.Furthermore, she intended to use Juliette’s presence here and the money I paid her as even more proof that Bella was not in a stable household.

I didn’t even want to get into the rest of the defamatory document.It was ridiculous.But I knew it could work.Ridiculous lies and the prospect of “keeping children safe” took well-meaning, normal individuals and turned them into angry, mindless beings that wanted nothing more than to destroy anything they didn’t understand.

And she knew that as well.She would harness their ignorance and unwillingness to learn and make an impossible case against us.

She's turning what Juliette and I have into something disgusting.Something dirty.

All she needed to do was convince a judge that I was twisted and had brought someone like-minded around Bella.That Bella’s safety was at risk.

My fists clenched, and I had to take deep breaths through my nose and out through my mouth.

How dare she?—

No.

I quieted my mind immediately.This was no time to let anger get the better of me.

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