Page 125 of Against All Odds

Great.

I’m smiling, thinking about a little boy throwing catch with his superstar athlete father when I pull down my driveway and my entire body freezes.

There are cars and people everywhere.

Immediately I see cameras, and they’re running toward me, taking photos.

No.I left all of this behind.

Why the hell are the paparazzi here, and how the hell did they get my address?

I quickly get out of my car and push forward, knowing I need to get in the house and out of view. I get to my front door, hearing the familiar clicks over and over and them yelling at me. “Violet, how do you feel? Violet! Over here. Violet, are you taking him back? What about the baby?”

My heart sinks at that last one, and I rush inside, closing the door and panting with my back to it.

They’re knocking on the windows, surely taking pictures of the inside of my sanctuary.

Fuck this.I’ve been done with Dylan, why are they here?

I move through the house, closing curtains and pulling down the shades where I can.

The kitchen windows don’t have anything, so I grab a box, covering as best as I can. Once I’m done barricading my home, the tears I fought back are streaming down my face.

They know about the baby.

How? How can they? How is this happening?

I hear my phone ring and I grab it from my purse. It’s Ana.

“Ana, what the fuck? How do they know?” I ask quickly.

“Your fucking husband is a piece of shit.”

“I know this, but ... oh, God, he told them?” I slide down to the floor, out of view of any window. “Why would he do that?”

Dylan was sent the paternity-resolution papers this week, and he was supposed to sign them.

None of this makes sense.

“About fifteen minutes ago, news of their split came. Whitney went on television stating that it was over, and she wanted time to handle this separation. Dylan isn’t the man she thought he was, and it’s best for her to step away while they work on themselves. She said he’s selfish and his ego couldn’t handle her success since he lost another role.” Ana huffs a laugh. “Yes, poor mistress, upset because he’s a dickhead.”

“Analeigh, please,” I say, my stomach churning as I wait for the rest.

She sighs. “I guess Dylan’s team was prepared and ...”

“He leaked it?” The silence is the answer. “He fucking leaked that I was pregnant? Why? What could he possibly have to gain? I wasn’t asking for anything! I just wanted him to be done like he said he was!” My voice goes higher as my devastation grows.

“He released a statement that he and Whitney ended their relationship due to the fact that she wasn’t supportive and wanted him to abandon the child he’s expecting with his estranged wife.”

I laugh once, but it’s more of a sob. “He did it for PR. He ruined my life, my child’s life, my fucking home, and the goddamn safety I had here, for himself!”

My hands are shaking, and the rage that fills me is unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. He’s so selfish. So fucking horrible.

“I’ll kill him or have him killed, don’t worry,” Ana says matter-of-factly.

I love my friend, but she would never make it in prison.

“Ana, they don’t let you get your nails done in jail. I just ...” I sniff. “I can’t believe this. He had a chance to do the right thing. To sign away his rights, to walk away without anyone knowing, and he used this baby to further his agenda.”

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