Chapter 95 The Father
25 BONUS
Morning brought a fresh wave of chans, Scarlett arrived like a home at Akt, mehin haine remained the pick retur to let her in She burst into my bedroom, mill wearing what looked like runt lidhen, her fare bare nt maker and red me
ROUT
“Oh my god!” she thing herself onto my bed, barely missing isso scrambled away with an indigan tuff. “Taloust had a heart attack when i saw the news! Are you say? Let me see yn rode. Did they get that faith in jat? I swear to god, bw, if yo ever keep something like this from me again
“Scarlett,” I managed, sitting up groggily “Breathe.”
“Breathe BREATHE?” She pulled back to glare at me. “My best friend almost gets murdered and you want me to breathe?” “Yes, because you’re going to hyperventilate.” I grabbed her flailing hands. “I’m okay. Really just a sprained ankle and othe bruises”
She studied my face intently, as if looking for hidden damage. Finally, her shoulders slumped. “I was so scared,” she whispered, uncharacteristically vulnerable, “When I saw that footage, I swear I will-”
“Footage?” My stomach dropped. “What footage?”
“It’s everywhere, Mia. Security cameras caught the whole thing–Taylor’s car heading straight for you, you diving out of the way…” She swallowed hard. “And then afterward, when you confronted her. It’s gone viral.”
I closed my eyes briefly. “Great.”
“Actually, people are calling you a badass. Pregnant woman dodges car, then confronts her attacker? It’s like something from a movie.” Scarlett squeezed my hand. “Though the pregnancy revelation has everyone talking. Kyle’s trending on social media.”
“Perfect.” I sank back against my pillows. “Just what I needed.”
She chewed her lip nervously. “Has he reached out?”
I nodded. “Last night. Wants to talk today.”
“And?”
“And I have no idea what to say to him.” I glanced at my bedside clock–7:15 AM. “But I have a few hours to figure it out.”
“Not really.” She grimaced apologetically. “Morton’s been on the phone with their family lawyer all morning. Apparently Kyle’s been trying to track you down since last night. Almost went to the police station before someone convinced him to wait.”
Oh, whoa.
By the time I’d showered and dressed–a challenge with my injured ankle–Mom had prepared breakfast with Scarlett’s help. The kitchen smelled like comfort: fresh coffee, scrambled eggs, toast with the blackberry jam I’d been craving lately.
“You look better,” Mom said, helping me into a chair. “Did you get any sleep?”
“Some.” I accepted the coffee Scarlett handed me–decaf,noted with a mixture of irritation and gratitude. “Thanks for this. Both of you.”
Scarlett waved dismissively. “What’s a maid of honor for if not emergency breakfast preparation?” She paused, eyeing me critically. “Though we really need to discuss your post–shower fashion choices. Leggings and an oversized sweater for confronting your billionaire ex? Really?”
“I’m five months pregnant with twins and have a sprained ankle,” I reminded her. “Comfort trumps style today.” “At least let me do something with your hair. And maybe some mascara? You look a little zombie–ish around the eyes.”
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Chapter 96 The Father
“Gee, thanks.”
“‘in just saving-
30
+25 BONUS
A sharp knock at the door interrupted her. Gas sprang to attention ars forward, tail stiff. Mom and Scarlett exchanged glances. “That can’t be Kyle already,” I said, checking the time. “It’s only been twenty minutes.”
Scarlett peeked through the peephole, then relaxed. “It’s Nate.”
She opened the door to reveal not just Nate but Thomas as well, balls looking like they’d been up all night. They carried what looked like grocery bags and—was that a bouquet of sunflowers?
“Morning,” Nate said, his smile tired but genuine. “Thought you fight need provisions. And moral support.”
Thomas nodded a greeting. “The officer downstairs mentioned reporters camping out front. We came through the service entrance.”
“Smart.” Scarlett took some of the bags. “What is all this?”
“Breakfast,” Nate replied, “though I see you’ve beaten us to it. And some groceries–I figured with your ankle, shopping might be difficult for a few days.”
“And security equipment,” Thomas added, setting down a sleek black case. “Upgraded camera system for the apartment. Won’t take long to install.”
I blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness. “You guys didn’t have to do all this.”
“Friends, remember?” Nate set the sunflowers on the counter. “Besides, I promised Gas we’d take him for a walk later. Can’t disappoint my canine buddy.”
Gas’s tail wagged furiously at the mention of a walk.
Thomas was already examining the apartment’s entry points with professional scrutiny. “The current system is adequate, but outdated. The new cameras link directly to your phone and a secure cloud server.”
“Tommy, for god’s sake,” Scarlett sighed, “at least say hello properly before going full security expert.”
He paused, looking slightly abashed. “Right. Good morning, Mia. Sarah.” He cleared his throat. “I was concerned when I heard the news. Particularly given the… complications.”
By “complications,” I assumed he meant my pregnancy and Kyle’s likely reaction. I appreciated his discretion. “Thank you,” I said simply. “Both of you.”
The atmosphere shifted as Nate and Thomas integrated themselves into our morning routine. Nate chatted easily with Mom about her recovery while helping with dishes. Thomas worked efficiently on the security system, occasionally answering Scarlett’s teasing questions with dry humor.
It felt… nice. Normal, even.
Then I heard someone knocking, or rather banging on the door, “Mia Williams, get out.”
I saw my mother’s face turn angry, because mom and I recognized the voice. 15
My father’s.
