Chapter 3
Odessa looked just as shocked.
“Judge Whitlow! What are you doing here?”
Marion hurried out to explain. “Miss Verrier, this is my daughter. She’s here to pick me up from work.”
Sierra finally managed to catch her breath, gripping Eli’s little hand tightly.
Eli winced and called out “Mommy,” catching Odessa’s attention.
“I had no idea Judge Whitlow was married with such a big kid…” Odessa stepped forward to ruffle Eli’s hair, but the boy dodged away, hiding warily behind Sierra.
“Miss Verrier, he’s shy around strangers. Don’t take it personally.”
Odessa narrowed her eyes, studying Eli with a smile.
“He’s adorable. Something familiar about him though…”
Sierra’s breath caught. She quickly said goodbye and left with Marion and Eli.
On the subway, she struggled to process what had just happened.
Magnus had actually sent her mother to work as Odessa’s maid!
“Love Dessa Estate”-and those lush sycamore trees covering the grounds-it was all proof of Magnus’s devotion to Odessa!
She was the nameless homewrecker, and he was cruel enough to turn his own legitimate son into a bastard!
All those sweet promises he’d whispered in her ear now felt like brands of shame seared into her soul!
What had Magnus ever actually given her? A cheap handmade ring? A marriage of constant separations? Five years of emotional neglect?
She’d been such a fool, wondering if she’d done something wrong, if he was under too much financial pressure, if the long distance had killed their connection.
She’d drained her savings raising their child, worked her ass off to become a judge in New York-and just when she was ready to start fresh, Magnus had crushed her.
She’d been nothing but a pawn in his twisted game with Odessa.
Even his identity had been a lie!
Sierra buried her pain behind a forced smile as she took Marion and Eli to dinner.
New York really was too damn small.
At the riverside restaurant, a server wheeled 999 roses past their table.
Sweet violin music filled the air as the restaurant erupted in cheers.
“Let’s celebrate Mr. Everhart and Miss Verrier’s sixth wedding anniversary!”
15:25
Odessa again!
She stood in the center of the crowd like a beloved princess while a man with his back turned knelt on one knee. The platinum wedding band on his left hand was like a knife to Sierra’s eyes.
It matched the diamond ring on Odessa’s finger perfectly, making the fake on Sierra’s hand look pathetic by comparison.
Her wedding ring had been handmade by Magnus. He’d even engraved letters around the band-“Sie”-claiming it stood for Sierra, saying he’d “surrendered to her for life.”
She’d been such an idiot, polishing that ring over and over like it was precious. How pathetic!
Sierra frantically tried to move Marion and Eli to another restaurant.
But it was too late-Magnus’s declaration of love echoed through the dining room.
“Dessa, I’ll love you forever. You’ll never get rid of me!”
“Magnus! Then you better submit to me completely!” Odessa beamed with joy.
“Anything for you, my queen…”
That brilliant blue diamond slipped onto her slender finger as Magnus kissed the back of Odessa’s hand and pulled her into his arms.
Marion stared at the horrifying scene in shock, then caught Sierra’s conflicted expression and angrily dragged her to the restroom.
“Sierra! Was that Magnus just now? How… how is he married to someone else? And that woman is my employer?”
Sierra’s mind was spinning. She hung her head like a beaten animal and confessed everything.
Thankfully Marion had taken her blood pressure medication earlier, but she was still shaking with rage.
“How dare he! I’m going to demand an explanation!”
“Mom!” Sierra held her back. “He’s the Everhart heir. We can’t touch him. I just want to get through these ten days and get us all out of here, okay?”
Seeing the tears in her daughter’s eyes and her broken expression, Marion could only sigh deeply.
They composed themselves and returned to their table, only to discover Eli was gone.
Sierra’s heart lurched as she frantically questioned the restaurant staff.
“Ma’am, you mean that adorable little boy? He left with Miss Verrier…”
Sierra went pale. “What?!”
Odessa had found Eli wandering lost in the hallway and asked him what he was doing there.
The little boy’s face crumpled as he fought back tears.
“I can’t find my mommy… Miss, can you help me find her?”
Odessa took his small hand. “Of course, sweetie. Come to our private room and we’ll call her, okay?”
Eli nodded eagerly and followed along.
Odessa burst through the door of their private dining room
Chapter 3
When Magnus saw clearly, his pupils contracted sharply. Even his friends who knew the truth fell silent.
Eli broke the silence, pattering over to Magnus on little legs and calling out in his sweet voice:
“Daddy!”
