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everything on me? Why aren t you taking any accountability for your own actions? My actions? The outrage and bafflement in the question surprised her. Yes, your actions, Derek. I know that you re angry and frustrated now, but you have to admit that you were the one to walk away. Not that again! You don t expect me to listen to your twisted version, do you? No, I guess I don t. I certainly wouldn t if I were you I wouldn t want to be called on all your lies, your refusal to admit what happened. If he was angry and frustrated, she was starting to match him. Just can it, Jasmine, and answer me one thing. Did you know you were pregnant that last night when we made all the plans? he asked. Yes, all those plans, she said with contempt. No, I didn t know until at least a month later. And what difference would it have made? Why would you have stuck around for a baby when you wouldn t stick around for me? Yeah, right, I was the one who wouldn t stick around. Derek s voice shook. Well, now I am sticking around, and you won t have a thing to say about it but yes, sir. I won t spend another day without him. She knew that it was coming down to that. Yes, sir? Seriously? You expect me to just go along with your plans? she asked incredulously. Oh, yes, Jasmine. If you want to still be his mother, you damn well will. His voice had grown eerily quiet and the hard truth in his eyes shook her to her very soul. Would you honestly fight me for him? She was too much in shock to raise her voice. As he looked so coldly upon her, she felt her knees trembling and feared they would no longer support her, so she plopped down on the couch. She couldn t even look at him anymore, she was hurting so badly. He stood there in the room grim and wordless but she refused to meet his gaze. His silence seemed to be the answer to her question. She knew he was going to fight her for Jacob. She had nine years of being his mother and had done the best possible job she could, but he had the money for the best attorneys. If he took her to court, he d probably win. He d at least get joint custody, stealing her son from her half the time. It didn t help her case that Jacob was so desperate for a father that he d bonded with Derek instantly. The courts always interviewed the children. They d ask her son if he wanted to be with his father or his mother and, in his innocence, he d tell them he wanted to be with both his parents. They d look at what each parent could provide, and Derek could win his share of custody hands down. She d fight him the entire way, but she didn t have the limitless resources that were at his disposal. She felt defeated and devastated. I won t take you to court, Jasmine, he finally said, but not because I give a damn what it would do to you. You don t deserve my consideration. The only reason I won t do it is that I refuse to hurt my son by pulling him away from his mother, whom he obviously loves. Jasmine felt a ray of hope. She could handle weekend visits once a month. Thank you, she said gratefully. I wasn t finished speaking, he said in a tone that had her snapping her head up to look at him. I said I won t take Jacob from you, but I also told you I won t spend another day without him. He waited for his words to sink in. Jasmine s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. You want us to live together? she said in shock. I won t dishonor my son by just living with his mother. I will not allow the other kids to pick on him because his mother is a mistress. I don t understand, she began. Come on, Jasmine. You re smarter than this, She continued to look up at him blankly. We re getting married. Get that, dear? Jasmine gasped and stared at him open-mouthed. He had just asked her to marry him. Scratch that he d just told her she was going to marry him. She didn t even know how to respond. I& I don t want to get married, she finally managed to stutter. That s very obvious from what you did ten years ago, but this isn t about you, or even about me. This is about Jacob, and about what s best for him, so you ll marry me because it s what s best for our son. Derek wasn t shouting or sneering anymore. He was calm as death and seemed almost defeated, which was worse for her because it made it all seem so much more real. What do you mean about ten years ago? She just didn t understand. Stop stalling, Jasmine. There s no point in rehashing the past, especially with your creative views of it. OK, I m tired of arguing with you; you ve showed me in abundance today that you re hardly the most rational, or truthful, human being around. He rolled his eyes, but let her continue. There should be a more reasonable solution than marriage. We can work out a visitation schedule. She was struggling to fix a situation that was quickly spiraling out of control. There s no other solution. I told you I want to be with my son every single day. I don t want to just visit him every other weekend and on alternative holidays. I ve already lost half of his childhood. I won t lose anymore, he said. Can we at least take a few days to think about things and talk some more? This is all so new, and we are both too emotional. Perhaps if she tried to appease him, he d calm down and start to see reason. Not that she was very hopeful. Jasmine, it s this& or else, he said, leaving the veiled threat unsaid. She knew what the or else was, and it wasn t something she was willing to risk. I don t see that I have any other choice then, She refused to hide her resentment. Good. Now, don t think that there won t be an iron-clad prenuptial agreement. When our son turns eighteen and goes off to college, our sham of a marriage will end, and then we can be free of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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