The fact she’s asking is enough to say she’s not, but I speak anyway, “That you left your only son behind with a man who isn’t even his biological father.”

“You know,” she murmurs.

“Yup, kind of figured about all the cross-breeding.”

“Just so you know, I don’t appreciate sarcasm.”

“Just so you know, I don’t fucking care.”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t leave you with a stranger. Lewis considered you his son from the very get-go. Besides, he and Calvin came to an understanding a long time ago to supervise on their biological children from afar. Why do you think Calvin picked you up sometimes and Lewis picked Kim up at others? Or when the four of you had fathers’ days out in the park and all that rubbish? They had it all planned.”

I figured Dad and Calvin were exchanging information behind the scenes, but I never thought they were this much in tune about how everything was playing out.

“Did the arrangement bother you?” I ask. “Is that it?”

“I didn’t care.”

“Of course you didn’t. That’s why you left.”

She says nothing, and her silence is more painful than her words. I thought I was immune to pain about now. Turns out, I was fucking wrong.

“And why did you come back?”

She sits on the sofa again and takes another drink of my vodka, more gracefully this time since she doesn’t have an itch to satiate.

“Whatever happens, you’re my son, Xander.”

“Bullshit.”

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

“Listen here, Xan, as your mother, I demand respect.”

“Bullshit,” a stronger male voice says from behind me.

Dad.

That was faster than I thought. He probably was in Silver’s father’s house nearby.

He places his briefcase on the table and strides inside to stand beside me. “You heard him.”

“Lewis.” She smiles. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I told you not to ever come here.”

“Wait.” I stare between them. “You meet? Are you like tea parties’ mates? I thought she was in fucking Brazil or something.”

“Can you leave us alone?” Samantha’s hand trembles around the bottle’s lid.

“Fuck no,” I say.

“Just go.” Lewis motions behind him.

“I can’t believe this.” I stare at her. “You’re here for him, not me?”

She taps the lid of the bottle, keeps her posture, but says nothing.

I scoff as I exit the room, but not the scene. I hide behind the corner and do something I used to when I was a kid – eavesdrop on my parents’ fights, hoping they’d end soon.

When they didn’t, I went to Kim because she was the only one who weaned down the chaos. She still is.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Samantha?” Lewis yanks on his tie.

“You’re not answering my calls.”

“That’s because I don’t want to. Take a hint.”

“You don’t get to ignore me, Lewis.”

“Watch me.” He stands by the table, towering over her. “I told you last year that would be the last fucking time you’re getting money from me.”

“Mike’s business went bankrupt again. We need help.”

“You won’t be getting it from me. Last I checked, I’m not your husband’s sponsor.”

Wait a fucking second. She remarried and Lewis has been giving her money all this time?

What in the actual fuck?

“You better well be.” She stands up, clutching the bottle in a death grip. “Otherwise, the press will know about your illegitimate daughter. How do you think your campaign will go, huh? The mighty politician Lewis Knight has an illegitimate daughter and is raising another bastard child as his own. I can see it as the headlines. And remember, I have the DNA tests to prove it.”

“You thought I was giving you the money because I’m scared of you? What a mess have you become to think that way? I only funded your loser husband’s companies because you’re the woman who gave birth to my son and I don’t want to see you hit rock bottom, but if you threaten my children in any way, I’ll bury you and Michael so deep, no one will be able to find you.”

“We’ll see who’ll be able to bury the other one first.” Her face reddens. “Either I find the money in my bank account or you can kiss your peaceful children’s lives goodbye.”

She heads to the door.

“Samantha,” he calls after her.

When she turns around, a hopeful expression covers her features. “Changed your mind?”

“Don’t you ever show your fucking face here again. Keep your alcoholic influence away from my son.”

The door closes behind Samantha with a loud clink. Lewis breathes harshly and runs a hand through his hair as he sits down and retrieves his phone.

He places a call to Sebastian Queens to tell him he won’t be making it to the rest of the meeting, then to his secretary to let her know there could be changes to the plan, and finally to Calvin to inform him about Samantha’s visit.

As soon as he finishes that call, I come out of my hiding spot, placing both hands in my jeans’ pocket. “Why didn’t you tell me she’d remarried? Why did you tell me she was in Brazil?”

He lets the phone drop beside him and stares at me. “I should’ve known you’d eavesdrop. I’d prefer it if you’d never heard that.”

“You mean the part about my mum being a gold digger?”

“That part, too.”

“What else did you hide from me? Because hiding things seems to be your modus operandi around me.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.” My voice rises. “This is my life; I have the right to know what’s happening in it. I’m not a kid anymore and you don’t get to make the decisions on my behalf.”

“Fine.” He sighs. “Samantha had an affair with her current husband for the last year of our marriage. I asked her to stay for your sake, but she didn’t want to. She said this life wasn’t as she expected it to be and it was suffocating her. She hated being a mom and this whole lifestyle. She also became neglectful of you and your safety. When she decided to leave, I didn’t stop her.”

My fist curls in my pocket. “Why haven’t you told me any of that? Why did you let me hate you all these years?”

“For that exact same reason. You already blamed me, so I didn’t want you to hate your other parent, too.”

“Well, don’t expect any applause, Dad.” I turn to leave.

“Xander.” His stern voice stops me in my tracks.

“What?”

“You said you’re not a kid. So don’t act like one.”

I face him fully. “What do you mean?”

“The drinking needs to stop. Don’t make me use force, because I’ll do it.”

I release a long breath. “How about you think about a solution to her threat? If this goes to the press, it’ll fuck Kim up. People will start thinking of us as siblings and that’s off the table.”