Mvp

  Our baby.

  “How did this happen?” I questioned, trying to get rid of the image that I’ve wanted for so long.

  “Sebastian, you were—”

  “Not that,” I interrupted. “You were on birth control.”

  She bowed her head. Almost like she was ashamed. “I opened a new pack of pills and the date on them was wrong. I was behind. I’m always so careful and I must have missed some days with everything that…I’m sorry. I was tired and not feeling well and I went to the doctor that morning. I took a test out of precaution because she didn’t want to write me a script for medicine.”

  I nodded. “Look at me,” I ordered.

  She shut her eyes in pain and then looked up.

  “That’s why you ran?”

  “Yes. I wasn’t going to, but then I found the picture of Olivia and I just needed to get away. It was all too much.”

  “I see. So you find a picture of my dead friend and you decide that leaving, pregnant with my child, was the right choice? Oh yeah…I completely understand.”

  She cocked her head to the side in disbelief. “Come on…you know it was much more than that. Give me some credit.”

  “Like you gave me? Huh? When you decided to take away my baby without even fucking telling me? I’m supposed to give you sympathy? I’m supposed to feel bad for you? That’s what you want, right?” I moved closer and grabbed her chin. “Am I supposed to feel bad for you because you fucked Devon? Hmmm…how far is my sympathy supposed to go? Please tell me?” I cruelly mocked, holding back the last bit of restraint that I had.

  “I’m sorry…” she murmured.

  “That makes it better? Does that make everything okay? You’ve been working for Satan for the last seven weeks, putting my child in harm’s way—”

  She tried to pull away, but I held her firmer. “It was never in harm’s way,” she objected.

  “Right…” I stated, running my thumb on her lips. “Did he kiss you?” I impulsively asked, not able to control my turmoil anymore.

  Her eyes widened in surprise.

  I continued to rub at her pouty mouth. “Hmmm…tell me…did he touch you the way you love?” I paused. “Come on, baby, tell me how much you rode his cock? Did you scream out his name like you do mine? Did you even think of me when he was fucking you? Or did you just spread your legs like a VIP?” I urgently pushed my thumb into her mouth. “Did he make you come? How many times did you come like a good little girl?” I viscously ridiculed, pulling down her jaw. “Did he come inside you, huh? With my child in there? If you’re going to act like a VIP, I’m going to treat you like one.”

  “That’s fucking enough,” he announced from behind me.

  She freed herself from my grasp. “Devon, stay out of it,” she hissed, only looking at me.

  I cunningly smiled. “Yeah, Devon, stay out of it and maybe she will fu—”

  She cold clocked me, making my head sway from the unexpected blow to the face. I grabbed my jaw, moving it around as she shook out her hand from the throbbing, I was sure.

  “You have no idea what I’ve been through tonight.” She sniffed. “I deserve your anger, but you do not get to treat me like that.”

  “I can’t even look at you right now. Do you have any idea how much it pains me not to be able to look at you? You’re my favorite fucking thing to look at,” I choked, holding back my emotions. “I would have followed you to hell, and from the looks of it, I have. I fucked up the first time around and I did nothing but grovel at your feet for forgiveness. I have been patient, and I would have taken you any way I could have had you. Any. Way.”

  She sucked in air from the tears that were flowing.

  “You want this life? Have it. Take it all. You want to run VIP? Go for it. We’re done. Do you hear me? DONE!”

  She shook her head. “You don’t mean that. You’re upset and you don’t mean that. You know I love you. I’m sorry, Sebastian. I was upset and hurt and I just wanted to forget. For one second, I wanted to forget about everything. I went to Devon because he’s the only person that has never disappointed me. I didn’t do it out of spite. I feel awful. I would never want to hurt you. Never. You don’t have to tell me that I’m a whore because I already feel like one. Do you understand? I’m fucked up. I know that. I’ve told you that,” she openly sobbed. “But…I’m so fucking sorry…please…just please…stop…stop saying things you don’t mean…”

  I looked back at Devon. “Make sure she gets home okay.”

  “No!” she yelled, grabbing my arm. “Look at me! Please! Look at me…I’m Ysa; I’m your girl…just look at me, please! Look into my eyes…I’m yours…”

  I stared right at her, right where she wanted me to, and the depths of her soul were staring right back at me.

  Love.

  Soul mate.

  Ysa.

  My girl.

  Mine.

  Now all I can think about and see is…

  Broken.

  Hurt.

  Destroyed.

  Betrayed.

  I forcefully grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her. I kissed her with everything I could muster. I kissed her until the earth stopped moving and time stood still. I leaned my forehead on hers and looked into her bright, beautiful green eyes that always showed me the world.

  “I can smell him on you,” I whispered.

  She bawled.

  I backed away from her and she fell to the ground, crying. I’d never seen her cry so hard, and for the first time, I didn’t want to hold her. I didn’t want to comfort her. I wanted her to hurt. I wanted her to feel an ounce of what I was feeling.

  “That child inside of you is mine.”

  She wiped at her face and looked up at me, barely breathing, sucking in the air, trying to hold it all together, but shattering right before my eyes.

  Now both of our hearts are broken.

  “This is what you want. I don’t care anymore, but that child is mine and I will fight you tooth and nail in court for custody. It will never grow up in this environment. Do you understand me?” I roared, making her jump. “I will die before I ever see my child in The Cathouse. So you better lawyer the fuck up, I don’t care if I have to play dirty. I won’t stop until I have custody.”

  She hyperventilated and I looked over at Devon.

  “You win. She’s all yours.”

  I took one last look at her…

  Turned and walked out on her for the last time.

  Devon picked me up off the ground. We lay in his bed for what felt like years. I cried the entire night and he stayed right by my side, not saying a word. He just played with my hair and let me openly bawl my eyes out. I cried so hard it hurt my entire body and I was sore the next morning. I didn’t know when I fell asleep, but he woke me up with a glass of milk and breakfast.

  “No…I’m not hungry.”

  “Kid, it’s not for you.”

  My heart hurt. I nodded, understanding his innuendo. I ate every last bite, drank the entire glass of milk, and it made me feel better. He took away the tray of food and placed it on the ground.

  He genuinely smiled. “You’re going to be a mom.”

  I breathed out, laughing, “Yeah.”

  “You’re going to be such an amazing mom.”

  “I hope.”

  “I know. That baby is so lucky. He’s going to have an amazing Uncle Devon and cousin Ethan.”

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “You’re going to be okay. Have faith that everything will fall into place.”

  “You promise?”

  “Promise.”

  A week later, I was walking up the steps and into an office I never thought I’d step in again.

  “Bella Rosa.” Madam embraced me and I let her. “You have no idea how much it means to me that you’re here.”

  I smiled. “We need to talk.”

  “I know. I’ve wanted to call a million times, but I knew, I knew in my heart that you would come back. You’re my granddaughte
r. Do you have any idea how happy I am to be able to say that to you?”

  “I’m happy to see you, too.”

  “Come…come have a seat. I had the chef prepare all of your favorite foods. Let’s have lunch and talk.”

  “Okay.”

  We ate and she told me about everything. I didn’t even have to ask.

  Her pregnancy.

  Her mother.

  My mother.

  How she took over VIP.

  How she found me.

  The accidental rape.

  Getting me to Miami.

  And everything else is history.

  Although she didn’t say that her accident was planned, I knew it was. That’s just the kind of woman she was. I also didn’t have to question her about Mika. I honestly…didn’t want to know. I imagined he had some story to tell, but I didn’t care to have her share it with me.

  “Bella Rosa, can you ever forgive me for everything?” she asked with sincerity in her voice.

  “Of course. I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t. I’m ready. I want to make you proud, Grandmother.”

  Her eyes shined bright. “Well…no time like the present. Let’s get everything in order.”

  “Perfect.”

  I spent the next week signing away my life.

  VIP was mine.

  I was The Madam.

  Another month went by and I was nineteen weeks pregnant. The doorbell rang to The Cathouse and Chance was barking incessantly.

  “Stop! Shhh…go, Chance, go!” I shouted, making him run along. I opened the door and I was slammed with papers in my face.

  “Ysabelle Telle?” she asked.

  I nodded.

  “You’ve been served,” a woman stated, giving me the envelope.

  “Served?” I called out. She didn’t stop and drove away.

  I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottled water from the fridge. Pregnancy was turning out to be fairly easy. I drank half the water not realizing how thirsty I really was. I sat down at the island and opened the yellow envelope. There was a letter among a stack of papers.

  ABF Defendant to Miss Telle,

  Sebastian Vanwell has hired the legal representation of Jacobson and Myor Associates. Attached are two documents; Child Custody Legal Rights in regard to full custody of said child, and Dissolution of Community Property of estate 96 Sunrise Drive in Turks and Caicos.

  Mr. Vanwell has agreed to divide said estate mutually and earnings will be split 50/50.

  Mr. Vanwell has agreed for visitation rights ONLY in his presence. OR away from defendants property titled, “The Cathouse.”

  Mr. Vanwell has agreed for the defendant to be involved in any of the child’s upbringing as long as it’s away from defendant’s business or The Cathouse residence.

  Mr. Vanwell wants to be informed of every doctor’s appointment and be updated on the health and progress of said child.

  Mr. Vanwell wants to be in the delivery room when said child is born.

  Mr. Vanwell will be on the estate property of 96 Sunrise Drive from September 19 – September 29, collecting his personal items. He has requested that you not be present during that time.

  Defendant has thirty days to respond to the affidavit.

  Sincerely,

  Jacobson and Myor

  I think I read the letter ten times before it processed. There it was, in black and white, everything I lost. I rubbed my belly, wanting to feel comfort and it helped.

  I looked over at my phone. “Shit!” I said to myself.

  I drove in a blur for the next twenty minutes and pulled into a parking lot, parking my car beside the last person I expected to be meeting. I got out of the car and she walked over to me.

  “I’m sorry I’m running behind, Julia.”

  She smiled. “It’s okay. I’m surprised and happy that you called me.”

  “I’m thrilled you accepted.”

  “Can I?” she asked, pointing to my belly.

  I nodded. “Of course.”

  She placed her hand on my stomach. “Can I say I hate you a little bit?” she laughed, making me nervous. “You’re five months tomorrow and you’re barely showing. You don’t even look pregnant, how unfair is that?”

  I immediately felt at ease. We walked into the restaurant and they seated us in a booth. I ordered milk and she had a glass of wine.

  “I craved milk when I was pregnant with Christian, too,” she announced.

  “It’s weird, I hated the stuff before. Sebastian drank it by the gallon.” I shrugged. “So…”

  She sadly smiled. “Have you talked to him?”

  I shook my head. “No. Not since…no. I did get served with papers today, though.”

  She sighed. “Yeah…he told me they were on their way.”

  “I don’t blame him. I would do the same thing if I were in his position.”

  “Are you going to fight him on it?”

  “I don’t know. He’s selling our house…I just can’t believe this is even happening.”

  “I understand.”

  “I love him, Julia. I’m pregnant with his baby and it’s the only thing that has kept me going. I’m so fucking stupid.”

  “Ysabelle, you made a mistake, people make mistakes.”

  “I know, but he can’t forgive me. He hasn’t even tried to contact me.”

  She grabbed my hands on the table. “I don’t want to get involved, but I promise you that he is hurting, too. He’s a mess.”

  I bit my lip.

  “Anyway, I didn’t call you here for this. I don’t want to put you in the middle.”

  She nodded.

  “I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything that I did. There hasn’t been a day that has gone by that I haven’t thought about what I did to you. I wish I could tell you that I regretted it, but I can’t. The only thing that I do regret is that it hurt you. I knew he was happily married and I didn’t care. I never once thought about you or how any of it would affect you. I’ll never forgive myself for breaking up your marriage,” I sincerely stated.

  I felt like I had been liberated. It didn’t matter if she threw her glass of wine in my face, being able to tell her how I felt and apologize to her was enough for me.

  “You’re an amazing mother and if I can be half the mother you are, I’ll be lucky and grateful.”

  Her eyes widened and she frowned. “I lost Christian at Niemen Marcus when he was four years old,” she blurted, her eyes started to water like she was reliving it. “I let go of his hand and turned my back to look at the new fall wardrobe, I forgot about him. I forgot about my child for a designer. I looked down, remembering that he was with me and he was nowhere to be found. I ran around the aisles for ten minutes and then I told the saleswoman that I lost my kid.” She paused.

  “Ten minutes. Do you have any idea how much could happen in ten minutes? I should have told them the second I didn’t see him. I should have never let go of his hand.”

  I couldn’t believe what she was disclosing and I took in every word.

  “It took security another twenty minutes to find him. I called Sebastian franticly and he immediately told me to look under the dresses on the hanging racks. He said Christian loved to play hide-and-go-seek in them. I told security and they found him a minute later. He’s my child and I didn’t know any of that. He used to cry all the time when he was a newborn and I would panic every time. Sebastian always calmed him, always, no matter what. For the first six months, I thought he hated me.”

  I listened to her like she was telling me a bedtime story.

  “The first time we took him to the emergency room was because he burned himself with my curling iron. The one I left on, knowing my toddler was beside me. Thank God it had barely warmed and didn’t hurt him. I could go on and on about the mistakes I’ve made.” She hesitated, thinking about what she was about to share.

  “My worst mistake was marrying a man I knew wasn’t in love with me. I manipulated both Olivia and Sebas
tian so they couldn’t be together. I precisely stepped in the way of my sister’s happiness because I was jealous and wanted him for myself. Karma is an evil and brutal bitch. I’m not perfect, I’m so far from it it’s not even funny.”

  I squeezed her hand.

  “The second I saw Sebastian look at you at The Gala, it was a rude awakening. I always thought that the way he looked at Olivia was true love. I was wrong. The way he looks at you, words can’t even describe it. Love has a way of finding you when you least expect it. I’m engaged to Anthony and I’ve never been happier. If it weren’t for you, Sebastian and I would probably still be playing house.” She shrugged. “Sometimes people have to walk away to realize what they have.”

  I nodded. “Thank you.”

  “No, Ysabelle, thank you.”

  It had been six weeks since Ysabelle became The Madam. It took a week to get all the documentation in order and for her to take ownership. I spent the next few weeks traveling and letting clients know that I had stepped down and my granddaughter had taken over.

  Mika was dead to me.

  He had a story to tell, but I didn’t give a fuck about it.

  Once I landed, I immediately went to The Cathouse. I told Hector to let Ysabelle know that I would be there in the afternoon. I could barely contain my excitement as the limo drove. I had waited for this moment for the last fifteen years. She was finally following in my footsteps.

  My legacy would live on.

  VIP would remain in my family.

  Forever.

  Everything was as it should be.

  Mine.

  I walked up the stairs, opening the double doors to her office. I saw the back of the leather office chair.

  “Bella Rosa, you have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment. I’ve dreamt about it since I looked into your bright, vibrant green eyes. You’re finally where you belong…home,” I praised.

  As the chair gradually turned around, the air from my body began to bleed from my lungs. She was sitting with her legs crossed and her arms folded over her chest, fully facing me.