Nick was ticked off by my blunt words, but it was evident there was a newfound wariness in his eyes.
"Eliana, are you really that dense? Have you forgotten how Damon used to treat you?"
He was trying to stoke my hatred for Damon, to reel into his sche against him.
But what I couldn’t comprehend was why he believed I’d agree. All I wanted was to steer clear of Damon.
Why on earth would I want to get into the ss?
"What happened in the past is in the past. I don’t want to waste ti dwelling on it. You’ve got the wrong person, Nick." I replied, maintaining my firm stance.
"Yes, the past is the past. But the pain Damon caused you isn’t. Scars always remain," Nick persisted.
"You and Damon don’t share any children, just a bitter past. We should be the perfect team!"
Perfect team, my foot. This guy was clearly off his rocker.
I remained silent, and Nick’s tone grew increasingly desperate.
"Do you really think I’m the only one out to get Damon? Even if you hold onto your old feelings and refuse to act against him, there will always be others who want to bring him down. You’ll find out soon enough, just you wait."
Were there other people trying to get at Damon?
I was puzzled. What did Nick an by "bring him down"? Would Damon’s life be in danger?
Before I got a chance to clarify, Nick hung up.
When I tried calling back, his phone was switched off.
I was confident my threat held enough weight to make Nick think twice before ssing with .
"Ms. Brooks, can we et up for a chat? There’s sothing I’d like to discuss with you."
That afternoon, I received an unexpected call from Catherine.
I checked the ti; it was five o’clock. In a little while, after dinner, I could take the kids out for a walk.
Besides, I had no desire to ’discuss’ anything with Catherine, let alone et her in person.
Did Damon and Silas spill the beans about everything after they left my place a few days ago?
If that were the case, it would make sense for Catherine to seek out. But if that was indeed the situation, I’d rather avoid her, fearing she might do sothing reckless.
"Sorry, now’s not a good ti," I declined flatly.
"Don’t you want to discuss your children with ?" Catherine’s voice turned icy. "If Damon finds out they’re his, he’ll stop at nothing to take them from you. What will you have left then?"
My heart skipped a beat at her words.
How could Catherine be so sure Serena and Brandon were Damon’s children?
For a mont, I was thrown into confusion. This was sothing the Coleman family would want to do,
but why was Catherine the one reaching out to ?
"Where are you?" I finally found my voice after a while.
"Just around the corner from your place. Head right when you co out. I’m under the tree there."
Catherine hung up after her instructions.
I asked Norah to look after the kids before quickly heading out.
Catherine was waiting not too far away, dressed in a white tank top and light blue denim shorts. Her figure was striking, a complete departure from her usual style.
Seeing , she gestured towards a car parked nearby. "Get in. Let’s find a cooler place to talk. Your kids are taken care of, right?" I nodded.
With Norah and a few other nannies at ho, I was assured.
Catherine drove to a nearby mall and chose a secluded cafe. We ordered so coffee and sat down facing each other, lost in our own thoughts for a while.
She kept sipping her coffee, the agitation in her eyes hard to miss. My emotions mirrored hers, but I kept a poker face.
"Catherine, spit it out. How did you find out?" I broke the silence with a calm tone.
"Of course, I did another paternity test. The one Jones had done was fake, wasn’t it?" Catherine chuckled coldly. "He truly loved you, didn’t he? Not only did he happily play daddy, he even went to great lengths to cover up your lies. All to help Damon raise his own children, huh?"
Her words were dripping with sarcasm.
I fixed my gaze on her, devoid of any emotion. "Whatever happens between Jones and is none of your business. If you think a paternity test is enough to threaten , then you’re gravely mistaken."
Catherine’s eyes widened in surprise. "Threaten you? What do you think I want to threaten you with? If you want to keep your children, keep your distance from Damon. Your parents aren’t in anymore.
You can move away and live with them. That way, I’ll be spared from seeing you, and I won’t reveal your secret to anyone."
"And if you do reveal this secret, who do you think should be more afraid, you or ?" I retorted.
"What do you an?" Catherine’s eyes grew colder. "Are you not afraid the Coleman family will take your children away? Given their resources, they’re more than capable."
I smiled faintly. "Even if they take my kids away, they can’t change the fact that I’m their mother. Besides, as you know, Silas and Lisa really like . They won’t stop from seeing my children. On the other hand, once the Coleman family has Serena and Brandon, you and Leo won’t be their favorites anymore. Especially you, you should know that better than anyone, right?"
My words hit a nerve. Catherine’s greatest leverage in the Coleman family was Leo, the grandson they so desperately wanted.
With Serena and Brandon in the picture, it would certainly shift the dynamics.
If the Coleman family could snatch my children, couldn’t they do the sa with hers? Of course, they could. However, Leo was old enough to protect his mother, and Silas and, Lisa wouldn’t be able to justify their actions.
Catherine’s eyes flashed a cold light. "Eliana, it’s all your wishful thinking."
"Is it my wishful thinking or is it the harsh reality? Give it a shot, Catherine. If I were to announce right now that I’m getting back together with Damon, and claim that the children. are Damon’s, do you think you’d still have a place in this equation?" I kept my tone steady and calm, betting on the fact that Catherine was more afraid than I was.
Her eyes had taken on a frantic, desperate edge, glaring at as if she wanted to devour whole.
I knew I had won the bet. How could Catherine bear to lose her place in the prestigious Coleman family?
Her mother, Nancy, had already travelled overseas and wouldn’t be back anyti soon. Nancy would have to explain all this ss to her current husband. Catherine’s biological father, Ethan, was already behind bars, just like Ariel.
"Do you get it now? You can’t tell Damon about this. Not only that, but you’ll have to find a way to prove my children aren’t Damon’s if anyone starts to suspect. Otherwise, it’s your position with Leo at stake, not mine." I had said everything that needed to be said. I picked up my bag, stood up, and looked down at Catherine. "You’re a smart woman, Catherine. You should know what to do."
Reviews
All reviews (0)