Chapter 0010
BATLEE
The look in Alex’s eyes when I had walked away from him was burned into my mind, and as I sat next to Brinley in the back
of our Uber, I couldn’t stop picturing him.
After what he had done to me when we were younger, after he had taken my virginity and then tossed me aside, I shouldn’t
have been affected by him. I should have been able to ignore him.
Yet, I was sucked in, just as I had been as a teenager.
t love, but I had refused to believe that. Now I was wondering if
I had heard once that no one ever fully gets over their first love,
there was any validity to it.
The way he had been looking at me had caused all of the hurt of his betrayal to resurface, and I was struggling to stop
thinking about him.
Brinley moaned as I pulled her from the car seat. Her cheeks were pink, and her clothes were damp with sweat.
“Come on, sweet girl. Let’s get you some medicine and into a cool bath, then bed.” I whispered, pressing my lips to her forehead as the Uber driver pulled away. “Wait! My car seat is in there!”
The back door closed from the movement as the driver peeled away from the curb, and I couldn’t help the uncontrollable
laugh of disbelief that left my lips. It was just another hit. Just one more thing to add to my list of signs from the universe that I had pissed off the wrong deity.
The driver had been rude from the second he saw me carrying the car seat out of my building to strap it into his car. Then, once we picked up Brinley and he noticed she was sick, he had been muttering about catching COVID, even though it was just the flu, and how he would sue me if anything happened to him or his family
Still, there was nothing I could do right now. I would contact Uber and deal with it once I got Brinley to bed. I couldn’t go
without a car seat.
She shook in my arms, her tiny body trembling from the cool night air hitting her damp skin as I rushed us inside and to the
elevator.
“Good Evening, Mrs Johnson.” The doorman greeted me, and I cringed as I heard him using my married name, knowing it wouldn’t be, but hoping it would be the last time I would ever have to hear it
“Good Evening.” I said, repeatedly jamming my finger into the elevator button. The sooner I could get her into our flat, the sooner I could get medicine to bring her fever down.
“Mommy,” Brinley cried, and I rocked back and forth while I waited for the lift to open. “I don’t feel good.”
“I know, baby, I know. Mommy’s going to help you feel all better” I said, rubbing my hand up and down her back as I stepped into the elevator, brushing her sweat–dampened hair out of her face as we rode up to the penthouse, the one we had 30 days to move out of, according to the judge
As soon as the doors opened, I rushed forward, fumbling with my keys before pausing momentarily when there was no resistance as Lattempted to unlock the door.
Had I forgotten to lock it after picking up the car seat on my way to get Brinley?
“Caleb, did you grab my lotion?” Lorna’s voice called out from down the hall as I entered my home.
It should be in your bag.” Caleb said from the kitchen, and I rounded the entryway to see him removing a collection of take- out boxes from a bag and placing them on the counter.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ihissed, turning Brinley away from him, but she picked her head up at the sound of his voice anyway
+25 BONUS
“Daddy!” She called, her voice hoarse.
I’m moving back in. This is my home, after all.” He said with a smirk.
“You can’t do that! I have thirty days to move out. What do you mean you’re moving back in?” I asked, astounded that Caleb had the nerve to show up at the house with his mistress.
I glanced behind me when I heard Lorna walking toward us, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor.
“I mean, Loma and I will be staying here from now
on, Caleb said as Lorna shoved past me
My hip slammed into the kitchen island, and I tightened my hold on Brinley to keep her from falling as she dropped her head back onto my shoulder, too weak to hold it up anymore.
“The judge said I have thirty days to move out. You can come back then.” I said,
“Legally, it is my house. So, I have every right to come and go as I please during those thirty days since I was also living here, and I am choosing to move back in.” Caleb said, sending a worried glance at Brinley.
