Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father (Brooklyn and Aden) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46
Brooklyn

Well, Louisa hates me already. That much is clear.

I guess it must be hard, living in my mother’s shadow.

I think about the way Remington reacted when he met me the other night. The way he spoke of my mother.

He has never gotten over her, not for a second.

And Louisa must know it, with every fiber of her being.

Feeling almost bad for her, I do my best to give them all a smile as I lower myself awkwardly into a chair by the coffee table.

We’re silent as a maid brings in crackers, cheese, and a tray of Champagne.

My gaze drifts to a silver tea set on a side table it. I can’t help but stare at it.

“Oh my god,” I say, leaning in close to get a better look. “I remember this. There’s a little dent…” I turn the sugar bowl halfway round and, indeed, there it is. Right on the rim.

“That is quite a memory you have, Brooklyn,” Remington says, clearly pleased. “You loved this tea set. You’d bring it out and arrange all your teddy bears around it. It was adorable.”

But Louisa goes stiff in her seat.

“Yes, well,” she says, shifting uncomfortably. “If someone would let me replace it, it wouldn’t be dented...”

“Oh no,” I say without thinking, looking up at them all. “It’s such a beautiful set. You can’t possibly—”

“Well, if you’re so fond of it,” she says, her voice dripping with disgust as she glares at me, “you shall take it with you when you go.”

I bite my lip. When you go. I bet she’d love it if I left right now.

I bet she’d be even happier if I’d never shown up at all. Tonight, or ever.

“In fact,” she goes on, gesturing all around the room. “I guess all of this is yours now. So you should take it with you, too. Thank you so much for graciously letting me live among your inheritance for so many years.”

“I—” I start, but then I fade off, not knowing what to say.

My inheritance? What is she talking about?

“Louisa,” Remington warns, leaning back in his chair, his voice low.

But she is going to fight it.

“Your daughter?!” she says, appalled. Then holds the baby out towards him, right at his eye level. “This is your daughter. The one whose rights you are stripping to give to that girl who hasn’t spent more than ten minutes with you in her entire life!”

I open my mouth to say something, but Logan shakes his head fervently at me, warning me against it.

I am here against my will, I want to tell Louisa. I am here as part of an agreement. I am here to save my father’s life. The father who actually cared for me all these years.

Instead, I close my mouth. I trust Logan, and I don’t want to put him in a worse position than he’s in right now.

My father and stepmother proceed to get into a blow-out fight, screaming at each other, flinging insults and accusations left and right.

Remington lifts his hand once in threat against his wife, and in response Louisa picks up a music box, hurling it at his face.

He dodges, but as soon as it crashes against the wall, Logan flees from the room and one of my guards wraps his hand around my upper arm.

What an absolute disaster.

“Time to go,” Joshua says, giving me a little tug.