The Conspiracy of Baby-Switching novel Chapter 115

Gabriel

I march through the underground parking lot toward my car and Mark comes running out. "What are you doing?"

"You're fired," I snap as I march past him.

"Violet called her," he stammers as he follows me.

"Violet did nothing of the sort," I fire back. "She was covering for you." "What?" He runs to walk beside me. "Where are you going?" My car unlocks as I approach it.

"I'll drive you," Mark says. "You are not driving like this." He steps in front of my car. "I won't allow it."

"Get out of my fucking way." I push him to the side.

"I'm coming with you."

I turn toward him like the devil himself. "I ask you one thing. One fucking thing and you can't even do that. Keep my mother away from my family...how fucking hard can it be?" I explode.

"I went to the bathroom," he stammers. "I was gone two minutes."

"So why lie?"

"It's what Violet told me, I thought it was true."

I roll my eyes in disgust as I get into my car. "You get upstairs and you watch over Violet, and so help me god, if you take your eyes off her for one fucking second...I'll kill you myself."

He steps back from the car and I scream out of the parking lot, my black Ferrari roars like a tiger as I pull out into the traffic.

I've never been so angry; years and years of my mother's toxic behavior have finally tipped me over the edge.

I pull up to the lights and my two hands grip the steering wheel. I get a vision of my mother walking up to Violet and the kids today at the park, I can only imagine what she said to them. The audacity.

And Violet was prepared to take the blame...

I inhale deeply as rage simmers deep in the pit of my stomach. I'm so furious that I can't see straight. I can feel my pulse as adrenaline surges through my blood stream. A ticking timebomb about to blow.

Calm down.

Fifteen minutes later, I pull into the parking bay of my mother's building and I storm through the foyer. The doorman nods as he opens the door. "Good evening, Mr. Ferrara."

I walk to the elevator and the doors open, the elevator attendant smiles. "Mr. Ferrara." I walk in and turn to face the front; I readjust my tie as we rise floor by floor to the penthouse.

The doors open straight into her apartment and I step out. Ivan, my mother's bodyguard, is waiting there.

"Mr. Ferrara." He smiles awkwardly. "We weren't expecting you, sir."

"Get out."

My eyes find my mother across the room.

She smiles as she sips her drink. "It's charming that you still think the world revolves around you, tell me, does she know that you still love

Ariana?"

I clench my hands at my sides.

"That you are with her out of pity and to be closer to your children." My chest rises and falls as I struggle for control.

"She's poisonous, Gabriel."

"You want to talk about poisonous?" I whisper. "Let's talk about Dad, shall we?"

Her eyes hold mine.

"What kind of woman lets a man beg her for a divorce for fifteen years?"

She smirks, proud of her actions. "The kind that retains control."

"Control over her reputation, control over her social status...control over the money... Tell the truth, Mother, you won't divorce Dad because it will mean you lost...to her." Her face falls.

"We both know why you hate Violet...she reminds you of someone, doesn't she?"

"Stop it," she snaps. "Get out."