The Conspiracy of Baby-Switching novel Chapter 56

“What’s happened?” He frowns.

“Your mother offered Violet Coleman twenty million dollars to leave me.”

“I did not,” she lies. “I offered her a nondisclosure contract, there’s a big difference.”

Alessio’s eyes widen. “You’re with Violet Coleman now?”

“No, he’s not. He’s having a mental breakdown, that’s what he’s doing,” Mother snaps, infuriated. “He’s going to patch things up with Ariana…that’s if she will even take him back.”

“Get out,” I whisper as a thermonuclear atomic bomb comes dangerously close to blowing up.

“I will not stand by and watch you ruin your life,” she spits.

“Good. You’re not invited to, anyway.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she cries.

“It means that I want nothing to do with you.” I point to the door. “Get out!”

“You fool,” she fires back. “You’re ruining everything you worked so hard for.”

“I’m warning you. If you dare go near Violet or my children again…there will be fucking hell to pay, do you hear me?”

“You do not get to speak to me like this.” She picks up her handbag in a huff and marches from my office and slams the door behind her, the office falls silent.

Alessio begins to pace in a panic. “That was way too much.”

Adrenaline is surging through my bloodstream, and I’m positive that the whole building just heard that exchange.

So much for keeping it together and being calm.

Fuck.

My phone rings on my desk, the name Elias lights up the screen.

What now?

“Yes,” I snap as I answer it.

“Hello. Umm…Mr. Ferrara.”

“What is it?”

“I just called to let you know that Violet is having lunch with a man,” he says nervously. “He met her at her work and he had his arm around her as they walked into the restaurant.”

What?

“Who is it?” I growl.

“I believe it’s the man that you told me to watch, Jack Spalding.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention as a fury like never before runs through my blood. “Go inside and sit at the table next to them.”

“Inside the restaurant?”

I begin to hear my heartbeat in my ears.

“Do not leave them alone for one fucking second.”

“You look so beautiful today, do you know that?” Jack smiles over the table. “I love you wearing blue.”

“Every last one, you can come garden with me on the weekend if you want? I’ll show you how to weed properly.”

Dear god…

“I’m pretty swamped this weekend, thanks anyway.” I force a smile as I look around the restaurant. Where is the freaking waitress?

Gabriel arrives on Thursday and we’re telling the kids. Nerves swirl in my stomach at just the thought.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

I glance up from my daydream. “I beg your pardon?”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“I have an old friend visiting.”

“Oh great. I’d love to meet them.”

Gabriel would eat you alive and pick his teeth with your bones.

“Sure.” I fake a smile. “I’ll let you know.”

From the corner of my eye, I see the clock tick over. 2:19 a.m.

I thought my sleepless nights of worrying about Gabriel Ferrara were long over.

And yet, here I am.

Lying in the dark, staring at the ceiling like a zombie, hovering somewhere between heaven and hell.