“Let’s go play.” Harry grabbed my hand. “Bye, Grandpa. Bye, Grandma Verna.”
“Where’s your dad?” I asked Brandon, surprised I hadn’t met him.
“I think he’s still in bed.” He laughed. “Verna spoils him and serves him breakfast in bed every morning.”
“Oh, wow.”
“Let’s go.” Harry pulled me towards the front door.
“Don’t squeeze Katie’s hand off, Harry,” Brandon chuckled as we walked through the front door.
“I’m not.” He laughed and smiled up at me. “I’m not hurting you, am I, Katie?”
“No, Harry.” I smiled down at him with love in my eyes. “You’re not hurting me at all.”
***
“Go up and have a bath, Harry. I’ll be up in fifteen minutes to read you a bedtime story.”
“Yes, Dad.” Harry yawned and looked over at me. “Will I see you tomorrow, Katie?”
“If you want to.” I smiled at him happily. We’d had a long day, taking him to a children’s museum and then to a late lunch and back home to watch a movie together. It had been such a great day. I was a little sad that it was over.
“Yeah, let’s go to McDonalds tomorrow.”
“I don’t know about McDonalds,” I laughed, “but I’m sure we can think of something to do.”
“Okay.” Harry ran up the stairs, and Brandon came and sat next to me on the couch.
“You’re good with him.” He stared into my eyes. “You make a good mother.”
“I don’t know about all that.” I made a face and looked around the living room. “I love your house. I didn’t know you had a brownstone.”
“I bought it after I got Harry.” He shrugged. “I still have the apartment though. It’s still intact from the days we lived together.”
“How did you get Harry?” I bit my lip, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking the question that had been on my mind for so long. “The adoption agency told me it was a closed adoption, but a couple in Connecticut were adopting him.”
“The lady in charge of the adoption agency is an advocate for fathers’ rights.” His voice was low. “I went in and told her that I was the father and they didn’t have my permission. We got a blood test done and I took him home.”
“They can do that?”
“When you have money, you can get a lot of things pushed through quickly.” He shrugged. “I wasn’t going to let my son be raised by strangers.”
“You think I’m horrible, don’t you?”
“No, you were just young.” He shook his head and sat back. “There are so many things I think we both would have done differently if we had it to do over.” He sighed. “I think that you never really realize what you’ve lost until it’s gone.” He stared at me sadly. “Sometimes, the biggest revenge is showing someone what they could have had.”
“I don’t know what to say.” I looked away from him, my heart breaking. “
“It was always you, Katie. It was only you. There’s never been anyone in my life that I’ve wanted before. Never.” He sighed and stood up. “I wish you hadn’t lied to me.” His eyes looked down at me and he walked away. “I’m going to go and read Harry a bedtime story now. Feel free to relax until I get back.”
I sat back and stared at the rug, feeling as if I were in Wonderland. My emotions were all over the place and I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. I heard footsteps and looked up, expecting to see Brandon, but a tall, beautiful lady walked into the room instead.
“Hello,” I smiled at her politely.
“You’re a fool.” The lady’s eyes surveyed me with pity.
“Excuse me?” I sat up straight.
“I said you’re a fool, Katie Raymond.”
“And you are?” I asked slowly, though I was pretty sure I knew the answer.
“I’m Brandon’s fiancée, Maria.” She sat next to me. “I’m sure you’ve heard of me before.”
“You were engaged to him in college as well.” I nodded, letting her know I did know exactly who she was.
“College?” She laughed. “I’m not that Maria. I’m the new and better version. At least that’s what Brandon tells me. The girl in college was a mistake. Like you,” she cackled as she looked at me, flinging her long, dark hair behind her shoulders.
“I see.” I looked away from her, not knowing what to say.
“When you f**ked him, did he say my name?” Maria leaned towards me and hissed. “Did he tell you that he likes to f**k me in the car, in the shower, in the elevator, in the kitchen?”
“He told me he’s never slept with you.” I jumped up, angry and upset. I wanted to be away from this woman. “He told me he doesn’t love you, that he only became engaged to you because of your dad.”
Maria started laughing, but I could see her face turning red. “I suppose he’s right about one thing. The only woman he ever really loved was Denise.”
“Who?” I frowned and turned to look at her.
“Denise. She’s the one who ruined him. The one he wishes every woman was like. She was a freak in the bedroom, let him do things to her that other women wouldn’t even think of.” Maria stood up and smiled at me. “I suppose I should feel sorry for me. You’re like me. You got caught up in his lies and his spell. He doesn’t love you, you know. This is just about revenge and power for him. He uses us because his true love, Denise, used him. Once you submit to him, he will be gone. Just like he was before.”
“You’re lying.” I turned away from her, not wanting to hear anything else she had to say.
“Go to his study, turn on the TV, and press play on the DVD player.” Maria shrugged and turned away from me. “He goes to his study every day and watches that video to remind himself of who he was and what he lost.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Are you scared, little girl?” She laughed hysterically and then turned around abruptly. I watched as she left the room and the house. I stood there in shock. What was she talking about? I’d never heard of a Denise before in my life. I thought back to the last few weeks and everything that had happened. It had seemed like Brandon had been deliberately trying to humiliate me and hurt me. How did I know if he really truly loved me or if this was just a game to him?