Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Owen is blossoming before my eyes and he loves his father with all of his heart.
Cameron is good for him. I have no doubt in my mind about that.
Whereas once before I was jealous and nervous around Cameron… now I only have contempt for him.
The gentle, funny man I was in love with has been replaced by the power hungry millionaire he’s shown me to be.
The Stanton family is a tight circle. If you’re on the inside, they’re loyal to each other to the death. But they’re a nightmare if they declare war against you.
Sadly, money wins all battles.
I’m scared for my son—scared for the man he is going to turn into.
He will be one of them, I can already see it. Cameron changed his name legally to Stanton a month ago and he added his name as Owen’s father on his birth certificate.
He is now Owen Stanton with a hefty trust fund and a rich daddy.
I say that like I despise it, and I don’t. I don’t mean to be negative. All those years when I didn’t know who Owen’s father was, I just dreamed of a man who would protect him with all of his heart—who would love him as much as I do.
And he does. Cameron loves Owen. It’s undeniable. The bond they share is natural and strong. It’s everything I ever hoped for.
Natasha has been wonderful and I’ve seen her at least once a week since everything happened. We seem to have formed a friendship out of all of this.
She understands my point of view, but she also understands Cameron’s. I get it, I really do. All hell broke loose when she found out what Cameron had done. I can’t help but wish that she could have talked sense into Cameron before he ruined everything between us.
Part of me is grateful that I know Cameron will fight for what he thinks is best for Owen.
My life has become easier. I don’t work at the club anymore. I have three days where I’m childless every week. I joined a gym and I’m reading books for fun again.
I should be happy. My rent is paid. My son is content.
But I feel like an empty vessel—like my heart has been ripped out and put into the blender on high speed.
I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I don’t want to hate him. I just want to stop hurting over what he did.
I need to get over it. It’s all in the past.
Just like my love for him.
It’s midnight and I am sitting up alone watching a rerun of Friends. Joey can always make me laugh, no matter what.
Jenna has started quite the love affair with her new friend, and she stays over there more times than she stays with me now. I’m happy for her. She deserves someone nice, and he is beautiful.
I check my phone and blow out a deflated breath.
No messages.
I stand up, turn the television off, and head up to bed.
Tomorrow I will feel better. I know I will. Mornings always seem so much brighter.
Sadly, I know that at this time tomorrow night I will feel exactly the same as I do now.
Empty and alone.
Cameron
The phone rings in the middle of the night and I get up to answer it. I knew this call was coming.
“Hello.” I sigh.
“Hello, Dr. Stanton. This is Maria.”
I rub my eyes as I try to focus. “Hello, Maria.” Maria is the head nurse from the cardiology wing.
“Gloria is in her last stages, sir. I know you wanted to be told when it got to this point.”
“I did,” I reply sadly. “I’m going to come in.”
“See you soon.”
I hang up, get dressed, and arrive at the hospital half an hour later. It’s three in the morning and it’s cold.
It’s always sad saying goodbye to a patient, but tonight it seems especially lonely.
With no children, and her husband and family all deceased, Gloria is totally alone.
She has been in hospital for fourteen weeks without a single visitor.
I can’t imagine not having family around me when it all ends. I park my car and take the elevator
with a heavy heart. Gloria knows she’s dying. She will know that I’m coming to say goodbye.
I walk up the hall toward her room and approach the door with a frown on my face when I see someone else in the room.
Ashley is with her, and I stop and stand by the door for a moment as I listen to them talk.
“I don’t want to die alone,” Gloria whispers.
“You won’t.” Ashley smiles as she leans over her and brushes the hair back from her face. “I won’t leave you. I will stay until the end.”
Gloria’s sad eyes hold Ashley’s. “Do you promise?” she whispers.
Ashley smiles and kisses the back of Gloria’s hand. “I promise.”
I frown at the floor as I listen.