Celeste’s POV
+26 BONUS
“please, stop the car.” Ryan said, the friendliness slipping from lil voice. “You can spend your Saturday with your ez husband by yourself.”
I glanced at his clenched jaw and furrowed brows. Was he getting angry?
“I won’t be long. We can pick up something for breakfast afterwards and eat at the studio.” I said, taking a turn.
“Please, just let me out her, Celeste.” He said, not even looking my way, “I’ll continue investigating Julie’s tampered order.”
Everything about this felt wrong.
I pulled off to the side of a quiet suburban street and switched on my hazard lights. Turning in my seat, I studied his face as he unbuckled.
“Ryan, what’s the matter? I swear I won’t be more than ten minutes at Damien’s house.”
That’s when I saw it, a flash of jealousy across his face when I said my ex husband’s name. It was glaringly obvious.
Ryan, jealous of Damien? It made no sense.
“I’m just concerned about how Vanessa is treating Bonnie. She was pretending to be overly kind at pickup yesterday and it made me feel uneasy.” I explained, slightly flustered. “The house is a block over. I’ll be quick.”
“I’ll always encourage you to look out for your daughter, Celeste.” He opened the car door and finally turned back to look at me. His jade green eyes were sincere, but distant. “Now isn’t a convenient time for me to pay the happy family a visit. You go, and I’ll head to work.”
Ryan stepped out and closed the door gently. I watched him walk down the street in my sideview mirror, answering a phone call as he went.
“Snap out of it, Celeste.” I dragged my eyes to the road and started the engine. “You’re supposed to be focusing on your daughter and career, not hoping your assistant turns back for god knows what reason.”
I sped away and parked my car a house down from Damien’s. My body pulsed with a jittery energy as I walked up to the house. I hadn’t been here once since I left with just a suitcase on my wedding day, not even to fetch the rest of my clothes or keepsakes from my youth.
I peered through the fence, jarred by the alien feel of the courtyard Vanessa had completely redesigned the space, and a lot had changed.
Still, the biggest change was me.
“Why are you so slow? I’m four months pregnant and I move faster than you!” Vanessa’s high–pitched screech became louder as she strutted into the garden, arms folded crossly.
I stepped into the shadows of the lush trees, my temper rising when I realized who she’d been berating. Bonnie walked out behind her, struggling under the weight of an overflowing box.
“Put that here,” she snapped, pointing at a table. “This place is not even almost ready for the gender reveal party.”
“But it’s too high.“.Bonnie complained, struggling to lift the box up to the table.
Vanessa rolled her eyes and ripped it out of the little girl’s hands, dumping it so loudly on the table that my daughter flinched.
“There, was that so hard? God, I have to do everything around here” She muttered, rummaging through the box.
So, this was how Vanessa behaved less than twenty–four hours after her heartfelt apology and promise to treat Bonnie with love? Hell no. I quietly fished my phone from my handbag and started recording.
1/3
Chapter Eighty tour
*25 BONUT
Finally, a chance to prove this two faced bitch’s true nature.
“Blow these up,” she said, tossing a packet and hand pump at Bote. “I need to test my feet.”
I rolled my eyes. It would probably help if she gave the stilettos a beak while she was pregnant.
Bonnie looked at the packet. “But Auntie Vanés-”
“Excuse me? What are you supposed to call ine?” Vanessa glared her.
Rage flooded my veins. I wanted to bust in there and slap the sneer off her face, but the recording was too important. With this evidence, I had a chance of winning the custody battle and saving my daughter.
Bonnie looked at her with wide eyes. “But M–mommy, there’s one hundred balloons in here. I won’t be able to blow them all before the party.”
Vanessa bent to speak in her face.
“Celeste is dating that loser now and will probably have another baby..If you don’t work hard and keep your mouth shut, who’s going to want you?” She said, voice low and menacing.
Tears welled in Bonnie’s eyes. “Mommy said she only wants to live with me.”
“Oh, please.” Vanessa scoffed cruelly. “Your father loves the baby in my belly more than you, and Celeste will be the same. You’ll be nothing but extra baggage.”
My hands shook with outrage and I battled to keep my phone steady as I finally recorded Vanessa’s abuse. Bonnie fought back her tears and set to work pumping balloons with all her might.
“That’s a good girl.” Vanessa patted her head, then turned back to head inside. “If you pump all one hundred balloons in time, I’ll let you have some cake.”
Bonnie gave her a timid nod and pumped faster.
“Celeste?” A surprised voice called from behind me. “What are you doing skulking around in the bushes?”
