Chapter 37
Stella
“Can I get you some more ice?” I asked Miles as he lay in bed.
“No. But you can give me my son.” He smiled, holding out his arms.
I handed Brayden to him.
“How are you feeling?” I climbed on the bed next to him.
“Not too bad, considering my manhood got snipped.”
“It was for the greater good.” I smiled, kissing his lips. “You’ll be okay, big guy.”
“Where’s Ben?”
“Downstairs with Melissa. She’s playing with him. Are you emotionally okay?” I asked.
“What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“Knowing you can’t produce any more children. Sometimes, for men, it can cause depression, stress, and even anxiety knowing what was done to them. After all, your manhood is a huge part of you, and I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I appreciate it, baby.” He leaned over and kissed me. “I’m fine with the fact that you forced me into making sure we never have more children.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“You’re an asshole.”
“Language in front of the child,” he said. “I’m kidding you, sweetheart. I’m good. And knowing that I don’t have to worry every time I come in that beautiful pussy of yours is a good feeling. Ouch.” He placed his hand over the fabric of his underwear. “I think I’ll take that ice now.”
“You need to stop thinking about sex.” I smirked, climbing off the bed.
“You do know who you’re talking to, right?”
“Yes.” I leaned over, kissed his lips, and took the baby. “I’ll be right back with your ice.”
* * *
Having two children under the age of two was exhausting, but we were grateful we found Melissa when we did. She was a nanny for six months for Jerome and Renae Rich. As far as I was concerned, they were worse than the Kensington’s, and their three children were monsters.
I had put it out there in the nanny circle that I was thinking about hiring a nanny for us. When my nanny friend Yasmin called me and told me that Melissa was sobbing one day in the park, I knew I had to intervene. She was twenty-three years old and moved out of her parent’s house in Long Island and moved to the city with her best friend. She dreamed of becoming a real estate agent, working for one of the many prestigious property companies in New York. She had experience with children, being the oldest of eight, and with parents who both worked. The Rich’s hired her because they were desperate, and word in the nanny circle hadn’t gotten to poor Melissa yet.
I visited the park one day with Ben. Melissa and I met and instantly clicked. I offered her more money than she was getting paid, and Miles was generous enough to pay for her health insurance. Now, I was known in the social circle as the nanny-stealing thief. Did I care? Not at all. I laughed about it, and so did Miles. I knew our time was limited with her because, one day, she’d get her real estate license and leave us for bigger and better things. That was okay, though. I wanted her to succeed and would help her in any way possible.
While my poor husband was in bed with an ice pack on his balls, I asked Melissa if she wanted to go shopping on Fifth Avenue. We got the children ready and climbed into the Escalade. I sat in the front, and Melissa sat in the back with the kids.
“Let me know when you’re ready to go home.” Sean smiled as he took the double stroller from the back and set it up.
“Thanks, Sean.”
We went into Saks to look around. As we were shopping through the racks, Renae Rich walked over.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Stella Bradshaw.” Her eyes raked over me. “And you, Melissa.” Her tone was snobby.
“Hello, Renae.” I smiled. “Shopping for anything special?”
“Not really. Spending your husband’s money?”
“Where are the children?” I asked and ignored her question.
“Please. I don’t bring my children shopping. I have hired help for that. I don’t need the aggravation while I’m trying to shop for myself. Stella, I don’t want to bring this up, but nobody else in the circle has enough guts to.”
“Okay?”
“You will never be accepted in our social circle. I mean, come on. You were a nanny, for goodness sake. I’m not quite sure why Miles Bradshaw chose you. Aren’t you from Florida or something?”
“I am from Florida.” I gracefully smiled even though I wanted to rip her face off.
“A Florida girl who sunk her claws into a billionaire and made sure she had children so she’d be set for life.”
I looked at Melissa, who was standing there a nervous wreck, holding her phone.
“And then you go and steal our nanny right out from under us. You are nothing but a trashy Florida nanny-stealing thief who married a man to gain social status. We all know that you most likely fabricated a story that you were pregnant to get Miles to marry you the first time. But then he found out the truth and had your marriage annulled. Then you sucked him right back in when you found out you were pregnant with little Benjamin. That child probably isn’t even his. You listen to me. We don’t deal with trash like you. You are not a part of our circle, nor will you ever be.”
That was it. My hormones were still flying high from the pregnancy, and I couldn’t stand looking at her anymore. Taking my right fist, it accidentally hit her jaw and flew across her face. Melissa jumped and covered her mouth with her hand. The kids started to cry, and Renae Rich fell into a rack of clothes and onto the ground.
“How’d you like that, Renae?” I stood over her. “Florida trashy enough for you?”
“My nose. I think you broke my nose!” she screamed.
“Good. You needed a nose job to fix that botched job anyway.”
Several sales associates ran toward us, and so did security.
“She did this! She did this!” Renae profusely yelled, pointing at me. “Call the police. I’m pressing charges against that psychopath.”
“Mrs. Bradshaw, come with me.” Charles, the security guard, took hold of my arm.
“Melissa, you have Sean’s number. Call him right now and have him pick you and the kids up and go to the park,” I shouted as Charles led me through the store. I turned my head. “And whatever you do, don’t mention this to him. Make something up. I’ll be fine.”
He sat me in a room and kept an eye on me, so I didn’t escape.
“What were you thinking, Mrs. Bradshaw?” He handed me an ice pack for my knuckles.
“Besides how badly I wanted to rip that gold-digging bitch’s head off?” I cocked my head. “You know how they are, Charles. I’m not like them.”
“I know.” He shook his head. “She said she’s pressing charges, so the police will be here soon.”
“Great.” I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t surprised. Now, I gave the social circle more ammunition to hate me, not that I cared.
The door opened, and two police officers stepped in.
“Are you Mrs. Stella Bradshaw, ma’am?”
“Yes, I am.” I stood up.
“Did you assault one Mrs. Renae Rich?”
“Yes, I did.” I stood proud and tall. “If you’re going to arrest me, please don’t handcuff me and walk me out the back entrance. I will cooperate and go with you.”
“Ma’am, we?—”
“Please. I’m asking you nicely. I’ve already caused a scene here. Let’s not cause another one.” I bit down on my bottom lip.
“Fine. We’ll go out the back entrance of the store. But if you try anything funny?—”
“I won’t. I promise.”
The one police officer brought the car around to the back of the store, and I climbed into the backseat. Not only was I a nanny-stealing thief, but now I was a nanny-stealing thief felon. How could I lose control like that? What would Miles think of me now? The thought swirled in my head. This wasn’t just about me. This was also about how it would reflect on him.
“Step behind the line,” one of the officers spoke.
Great. They were taking my mugshot. I smiled as I held up the placard. Why not? Once they finished booking me, I asked for my one phone call. Dialing Miles’s number, he answered.
“Miles Bradshaw.”
“Hey, you. It’s me. Your wife who loves you so much.”
“Stella? Are you okay?”
“Well, no. I’m in jail, 24th precinct.
“JAIL!” he shouted. “Where are the kids?”
“They’re with Melissa at the park.”
“Ma’am, your time is up,” the officer said.
I held up one finger to him.
“Miles, I’m being charged with assault.”