Chapter 23 #2
Easton shook his head, pacing the floor. “You don’t understand what you’re setting yourself up for. Vaughn isn’t someone you can just shut out. When he finds out—and he will find out—there’s going to be hell to pay.”
I flinched at his words, the fear I’d been burying creeping back in. “Then I’ll fight him,” I whispered, more to myself than to Easton. “I’ll fight him for custody, for everything.”
Easton stopped pacing and looked at me, his expression softening. “And what if he doesn’t fight fair, Joey? What then?”
I swallowed hard, my hand tightening over my stomach protectively. “Then I’ll burn it all down before I let him take this baby from me.”
He shook his head. “I think you should tell him.”
“Easton, I love you and you’re my best friend, but this is mine to tell.”
“I understand. Can I at least help you fix up the nursery? That baby you’re carrying will be my niece or nephew.”
I smiled. “I was hoping you would.”
The next few weeks passed in a blur of paint fumes, furniture deliveries, and the constant hum of preparation.
I painted the nursery blue after the doctor confirmed what I’d suspected—I was having a boy.
As I organized the room, I made sure the door stayed firmly closed whenever my parents visited.
I wore loose sweaters, hiding the evidence of my growing belly, and Easton kept his promise, saying nothing to anyone.
But I knew, deep down, that my secret couldn’t stay hidden forever.
It happened sooner than I thought. Early November. I’d just come back from grocery shopping, lugging heavy bags from the trunk, when the unmistakable sound of a car engine caught my attention. I turned, my heart sinking as a sleek black Mercedes pulled into my driveway. And I knew.
Vaughn stepped out, his long black wool coat billowing around him. He was as handsome as ever, but the charm he once held over me had long since worn off.
“Josephine,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
I placed the bags back into the trunk, standing my ground. “What do you want, Vaughn?”
He raised his hand, silencing me before I could say more. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?”
I smirked, even though my heart was racing. “It took you longer than I expected. I figured you’d have help.”
I knew Easton had been pressing me to tell Vaughn about the baby, but I never thought he’d actually betray me.
“I did,” Vaughn admitted, his eyes dark with frustration. “Easton gave me quite the lecture. Jesus, Josephine, why would you keep something like this from me?”
My mouth dropped open in shock. “I don’t owe you anything, Vaughn.”
I turned to walk away, but as my coat flapped open in the wind, my swollen belly was exposed. Vaughn’s eyes locked onto it, and he stepped closer, reaching out as if to touch me. I pulled back.
“That’s my baby,” he whispered, the possessiveness in his voice chilling. “My son.”
I clenched my jaw, biting back the urge to scream. Of course Easton told him it was a boy. He’d been there when I painted the nursery.
“You threw us away, Vaughn,” I spat, my voice trembling with anger. “You manipulated me, used me, all for your own selfish gain. How could you just show up here and think I’d let you back into my life? Into our lives?”
His frown deepened, eyes narrowing into the calculating stare I knew too well. “As far as my son is concerned, you don’t have a choice. I’ll fight you for custody, and I’ll win.”
I laughed, the sound bitter and sharp. “You think so? I’m not the poor, naive Joey Shaw anymore. I’m Josephine Ashworth, billionaire. Take me to court, Vaughn, and see how far you get. I’ll have an army of character witnesses, all ready to testify to your toxic personality.”
He stepped closer, his jaw clenched. “You’ve seen the pictures, haven’t you? All the women.”
I nodded, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, I’ve seen them. The gossip rags love you. You’re the East Coast’s most eligible bachelor, parading around with a new woman every week. You think that makes you look good in front of a judge?”
Suddenly, Vaughn grabbed my arm, pulling me toward him with more force than necessary. His grip was tight, almost painful, but I refused to show him fear.
“I haven’t slept with any of them,” he hissed, his voice low and desperate. “Because I can’t stop thinking about you. Goddamn you, Joey! You’ve been in my head for years.”
I met his gaze, my voice cold. “You had me once. And look what you did. You Ashworths ruin everything you touch.”
He glared at me, his jaw tightening. “What about Colson?”
“Colson redeemed himself,” I said quietly. “But you? You’re too manipulative, too self-serving. You’ll ruin our child if I let you in. I won’t let your poison near us.”
His grip tightened, his eyes blazing with fury. “You have no choice, Josephine. That’s my child. And I’ll do whatever it takes to be a part of his life.”
I pulled free from his grasp, my voice trembling with barely contained rage. “We’ll see about that.”
The house was quiet as I unpacked the groceries, the rhythm of my actions soothing the chaos inside my head. Vaughn’s visit had left me rattled, but I couldn’t let him get to me. Not now. Not with so much at stake.
My phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen, and my stomach twisted when I saw Simone’s name. She hadn’t called me in several days.
I quickly tossed the ice cream in the freezer and answered. “Simone.”
“Joey,” her voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it. “I heard Vaughn found you.”
I swallowed, my grip tightening around the phone. “He did.”
“And?”
I walked into the living room, my feet sinking into the plush carpet as I sat down on the couch. “He knows. Easton told him.”
Simone let out a long sigh. “I figured it would come out sooner or later.”
“What do you want, Simone?” I asked, my voice clipped. I wasn’t in the mood for whatever lecture or guilt trip she had prepared. Simone rarely called for no reason, especially not with three hours between us. I hadn’t seen her since before I moved here.
“I’m fucking pissed you didn’t tell us about the baby. Why Easton and not me?”
I sighed. “He figured it out and I had to tell him. I wanted to wait to tell everyone.”
“I want to know why you’re doing this.” Her tone wasn’t angry, but there was an undercurrent of frustration. “You’ve been hiding out in Mystic for months. Did you really think Vaughn wouldn’t come looking for you?”
“I didn’t ask for this,” I snapped, my hand instinctively moving to my belly. “I didn’t ask to be pregnant with his child. And I’m sure as hell not going to let him ruin my life—or my son’s.”
Simone was silent for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was softer. “Joey, you can’t keep this up forever. It’s not sustainable. Vaughn’s not just going to walk away.”
“I don’t want him to be a part of this,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “He’s toxic. You know that as well as I do.”
“But he’s the father.” Simone’s words slammed into me hard. “You can’t just erase him from the equation.”
“I can try.” The words sounded hollow, even to me.
Simone sighed, a weary sound that reminded me she wasn’t the enemy here. “He’ll fight you, and he has the resources to make your life a living hell. Is that really what you want? To spend the next however many years in court, battling over your son?”
I stared out the window, the early November light casting long shadows across the lawn. The idea of Vaughn dragging me through a custody battle made me sick to my stomach, but the thought of letting him near my child was worse.
“I don’t trust him,” I finally said, my voice trembling. “I don’t trust him with anything, let alone my baby. He’s manipulative, Simone. You’ve seen it. He’ll twist everything to his advantage.”
Simone was quiet on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I thought she’d hung up. But then she spoke, her voice calm, measured. “You’re right. Vaughn can be ruthless. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to know his son. You can’t keep the baby from him forever.”
“I’m not keeping the baby from him,” I argued, though we both knew that wasn’t entirely true. “I’m protecting my child.”
“And how long do you think you can do that?” she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Eventually, Vaughn’s going to get legal rights, and when that happens, it’s going to be out of your hands. You won’t have a say anymore, Joey.”
I pressed my lips together, refusing to let the panic rise in my chest. “I’ll figure something out.”
“You can’t do this alone,” Simone said quietly. “You’re going to need help. And Vaughn—whether you like it or not—he’s part of this now.”
A lump formed in my throat. The last thing I wanted was for Vaughn to be involved in my life any more than he already was. But Simone was right. There was no escaping this, not entirely.
“I need more time,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. “I just… I need time to think.”
Simone’s voice softened again. “I get it, Joey. I do. But you’re running out of time. Vaughn’s not the kind of man to let things go. If you don’t figure something out soon, he’s going to take matters into his own hands.”
“I know,” I admitted, feeling the weight of the truth settle heavily on my shoulders. “But I’m not ready to face him. Not yet.”
Simone sighed, her frustration tempered with understanding. “Just be careful, okay? Now that he knows, it’s a whole different game. Don’t underestimate him.”
“I won’t,” I said, though I wasn’t entirely sure that was true. Vaughn had already proven that he was willing to fight for what he wanted—and he wasn’t going to let me go without a struggle.
As we ended the call, I sat back on the couch, the silence of the house pressing in around me. I glanced down at my belly, feeling the faint stirrings of life within me.
This was my son. My future. I wouldn’t let Vaughn take that away from me. But deep down, I knew Simone was right. I couldn’t hide put him off forever.
And sooner or later, I was going to have to face Vaughn again.
But not on his terms. Not this time.