Simms might be furious now, but Yulia knew this would pass. Still, if anything happened to Violet, it would be like losing her own wings. She was pushing fifty- it wasn''t as if she could just have another child at her age.


    "Fine, I''ll bail you out," Yulia said atst, her voice tight. "But from now on, you do exactly as I say."


    Lately, she''d found Violet harder and harder to keep in line-and she knew


    exactly why. With McNeil as her backer, Violet''s attitude had grown more arrogant, too.


    "I''ll do whatever you say. Just save me, Mom."


    Elsewhere in Evermore City, Victoria was sprawled on her couch, her belly round and heavy. Pregnancy had made herzier than ever, and she could barely stay awake these days.


    After sleeping nearly the entire day, she woke to a racketing from the apartment next door.


    She remembered when she''d moved in, the ce across the hall had been empty. Now, the noise was enough to give her a headache.


    Yasmine heard it too. "I''ll go check what''s going on."


    Victoria nodded. "If it''s a new neighbor, maybe take a little wee gift."


    Yasmine opened the door, and the moment she saw the man standing outside, she froze.


    McNeil was there, overseeing movers as they lugged furniture into the apartment across the hall.


    Yasmine''s mouth opened and closed; she had no idea what to say.


    "Is it a new neighbor?" Victoria called out, rising carefully from her chaise lounge.


    Yasmine had no choice but to turn back and help her.


    "What is it?" Victoria asked, puzzled by Yasmine''s silence.


    Then she spotted the sharply dressed man at the door, his eyes so soft she practically felt the goosebumps break out across her skin.


    "McNeil, what the hell are you doing here?"


    He looked at her, unbothered. "I bought the ce across from yours. You''re pregnant, Victoria. You shouldn''t be alone. If you don''t want to see me all the time, that''s fine-I promise I won''t bother you."


    Victoria felt a headache throbbing at her temples. She almost wanted to cry. How could he just move in next door and im he wouldn''t be a bother?


    "McNeil, are you trying to drive me out?"


    She sagged against Yasmine, who nearly lost her bnce trying to support her. McNeil stepped forward and caught Victoria in his arms without hesitation.


    "Careful. You''re pregnant. One wrong move, and you or the baby could be in danger. Victoria, could you please stop being so stubborn?"


    He frowned, clearly struggling to leave her here alone and pregnant.


    "If you like Stein so much, why isn''t he the one taking care of you? I''m the real father of your child, Victoria. Do you honestly think some other man will care about you the way I do?"


    Victoria pushed him away, face icy. "None of this is your concern. This is my life. And you''d better not stay here, McNeil. Because if you do, you''ll wake up tomorrow and I''ll be gone."


    McNeil''s stubbornness red.


    "We''ve been together long enough for you to know: wherever you go, I can buy the ce next door. Unless you n on buying out the whole neighborhood, Victoria, you''re not getting rid of me."


    He was infuriating-so domineering and yet heartbreakingly sincere. Victoria didn''t have the strength to argue with him.


    "I heard you got married. To Violet. So, what, you cheat on me while we were together, and now that you''re married to her, you''re nning to cheat on her too? Is that your thing, McNeil? One woman at home and another on the side? Keeps things exciting for you?"


    McNeil''s expression darkened.


    "Victoria, do you even hear what you''re saying?"


    His jaw clenched so hard she could hear his teeth grind. What did she mean, he liked cheating on his wife?


    If she hadn''t demanded a divorce again and again, he never would have left her in the first ce.


    "I''m not married to Violet."


    Victoria''s eyes remained cold. Like she cared-what did that have to do with her?


    "You should thank Osborn. If it weren''t for him, I still wouldn''t know you ran off with my child."


    Victoria''s face clouded over.


    No wonder he hadn''te around to stir up troubletely. Normally, he thrived on drama, especially when Lyndon and the others were visiting-he''d always have something outrageous to say, just to rile them up.


    "So Osborn''s the one who told you?"


    Great. She hadn''t even realized she had a traitor in her midst.


    So, when exactly had Osborn started teaming up with McNeil?


    "If he hadn''t told me, were you really nning to marry someone else and raise my son as another man''s child?"


    McNeil''s tone was icy. He''d circled back to the point, and Victoria knew she couldn''t win this argument, so she gave in.


    "If you insist on looking after me, fine. But you''re in charge of all my meals from now on. And once the baby''s born, you''re just Uncle McNeil. You are not to tell him you''re his father."


    McNeil stared at her in disbelief. "Excuse me?"


    Victoria folded her arms. "If you dare tell anyone we were ever married, I''ll marry


    Stein and bring the baby with me."


    McNeil was livid. "Don''t you dare-"


    "Try me," she shot back.