"Likewise, when you came to me, if I hadn''t already known about your little n with James, do you think I would have kept you around this long?"
Patti fell silent. She realized that in this game, she was the only fool.
She had fallen for James''s sweet talk, believing that one day she would be Mrs. Mercer and that he would help free her father from his troubles abroad. Only after returning to the country for two months did she discover that James was merely using her as a pawn against Hawthorne, a move he had nned all along. James had exploited a loophole in immigration records to book her a flight, making it seem like she was just arriving from overseas so that Hawthorne would pick her up from the airport.
This supposedly seamless n had been seen through by Hawthorne from the very beginning.
She never imagined that both men were just using her as cannon fodder to attack each other. And now, it was clear that Hawthorne had the upper hand, as he had been aware of all of James''s schemes.
Patti''s fingernails dug into her palms. She had no leverage with Hawthorne. For the past six months, she had been nothing more than a toy for both men-one who used her body, the other who used her as a weapon.
"I''m done, Hawthorne. I''m telling James everything. No matter what, at least the baby I''m carrying is his. He won''t abandon me, for the child''s sake. You have no feelings for me; you just used me. Do you really think I''ll let you get away with it? You want your three million back? Fine. I''m sure James will be more than happy to pay it once I tell him everything. After all, you''ve been taking care of his unborn child for him, haven''t you?"
Patti thought this threat would give her the upper hand, but Hawthorne remained even calmer than she was.
"Are you sure you want to use that to threaten me? And are you really so certain that James will take responsibility for the child in your womb? You''ve met his wife. Compared to her, do you honestly think you stand a chance of recing her?"
The disdain on Hawthorne''s face was palpable. Patti''s logic truly was something else.
"I met his wife yesterday. She''s nothing but a crazy shrew. James and his wife still don''t have a son. If I''m carrying a boy, he''ll definitely marry me."
Hawthorne''s unnervingly calm expression made Patti''s confidence waver.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong?"
Hawthorne spoke slowly,
deliberately. If you don''t believe me, you can try it for yourself. Call James, talk to him, and see if he''s willing to im the child. Use that brilliant mind of yours on him Tell him you''re dane with me, that you see no future by my side. Hasn''t he just signed a multi-billion dor deal? Lay out all your desires for him. Let him know you want to be with him and kick me to the curb. Then, see how he reacts. After that, you cane back and we''ll talk."
Hawthorne slowly blew a smoke ring.
"If James even considers taking you back, let alone acknowledging his child, I''ll admit defeat. Not only will I forgive the three million you owe me, but I''ll also give your and James''s child a very generous gift."
Hawthorne watched her with an air of detached amusement, a chilling coldness in
his eyes. He looked at her and asked, "So, what will it be?"
Patti stared at Hawthorne,
att
trembling. What he had just
described was exactly what she had been nning. She wanted to test James to seef that path was stille open to her. But she had made the mistake of testing Hawthorne first, and he had seen right through her, leaving her with a result she never anticipated.
She was finally seeing how formidable Hawthorne truly was. He was not someone she could manipte.
"You don''t scare me, Hawthorne. This is James''s child. He won''t abandon us."
Despite her words, her voicecked all conviction. Hawthorne stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "I''m leaving now, I can either take y the hospital to get your face checked, or you can wait for @ames. The choice is yours."