Meadow’s POV:


    All the breath escaped my lungs.


    Together.


    In.


    Vegas.


    They were together in Vegas and she asked him to let her go? Right after ric had picked a fight with


    me and made me feel stupid for wanting my sister to be released?


    I had never seen ric get drunk before, but he did with Yvonne. And he told her things that he wasn’t


    supposed to.


    To the public eye, ric was supposed to be in love with me. And that included Yvonne and his family.


    Getting drunk with his ex was not only disrespectful, but embarrassing.


    Did they… Did he touch her? Fuck her?


    Bile rose up my throat.


    No. He wouldn’t do that.


    “Oh god, Meadow…” Yvonne whispered, mming her palm over her mouth. “I didn’t mean to. I thought he must’ve mentioned it to you already.”


    For a moment, I was quiet. My insides were raging, but I maintained a calmness I didn’t know I was capable of. I picked up my drink, and took the first sip.


    I swallowed, holding the ss up to re into it. I hated it. I hated the taste of cranberries, and right now, it even tasted more like bile on my tongue. But I took another sip, and another. Until I had nearly downed everything.


    And then I dropped the ss back onto the table, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Yvonne would use a napkin, but I wasn’t her.


    And I didn’t care about being her anymore.


    Fuck her. Fuck ric.


    Worry flickered across my aunt’s face. Fake worry, probably. If she was so eager to tell me that she was with ric, then she couldn’t have been too worried that I seemed upset.


    “Nothing happened, okay? I swear it. I would never…” she sighed. “I would never do that to you, Meadow. I


    love you so much.”


    I looked down at the ss. “Do you still love him?” The words croaked out of my throat before I even


    realized I was speaking.


    “What?” Yvonne asked, feigning ignorance.


    “You heard me, Yvonne. I need to know that I don’t have <i>to </i>worry about you eventually ruining everything and running your mouth all because of your feelings for ric.” I paused, swallowing. “So, do you still love him? Do you have feelings for him?”


    She didn’t say anything at first, and my stomach twisted with dread as I waited for her response. I tried to convince myself that I was just trying to protect myself, but the truth was I didn’t know what I was scared of the most–ric finding out about my father, or Yvonne being in love with him. And even worse, ric being in love with her too.


    Yvonne’s throat bobbed as she swallowed, and my gaze dropped to her hands–she was nervously wringing them.


    And then, she finally spoke. “Meadow… you have to understand that I was with ric during a very dark time in his life. He wasn’t always like this, you know? He could feel. But then, all of a sudden, he couldn’t.


    And that was when I came into the picture.”


    My throat tightened.


    “What we had was… it was real. Until it wasn’t, I suppose. And even though I’m the one to me, he also-”


    “That’s not what I asked,” I snapped, unable to take it anymore. Unable to listen to her stories of how in love they were with each other. I’d heard it from Ingrid this morning, and I wasn’t going to sit here and


    listen to more. “Do. You. Love. Him?”


    “I always held hope that we woulde back together one day, but then I found out he was getting married, and I found out it was you and I just…” she sighed. “I do have feelings for him, Meadow.”


    A soft gasp escaped my mouth. I expected this answer already, but hearing it out loud just… my chest


    panged


    “But he doesn’t, okay?” She started to reach for my hands but I snatched them from the table. “ric has you now, and that’s what matters. And I know you’re worried about me telling him about us, but I won’t.”


    “That doesn’t change the fact that you still have feelings for my husband and his mother keeps saying your damn name in my ears. Why did youe back here? Because you found out he was getting


    married?”


    She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”


    Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I arched a brow. “Okay. Now you know ric’s married to me. So


    why are you still here? And why was Ingrid talking about you living with her?<b>” </b>


    This time, a small grin pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Well, I just expanded your mom’s boutique business, to Lousiana two years ago, and now, I’m opening up shop here in Seattle. I wish you’de for the official opening.”


    My lips parted. My mom used to own a boutique–not that she needed it to make money. Though I suppose that was why she never took it serious. Yvonne used to talk about reopening it and making it into something bigger.


    And it looked like she seeded on that front.


    However, the fact that I was proud of her didn’t numb that feeling in my chest.


    “And about Ingrid… you have to admit, she’s a bit lonely in that house all by herself. But she’s like a mother to me, so…”


    I scoffed, looking away from her.


    Of course Ingrid treated her like she was her daughter. She said it herself. Yvonne was supposed to be her daughter–inw.


    God.


    How the fuck did I get caught up in all this? And why wasn’t I dusting my hands and feet and backing out


    of the contract?


    No.


    I couldn’t leave. That would just make me look weak. If I left, Ingrid, Yvonne, Juniper, and even Tyler


    would win. I couldn’t let them win.


    I would not let them win.


    Yvonne checked her wristwatch, eyes widening slightly. “Oh my, I have to meet up with my manager!” Her gaze darted to me. “We should-”


    “I’ll take care of the bill,” I cut in. “You can go. But there’s one more favor I need you to do for me.”


    Yvonne raised her brows expectantly. “Of course. Anything for you, Meadow.”


    Running my hand through my hair, I leaned forward, sporting a small smirk on my face even as my jaw


    ticked.


    And, lowering my voice, I <b>said</b>:


    “Stay the fuck away from me and my husband.”


    Yvonne jerked back, a soft <b>gasp </b>escaping her mouth as her eyes widened. She wasn’t expecting that, and


    it made the look on her face even more priceless.


    Something shed in her eyes and she started to frown, but then she forced a smile that didn’t reach her


    eyes.


    “Course,” she murmured. “I’ll send you both a special invite <i>to </i>my opening soon. Hoping to see you,


    Meadow.”


    And then she stood up and walked away from the table. I didn’t turn <i>to </i>watch her leave, I just sat there,


    my heart beating a thousand miles per second.


    If that was what being territorial felt like, then holy hell…


    That was fucking exhrating.


    Despite myself, I felt a smile tug at both sides of my mouth. But that smile disappeared the moment I saw that disrespectful waiter approach me with an iPad in hand.


    He smirked at me. “Did you enjoy your time here, Miss?”


    “Mrs.” I bit out, snatching the bill from his hand. After I paid, he walked back to the counter to confirm


    and then returned with the receipt.


    His fingers intentionally grazed mine as he handed it to me, and when I shot him a re, he winked at me. And it was only after he walked away that I looked down at the receipt. And I saw it.


    The numbers–his phone number–that had been written behind the paper, along with a note:


    ‘No marriage is ever that serious, beautiful.‘


    I crumbled the piece of paper in my hand, feeling red hot anger rise up my chest, along with annoyance. I should’ve gone to speak to his manager about this, but I didn’t.


    Because all of a sudden, a brilliant idea popped in my mind.


    Feeling a little defiant, I uncrumpled the paper, folded it neatly, and then secretly stuck it into my bra.


    If ric felt like he could do whatever he wanted, then so could I


    X