"How could I not?"


    Grace''s face shifted, but she quickly pulled herself together. "I''m just looking out for you. After all, when you were little, you called me Aunt Grace."


    She gave Reese a pitying look. "You lost your mom so young. Growing up as an orphan in someone else''s house all these years, that couldn''t have been easy."


    Reese''s expression went ice-cold. "Grace, you don''t get to talk about my mom. How does it feel, climbing higher by stepping over her grave? Aren''t you afraid she''lle back to haunt you at night?"


    Reese''s mother, Marie, and Grace had grown up together like sisters. When Grace married the wrong guy, it was Marie who protected her, running around with a baby on the way, findingwyers, fighting her battles.


    And the moment Grace got divorced, she wasted no time hooking up with Reese''s father Bailey, and then she got pregnant with Sofia.


    Grace''s smile froze, something dark flickering in her eyes, but she kept her cool. "Reese, there''s no need to be so harsh."


    "Bailey only feels a little guilty toward you. If you''d juste home, even that would fade."


    "You think I care?" Reese let out a coldugh. "He cheated on his pregnant wife and brought his mistress into the house. And I''m supposed to care about his guilt?


    "Besides, he signed an agreement when he divorced my mom. All his assets are mine. Everything you''ve spent these years, I''ll make sure you pay it all back."


    "Reese!"


    Grace was shaking with anger, but before she could explode, the elevator dinged and opened. Sofia and Sebastian stepped out.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?" Sofia hurried over when she saw Grace''s pale face, putting herself between them.


    "Reese, I know you''re upset because of me and Sebastian. If you''re angry,e at me. Don''t take it out on my mom."


    Reese nced at the two of them. "She''s not even worth the effort."


    She turned to leave, but Sebastian spoke. "Reese, you''re being ridiculous."


    He looked at her, disappointment written all over his face. "Don''t alwayspare yourself to Sofia. Al isn''t as easy as you think."


    "Just go home, take care of yourself and the baby, and let''s leave it at that." He paused, then added, "I know you''re angry. I''ll go with you to your next checkup."


    Reese stared at him, suddenly finding itughable.


    She''d already ended the pregnancy. Did he really think she was still waiting for him to pretend to care?


    "Robbie likes Sofia more anyway. He''s happier when she''s around."


    "Robbie is your son," Sebastian said, his tone heavy. "You shouldn''t let someone else look after him. Sofia doesn''t owe him anything, and she shouldn''t be stuck in a hospital. She deserves a bigger world."


    Reese felt her nose sting.


    So in his mind, Sofia deserved the world, while she was just someone to be tied down by a contract, giving up her future to circle around a husband who didn''t love her and a son who wished she was someone else.


    "I''m not going back." Reese''s gaze was steady. "Sebastian, I already wasted seven years on you. How many seven years do people get? I want a life of my own."


    "You''re still pregnant," Sebastian said, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "I promise, after you have the baby, you can do whatever you want."


    Reese felt like her heart was being cut open, every part of her aching.


    Sebastian and Sofia were acting like the perfect couple in the Ratcliff family. They could have a child of their own, but he still treated her like a vessel, just someone to bear his child.


    "You really care about this baby?" Reese suddenly smiled.


    "Of course," Sebastian answered, not understanding what she found so funny.


    She met his eyes and said, "Then keep Sofia away from me. Or... I can''t promise what I''ll do."