Chapter 71
ALEXANDER
I’d finally found a way to make Raina stay with me. She could call me every name under the sun, curse me to hell and back, but it didn’t matter. I was done being passive, done sitting on the sidelines while she slipped further away. Raina belonged with me–even if it was the last thing she wanted to admit. Even if it was the last thing she did
The doctor had mentioned Liam’s discharge, and I’d planned everything carefully. I’d stayed away from the hospital when I lovew she’d be there, keeping out of her sight while waiting for the right moment to make my move. That moment came early this morning, just hours before she was supposed to arrive.
And now, as expected, Raina stormed into the mansion, thankfully, without that boy toy of hers, clinging to her like a leech. I could almost feel the heat of her anger from across the room. Her voice cut through the silence as she yelled for me, her tone sharp enough to slice steel.
I stepped into the room, calm and composed, even as she hurled prodanities in my direction. Her words didn’t faze me. Il anything, they fueled my determination. I leaned casually against the doorframe and said, “I thought you’d be here sooner.”
Her eyes blazed with fury, but I didn’t give her a chance to respond. I straightened, brushing off invisible line from my sleeve, and added smoothly,” Would you like some coffee? I have a fresh pot brewing”
Her face was a mix of disbelief and rage, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I had the upper hand. But Raine wasn’t having it. She exploded, her voice echoing through the massive walls of the mansion, filled with an unrestrained fury that could have leveled the building itself. She screamed at me, her words searing through the air, but I barely registered them
My attention drifted momentarily to the little girl is Dominic’s arms, her wide eyes peeking out as she clung to him. My daughter.
She was the spitting image of her mother, just like Liam was of me. Every delicate feature reminded me of Raina, from the curve of her lips to the stubborn set of her jaw, even at her young age. My heart twisted painfully as I whispered her same under my breath, almost inaudibly. Ava.
“I’m sorry,” I thought silently, guilt stabbing at me. My resolve solidified. I’d fix all of this—somehow,
Ishifted my focus back to Raina, whose rage was unrelenting. She was stunning, even in anger. Her chest heaved, and her eyes burned with contempt as she lashed out at me
“Calm down,” I said, holding up my han
hands, my voice steady, but the fire in her eyes didn’t waver. “It’s not like Liam being here is going to hurt him.”
She scoffed, the sound sharp and biting. “I hate you, she gritted through clenched teeth, her voice trembling with raw emocion
Dominic chimed in, his voice low but cold. “Why the hell would you take Liam like that?”
“Because this is where Liam belongs,” I replied evenly, meeting Dominic’s glare. “We’re sharing custody, which is fine. But Liam is merely back home,”
Raina’s expression twisted in disbelief, but I didn’t flinch. Instead, 1 gestured calmly toward the couch. “If you want to discuss his arrangement, we can
do it over coffee”
Raina’s glare sharpened, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “You’re insulterable,” she spar, her words dripping with venom. “If we’re sharing custody and the child has been sick–harmed under your care–wouldn’t it be common sense to leave him with me so I can care for him properly? How is this shared custody if I have to come here and demand my child back every single time?”
Her words hit hard, but I kept my expression composed, even as my chest tightened.
“Calm down,” I said again, my voice low and steady, though my nerves buzzed beneath the surface. I reached for the envelope sitting on the table, the papers inside weighing heavier than they should have
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