Billion Dollar Baby

by Imani King

  “That won’t be a problem.” A part of me felt guilty that I wasn’t worried about my grandfather. Yes, he was a tyrant, but he was still family. Maybe it would be a good idea to pay him a visit.

  “Oh?”

  “My girlfriend’s pregnant,” I said, beaming with pride.

  Kilroy was silent for a moment.

  I checked the screen to make sure the call hadn’t disconnected.

  “That’s fantastic. Congratulations.”

  Chapter 18

  Adele

  “Braden? Are you home?” I called out as soon as I walked through the door.

  No answer.

  Hmm. I glanced at my watch. He wouldn’t be at the station. Maybe he was on the farm. I thought about looking for him, but I got sidetracked by some cookies left on the kitchen counter.

  I was already ten weeks along in my pregnancy. The doctor assured me that everything was going smoothly and that the baby seemed to be very healthy. I wanted to share the news with Braden, but I wanted the cookies more.

  As I munched on them, I zoned off, staring at the coffee machine. This triggered a memory. The will. I had tucked it behind the coffee machine and then Braden had stuffed it in the cabinet. I got up and opened it, but of course, the documents were gone.

  The image of the yellow envelope flashed in my mind. I had seen it somewhere else…

  I grabbed another cookie as if that would jog my memory.

  Somehow, it did.

  The bedroom!

  I bounded up the stairs and searched through Braden’s sock drawer.

  Nothing.

  Drat. I tapped my foot against the ground, trying to figure out why Braden kept moving it around. He obviously didn’t want me to find it…

  Biting my lip, I contemplated my next move. I could forget about the stupid will and finish the batch of cookies waiting for me downstairs or I could snoop around and finally figure out what was going on between Braden and his family.

  In the end, curiosity won.

  Feeling a bit paranoid, I looked over my shoulder, half-expecting Braden to appear in the doorway and catch me in the act. Of course, he wasn’t there.

  I took a deep breath. It wasn’t like I was doing something treacherous or deceitful. I was his girlfriend. We lived in the same house. Paid the same bills. Why couldn’t I go into his office and just have a look around?

  Still, I tiptoed toward the door. I had only entered this room once or twice and it was always with Braden in tow. With my fingers frozen, I tried the knob, but it was locked. I rattled it, but it still wouldn’t budge.

  I stepped back, trying to think. Where would he keep the keys?

  Ah, of course.

  By the door was a large bookshelf. I grabbed a step stool and ran my hand along the top. Eureka! Braden had a knack for hiding things in high places.

  Triumphant, I jumped down and unlocked the door.

  His office was dusty and disorganized, reminding me of his grandfather’s mansion. The thought brought a grimace to my face. The old man was the reason I was doing this. Or at least, one of the reasons.

  Braden was hiding something about the will and I was going to find out what it was, finally.

  I started at the desk first, rummaging through a few documents. None of them were especially interesting. It was mostly old tax returns he had yet to put away. The drawers proved just as mundane. As I looked through a large stack of papers, I hesitated. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this.

  After all, it was a huge breach of trust. If I told Braden not to worry about something, he would just take my word for it. And yet, there was just something about this whole thing that didn’t feel right. I knew that I would never quite let it go until I found answers.

  So, I pushed through the guilt and kept searching.

  Maybe this was all driven by Braden’s first act of dishonesty. Yes, it was nearly ten years ago and I could barely remember the details but still, the kernel of doubt was still firmly planted in my mind. I just couldn’t fall for someone who was going to be dishonest with me. I couldn’t face the pain.

  Finally, I stumbled upon a business card.

  Matthew Kilroy—Attorney-At-Law.

  The card didn’t say much, just his name, firm, and number.

  I flipped it over. Braden’s scribbled scrawl was hard to read, but after squinting for a bit, I managed to decipher it.

  Call ASAP. HEIR.

  He had underlined the word ‘heir’ quite a few times, demonstrating a sense of urgency.

  Suddenly, it all clicked into place. This was the man who had been in the living room that day. The man representing Braden’s grandfather and asking him about his plans to procure an heir.

  Why was Braden’s grandfather so concerned with our having a baby? He had yet to set foot on the ranch, let alone call. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge that Braden was still his grandson and yet, in the few months I lived here, he was being mentioned rather frequently.

  And to boot, a lawyer was being involved.

  I quickly added the number to my phone, just in case.

  Just as I finished, I heard the front door open.

  My eyes widened. I scrambled to put everything in its rightful spot, praying that Braden wouldn’t notice that I had been in his office. I quickly closed the door and tossed the key back on the bookshelf, idiotically forgetting to lock the door.

  “Adele? You home?” he called out.

  “I’m in the bedroom!” I replied, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to. I fidgeted on my feet, trying to act nonchalant, but I felt like there was guilt written all over my face.

  Braden walked in and smiled. “There’s my beautiful girlfriend.” He swept me off my feet and kissed me.

  It was a kiss that made my heart skip a beat. I don’t know how he did it, but somehow, it always felt like the very first time with him. I melted into it, my heart racing.

  He pulled me onto the bed and sighed. “Long day at the station. We finally finished packing everything. We haven’t officially made the move, but I fear it’s coming. I don’t know what I’m going to do…” He looked into my eyes, like he was about to say something, but then pressed his lips together. “But let’s not worry about that right now. How was your day?”

  “It was good. I went to the doctor’s.”

  “And?”

  “He says the baby is healthy. I’m about ten weeks along which means we got pregnant sometime in that beginning period.”

  Braden chuckled. “So, you’re saying I got you pregnant on the very first try?”

  “I mean, we can’t prove it.”

  “I guess when you wish for something it really can come true.” He kissed me once more, his lips quickly growing hungry for more.

  I pushed him away before things could get out of hand.

  He cocked his eyebrow in question. “Is everything alright?”

  “I have to ask you something.”

  “Oh?”

  “Why do you keep hiding the will from me?”

  He was quiet for a moment. I could almost see the cogs working in his head. He was thinking of something to say—something to cover all of this up.

  “Braden, I’m not blind. I can see that something is going on. First, you receive the will in the mail. Then, your grandfather’s lawyer pays you a visit. Now you start taking calls from him—”

  “Wait—you were awake?”

  “I’m not as heavy a sleeper as you think I am.”

  “Have you been eavesdropping on me?” Braden asked, starting to get defensive. “I told you that there was nothing to worry about. I don’t know why you keep badgering me about this. If our situations were switched, I would believe you.”

  I sighed. “It’s not that I don’t believe you—”

  “Then why the hell do you keep interrogating me?”

  “Why are you raising your voice?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Because you seem to think that I’m lying?”

  “It’s just because you
won’t give me a straight answer,” I pleaded with him, laying my hand on his arm. “Braden, I just want to know the truth. Tell me what’s really going on. Is there something wrong? If there is, we can get through it, together—I know we can.”

  He jerked away from me, crossing his arms over his chest. “Nothing is wrong,” he mumbled.

  “Do you swear?”

  “What?”

  “Swear to me that nothing is wrong.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I can’t fucking believe it. Swear? Really? You just don’t believe me, do you? You’ve never believed me. Even when we were in high school, you were always suspicious of me.”

  “I had good reason to be!” I shot back, starting to lose my temper.

  “I didn’t even do anything with that girl.”

  “That’s not the point. The point is you didn’t tell me. I can’t be with someone who’s dishonest.”

  “Well, maybe you make people dishonest.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I could feel my cheeks redden with anger.

  He ran his fingers through his hair, pacing back and forth. “Look, maybe I’ve kept a few things from you, but I’ve never lied.”

  “Okay…” I took a deep breath, trying to keep a level head. “What exactly have you kept from me? I want you to be completely honest.”

  Our eyes locked for a moment before he looked away. His face was painted with guilt. My heart tightened, but somehow, I managed to keep my composure. I would hear him out, for better or for worse.

  “As you know, my grandfather is a very wealthy man. After my father died, I was to become the sole inheritor of his estate, but things got a little hazy between us. He changed his will, keeping me out of it. A few years ago, after I married Chelsea, he changed the will once more and said that if I fathered an heir, I’d stand to inherit a sum of money.”

  I raised my eyebrow in question. “How much?”

  “The stipulation was that I father this heir before my grandfather’s eightieth birthday,” he continued, ignoring my question.

  “How much?” I stepped forward.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Of course it matters. Why won’t you just tell me?”

  “It doesn’t fucking matter how much it is.”

  “Don’t you swear at me!”

  “Oh, do you not like that either? You know, I forgot how much of a goody-two-shoes you are. Fuck off.”

  “Fuck off?” I repeated, incredulous. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

  “Nothing,” he said, planting his feet in the ground and holding his stance. “It’s my life—my family—and frankly, it’s none of your goddamn business.”

  “Oh, is that how you feel? Well, this baby is my goddamn business. I’m the one giving birth to your precious little heir. I’m starting to wonder; did you just use me to make a baby so you could inherit your money? Is that why you haven’t been looking for a replacement job, even with the fire station going under? It’s all starting to make sense now. I was just a means to an end to you. Our relationship didn’t matter. Our dreams of having the perfect little family, your supposed feelings for me, it was all just a ruse so you could get your stupid money.”

  “No!” Braden grabbed me. It wasn’t too tight — he wasn’t that kind of man. But it seemed like this anger had taken hold of him. I’d never seen it before — and it scared me.

  “Let go of me!” I jerked away with all my might.

  My scream seemed to shock him. He recoiled, stepping back with an unreadable expression on his face.

  “And here I was, thinking things had changed, but you’re still the same liar I dated back in high school.” Before he could say anything else, I stomped out of the room, my blood boiling. I couldn’t believe this. Tears burned at my eyes. My fingers shook.

  This couldn’t be happening.

  But it was.

  “Adele, come back!”

  “Screw you! I’m not going to waste my time with someone who seduced me for money!” I yelled, running down the stairs.

  Braden chased after me, his footsteps thundering behind me.

  I whipped around to face him. “Don’t you dare try to stop me.”

  “Adele, you don’t understand.”

  “Don’t I? Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t seduce me for your grandfather’s money.”

  “I didn’t,” he mumbled under his breath, looking at the railing.

  “Ugh!” I shook my head. “I thought things were really going to work out. You had me so hopeful! I guess things were simply too perfect.” I roughly wiped the tears from my face. “But I don’t want any part of your little money scheme. I can’t live in the same house as a liar. I’m going to stay with my sister and when I can face you again, I’ll come back for my stuff.”

  “Stop acting like I’m some goddamn monster. All I did was keep a bit of information from you.”

  “That’s enough. I thought I could trust you, but apparently, I can’t.”

  “Oh, come on, as if you’ve never kept anything from me!” he shot back, trying to turn this whole thing on me.

  “I can’t even.” I turned on my heels and continued down the stairs as fast as I could. I stopped in front of the door, looking up at him still standing there, a dumb expression on his face. “You know, I would’ve been fine with this and even delighted to have the money for the baby if you had only been honest with me. I was even planning on telling you ‘yes’ tonight.” I laughed at myself. “Ha, I actually thought it would be a good idea to be your wife.” There were tears streaming down my face at this point. I could feel my heart breaking into a million little pieces, each one stabbing into my chest. I had never felt pain so strongly before. “I—I thought that I had finally found the one. I spent entire mornings just thinking about our future together. It was so bright… so colorful… And you just had to go and ruin it all.”

  “Adele—”

  I shook my head. “Don’t.”

  “Please. Just listen to me.”

  “No. I need the time to think. I need to clear my mind because right now, all I want to do is walk over there and slap you.”

  “Then do it.”

  “No. I just need time to think. I don’t know what to do anymore. You’ve turned my whole world upside down.”

  “It wasn’t my fault!” he protested, reaching the bottom of the stairs. “I just—”

  “You just what?” I asked, my voice shaky through my sobs. “Tell me, Braden. Tell me why you thought you had to lie to me—why you didn’t just tell me from the beginning.”

  “I…” He opened his mouth, about to say something else, but no words came out.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go.” Without another glance, I walked out the door, letting it slam behind me.

  Thud!

  The sound made me wince. I glanced over my shoulder, feeling like I would never come back again.

  Chapter 19

  Braden

  What had I done?

  For a long time, I stared at the front door, praying that she would come back. She never did. I was frozen in place, like a statue captured in the moment of catastrophe.

  What had I done?

  My heart felt frozen. It was so cold that it burned, radiating with a deep, soul-chilling pain that left me gasping for breath. Why had I been such a fool? Why hadn’t I just told her the truth from the start?

  Suddenly, I ran to the door and jerked it open. “Adele!” I screamed, but she was already gone. I feared I had lost her forever.

  I could feel my heart shatter. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to put it back together.

  Somberly, I walked onto the driveway where she usually parked her car. Already, there was a void in my life. I needed to make this right. I needed to get her back.

  I took out my phone, about to dial her number, but then I stopped myself. I needed to clear my head first.

  Feeling like a zombie, I shuffled into the kitchen. I turned on the coffee maker, working
on autopilot. On the counter was her favorite mug. I had bought it for her a few weeks ago at a discount china store. She liked that it looked like a cat and that one of its ears had broken off.

  I picked up the mug, running my thumb along the shiny surface. All at once, it hit me. It truly hit me, like a freight train ramming right into me. I clung onto the counter for support, feeling like I had gotten the wind knocked right out of me. Tears ran down my cheeks.

  Anger bubbled up inside of me. God, I had been so stupid! My fist slammed into the nearby wall.

  “Fuck!” Pain pulsed through my hand and crept up my arm.

  Breaking down, I slid to the ground, hanging my head in shame.

  Why hadn’t I just told her the truth?

  The next day, I woke up feeling exhausted. I had spent the whole night tossing and turning, thinking about Adele. I felt like such an idiot for losing my temper. Why had I allowed my emotions to take control like that?

  My stomach churned, fearing that I had lost my chance with her, the girl of my dreams. She was going to marry me. She was going to say yes.

  I had been such a fool.

  With my body feeling like lead, I rolled out of bed. Once I was done in the bathroom, I didn’t even bother to get dressed. What was the point? I was just a fuck-up anyway. I looked at myself in the mirror and all I could see was a mirror. No wonder she had stormed out. I had treated her like crap like it had been her fault when it had been mine, all mine.

  Maybe she was better off without me. She could find someone else, someone who would treat her right. She could finally have the life she deserved.

  And yet, I knew I wouldn’t be able to let her go. I just couldn’t. I loved her.

  She was carrying my baby.

  I snatched my phone and dialed her number. It rang and rang and rang, but she never answered.

  What if she had already deleted my number?

  I didn’t bother leaving a voicemail.

  By nightfall, I felt like I was losing my mind. I had occupied myself with working on the ranch, but now that was finished, all I could do was think about our fight. I kept picturing her tears, the way she looked at me, the heartbreak written on her face.