Chapter 522

• “How the fuck does this not concern me exactly?! Everything I have asked for with our baby, Jake, every request has been fucking denied me, and now I know why! You’re setting up happy families with her, and my child is being tossed aside like it doesn’t fucking matter!” She spits and slams her palms onto the table wildly, setting cups and glasses rattling unsteadily. I jump with the impact, and Jake immediately brings a hand to my lap to comfort me.
• “This is recent, Marissa. It has nothing to do with any of that. Your demands are ridiculous. Parenting classes, running to LA every time you click your fingers. We’re not in a relationship, and I don’t want to spend more time than necessary with you.” Jake growls back at her, tempers rising, and I grasp his fingers to urge him to calm down. Jake’s so much better than this. He deals with negotiations and hard-headed business tycoons daily. He shouldn’t lower himself to her standards. He squeezes back, and I throw him a subtle supportive smile. He takes a calming breath and sits back, lifting his wine, taking slow, deliberate sips, and giving himself a moment.
• “So, tell me, Jake … You say you’re happy? Funny … Because I remember the word abortion coming up when I told you that you would be a father! You said you didn’t even want kids! Yet here you are now playing Mr. Daddy-to-be of the year, buying her a fucking house!” Marissa is sitting back with arms crossed across her cleavage, every word like venom on her tongue, glaring at me and not him, with highly intoxicated hatred.