Empire of Desire(Empire #1)(100)

“I didn’t vanish. And who the hell are you to judge me? Were you there when I carried her in my womb when I was a fucking kid? When I couldn’t sleep at night, terrified something would happen to her?”

“No, but I was there for the following twenty years when you fucking weren’t, witch. And I will continue to be there when you’re gone.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Yes, you will.”

“You can’t make me, Kingsley.”

“Fucking watch me.”

Tears are streaming down Gwyneth’s cheeks and I wipe them with my thumb. The more she watches them arguing and on the verge of hitting each other, the harder she cries.

I’m used to this from them—not to this violent extent, but similar. Gwyneth isn’t.

“Stop,” I grind out, making them shut up as I hold Gwyneth tighter. “Stop being fucking selfish, this isn’t about either of you. It’s about her.”

“Angel, you don’t have to worry.” King takes her hand in his. “I’m going to make sure the board removes her from the firm, then she’ll disappear like she never existed.”

“There’s no reason for the board to remove me, and I swear to God, Kingsley, if you try any underhanded methods, I’ll sue you and take away your money. Oh, also, even if I’m out of W&S, I won’t leave the city.”

“Don’t listen to her, Angel. I’ll definitely get rid of her and we’ll go back to being the two of us.”

“No, Dad. No. I can’t just forget she exists because you tell me to. I have feelings and there are many of them. I can’t just erase them or pretend they’re nonexistent like you do.”

“Gwyneth…” Aspen stands beside King. “I…”

“This doesn’t mean I want to talk to you. Not after you abandoned me.”

“I didn’t. I would never do that.”

“All these years would testify otherwise”

“I thought you were dead!” Aspen cuts her off, her voice breaking before she inhales a sharp breath. “They put a dead baby in my hands and said she was mine. They…told me she didn’t survive childbirth and I thought…I thought that was you. All this time, I was mourning you.”

“Then how did I end up in front of Dad’s house?”

“It was my uncle and his wife. They wanted me to get rid of you since they found out I was pregnant, but it was too late at the time and no clinic would do it. They abused me, hit me, pushed me down the stairs, and kicked me all the time so you’d die. But you didn’t; you were a fighter. Until you weren’t, or so I thought. For twenty years, I believed you died because I couldn’t protect you properly. Because I was so young and clueless and didn’t know how to keep you safe.”

Gwyneth sniffles as if she could feel the pain behind Aspen’s words. She’s an empath that way, so even though she hates her, she can still allow her emotions to seep inside her. After a moment, she murmurs, “Why didn’t you go to Dad?”

Aspen scoffs and glares at him. “We didn’t know each other.”

“Jesus Christ.” King runs a hand over his face.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Gwyneth asks, and when he avoids her gaze, she squeezes his hand. “Dad, tell me. Don’t hide anything from me.”

“I don’t remember her and she doesn’t remember me. The night…we conceived you, I was drunk as fuck and so was she. It was dark and messy, and I have barely any recollections of it or her, except for waking up in my friend’s house and knowing that I’d had sex.”

“I went to a party with a friend,” Aspen continues. “And I didn’t know my own tolerance, so I drank more than I should’ve. I remember this jock coming to me and we talked. He said he was seventeen and I lied and told him that I was sixteen, and then we were drinking together and…that’s it. I really don’t have much recollection of him or that night. I remember leaving while it was dark because I had exams the following day, and I was still a little tipsy.”

“Nine months later, you showed up at my door, Angel.”

“But how?” Gwyneth stares at Aspen. “I thought you said you didn’t remember my dad.”

“I didn’t. I tried to find him when I realized I was pregnant, mainly to protect you from my aunt and uncle, but I had nothing to do with it. My aunt and uncle must’ve dug deeper and gone asking around about the night of the party, because they clearly planned to leave you with Kingsley. You have to believe me, I would’ve never…never left you like that if I’d had a choice.”

“But you did leave me.” Gwyneth wipes her eyes. “I spent twenty years without a mother and that can’t just be erased simply because you’re back in the picture again.”

Aspen’s shoulders hunch and King doesn’t hide his sadistic smile.

“I…want to be alone.” Gwyneth strokes my hand and I slowly let her go.

She doesn’t look at any of us as she jogs to her car.

Everything in me screams to follow her, but I don’t, not yet at least, because I need to talk some fucking sense into these two idiots first.

King flicks his Zippo open, then closed. “Go to Seattle and take the witch with you, Nate. You two can continue your fuck buddy relationship and leave me and my daughter in peace. Incidentally, you fucked both mother and daughter, you sick motherfucker.”