Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 243

In the blink of an eye, Naomi's demeanor did a complete 180. She practically launched herself forward, her eyes locked greedily onto Willa's stomach. Her voice pitched up, thick with barely contained ecstasy.

"I knew you'd listen to my advice, Willa! You're carrying the Yates heir. You're set for life! When the baby arrives, forget five million—the Yates family will throw fifty million dollars your way!"

"You need to take excellent care of yourself. Do you want me to move in with you? I simply can't trust hired help to look after you properly."

In that moment, whatever warmth Willa had left for her mother turned completely to ice.

She remembered being alone overseas five years ago, burning up with a 104-degree fever. Delirious and terrified, she had dialed Naomi's number.

But on the other end of the line, Naomi had just sounded annoyed. She had complained about being busy, snapped that Willa shouldn't bother her since she wasn't a doctor, and abruptly hung up.

Back then, Naomi was too busy catering to Warren Whitman and playing stepmom to Stella to care whether her own biological daughter lived or died.

Since that day, no matter how desperate or miserable Willa felt, she had never called Naomi again.

Yet now, simply because she was pregnant with Randal's child, Naomi had instantly transformed into a doting mother, desperate to wait on her hand and foot.

Because the baby Willa was carrying was Naomi's ticket to endless wealth.

It was sickeningly laughable.

"I don't need your help," Willa rejected her flatly.

Stella, finally snapping out of her daze, crossed her arms. A vicious, spiteful sneer twisted her lips. "Naomi, don't rush to saddle the Whitman family with her mess."

"Who knows if she'll even carry that thing to term? What if she trips on the street or takes a tumble at home? If the Yates family blames us for it, we'd be ruined."

"Stella, stop! Willa is pregnant! If you hurt her, the Whitman family is entirely finished!"

Taking advantage of the pause, Willa grabbed her glass of water and tossed it directly at Stella, drenching her all over again.

"You were looking a little flushed, so I gave you a rinse. And let me remind you—don't think your involvement in Sophie's car crash is a secret. If the Sommers family wanted to crush you, it would take no effort at all."

"Next time you plot against someone, ask yourself if you actually have the brains to pull it off."

Soaking wet and humiliated, Stella finally went quiet. The fight drained out of her, replaced by rising panic.

She stood frozen, shivering as she muttered under her breath, "That's impossible... He promised me no one would ever find out..."

Feeling immensely satisfied, Willa didn't bother wasting another second on the two of them. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the cafe.