Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10-1

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Chapter 10-1

(Dustin’s POV)

Later that afternoon, Jessica and I are in my office going over talking points for when-not if -the press contacts us officially.

According to the plan, I call Sabrina’s number.

When she says “hello?”

“What the hell did you do?” I ask without preamble.

“I didn’t do anything,” she says calmly. Too calmly. I feel uneasy by the calmness in her voice, but I push the feeling away and continue.

“This is about your lay off, isn’t it? I know you’re upset, Sabrina. But you can’t just-”

“Can’t what? Tell the truth? Defend myself? Or did you expect me to just disappear quietly while you and Jessica fucked on our bed? Or wait for you to destroy me like you planned?”

Shit! She’s not going according to script! And how does she know about our plan to destroy her? Did she install a listening device in my office?

“Nobody’s trying to destroy you,” I lie.

She laughs, and it’s a sound I’ve never heard from her before. Cold. Bitter. Hard. “Right. So Jessica didn’t just fire me out of spite? And you’re not demanding custody of our son so you can play happy family with your mistress? Or you didn’t deceive me into getting our house deed only in your name?”

“If you would just—”

“No.” The word is final. “I’m done negotiating with you, Dustin. I’m done being the understanding wife who makes things easy for you. You want a fight? You’ve got one. And just so you know-I’m not the same woman you married. I’m not the same woman you cheated on. In fact, you’ve never truly known me, and dear ex? I promise you, by the time this is over, you’re going to find out just exactly who you messed with. If I don’t make you regret every single thing you’ve done to me, I’ll write my name backwards.”

Then the line goes dead, the piercing ringtone hurting my ear.

The plan flopped. We got nothing to use against her. On the contrary, I feel as if I walked into a trap.

13

Chapter 10 1

But that can’t be right…right?

Sabrina couldn’t have anticipated my call. If she records it, like I planned to record her…

Claim

I stare at my phone, that uneasy feeling from this morning returning full force, expanding into something close to dread…and fear.

Jessica is wrong.

Sabrina isn’t going to cave. She isn’t going to disappear. And blacklisting her, threatening her, trying to take Jake-it’s only going to make her fight harder.

But I’m in way too deep to back out now. I chose Jessica. I demanded custody. I took my

stance.

Just what the hell am I going to do to salvage this situation?

(Sabrina’s POV)

Hah!

Dustin thinks he’s the only one who can set traps for others.

This little chat will give him the lesson of his life. Sneering, I send the audio I just recorded to

Richard.

I know he and Sophia don’t want me talking to Dustin to avoid falling into a trap, and saying something that can be used against me in court.

But I know myself.

Once I set my mind to destroying someone, I become a hitch-hag. No one, and no thing can drag me into a pitfall as I’m very experienced at digging pits for others.

And when you dig pits for others? You learn exactly what to do and what not to do to avoid falling into the same trap.

Three days after I hang up on Dustin, life settles into a strange new rhythm. I wake up in Sophia’s guest room, make breakfast for Jake, drop him at school, then spend my days updating my portfolio and preparing for my start date at Phoenix Cosmetics. It’s mundane and ordinary and nothing like the chaos swirling around us.

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