THE SPITEFUL BRIDE: Marry To Rival's Son novel Chapter 109

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Alex took my hand and we turned and faced the long sidewalk that we had to walk up to the gym. entrance. There was a teacher’s aide standing near the cars with a clipboard. She was supposed to be watching the kids outside, but she had her phone on that clipboard and was occupied with whatever, or whoever was on that screen. She wasn’t even paying attention to the kids that were loitering in groups along the sidewalk.

Alex drew in a deep breath, like he was about to walk the gauntlet.

Hand in hand we marched to the door. I had faced down Alex’s bullies before, but those had been

first and second graders at recess. Outside the gym there were kids from all the grades, all the way

up to the big fifth graders.

“Hey look, it’s the shrimp and his little girlfriend!” Some girl called out.

Alex tightened his grip on my hand. “Just keep walking,” he growled. “Don’t look at them.”

I ground my teeth together. “Bird-brain Falcon,” a boy shoved him from the side, knocking him into

1. I stumbled but I didn’t fall down.

Alex clung to my arm anxiously. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” I said, shaking him off. I pushed my shoulders back and walked right up to the boy who was still laughing. It was Johnny Ellis, a boy who was renowned for his bad habit of picking his

nose.

“Hey, booger-brain!” I shouted back. “Watch where you put your dirty fingers!”

“Whatcha gonna do about it?” He said, deliberately sticking his fore finger up his nostril, and then stretching his hand out toward Alex again.

I slapped it away, not with the flat of my palm, but with the side of my hand, like I was chopping wood, so that it really hurt Johnny’s arm. It was a trick Alex had taught me. Johnny howled and

clutched his arm.

“What’s the matter, Johnny?” I teased him, even though my heart was pounding really hard. I wasn’t scared of Johnny, but I was afraid he’d get the teacher’s attention and I would be dragged to the principal’s office again. “You want the whole school to know you got beat-up by a girl?” I clenched

my fist and raised it up threateningly.

He took a step back, his eyes shifting around nervously. “You know what you are?” He taunted, but he took another step back. “You are just Alex’s guard dog! Stupid, ugly, mad-dog.”

Alex tugged on my arm. “C’mon, Joy,” he hissed, “You are gonna get in trouble again.”

“I don’t care if I get in trouble!” I said hotly. “Johnny Ellis, you are a bully! And I hate bullies!” But I let Alex drag me toward the double doors of the gym. I was a little afraid of getting in trouble. My

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<Chapter Thirty Two Booger Brains

mom couldn’t drive to the school if they called her today. They might have to call my father

Once we were inside there were more teachers and adults milling around, so the other kids

behaved and shuffled down the hall to their classrooms.

“Why don’t you ever fight back?” I asked, feeling frustrated. I used to think Alex didn’t fight back because he was small and scared. But now I knew that Alex was trained to fight. He was small,

yes, but he could kick and punch harder and faster than I could.

“I can’t,” he said between gritted teeth. “My dad won’t let me.”

That didn’t seem right to me. Mr. Falcon was a good dad. He wouldn’t just let his son be bullied and not do anything to stop it. “It’s okay, Alex said, rubbing my arm to soothe me. “One day, they won’t be able to bother me any more.”

I huffed, and he hugged me. “Thank you for standing up for me” he said, patting my back. “Let’s go

to class.”

We continued down the hallway, but I stopped to look at a new poster that had been hung up

outside the main office.

“ANNUAL END OF THE YEAR CARNIVAL,” the poster said, with a colorful scene of rides and a circus tent. At the bottom in smaller print it said, “Parent volunteers needed!”

I turned to Alex and grinned. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

He smiled broadly. Johnny-Nosepicker was already forgotten. “Oh, yeah!”

Maureen Atsali

Thank you for reading! Sorry for the delay! It’s my daughter’s birthday and the weekend was crazy! Let me know what you think in the comments! #vote=

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< Chapter Thirty-Three A Specialized Chent Base

Chapter Thirty-Three: A Specialized Client Base

Kristen

I stared at the neat stack of paperwork in awe.

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With the help of Ezra’s lawyer, Mr. Bentley Howser Brooks. I was able to complete all the required legal paperwork to make my new business Body Beautiful Bridal and Formal Wear an official legal

entity. Most of the applications had been submitted online, but a few forms had to be mailed in.

Now I just had to wait for everything to be approved. Mr. Brooks snapped his briefcase shut and

pulled out a pair of sunglasses, even though we were still in Ezra’s study.

“It won’t take long,” he promised with a smile. “Usually within five to seven business days,”

“And you are sure it will be safe from Kevin during the divorce?”

Mr. Brooks nodded, “Rest assured, Ms. Jackson, we have safeguarded your business assets.”

“So, you specialized in business and corporate law?” I asked curiously.

“You could say that I have a diversified practice for a specialized client base,” he said cryptically.

“Business Tycoons?” I guessed.

Mr Brooks gave me a funny look before he donned his sunglasses. Instead of an answer, he hummed, “Hmmm,” and started for the door.

I grabbed the crutches so I could hop along behind him. “Well, anyway,” I said, a little breathlessly,” Thank you so much for all of your assistance! I really couldn’t have figured this out alone.”

“Ah now, I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” he said. He was a smooth talker, that guy.” You would have figured it out eventually, I just sped up the process, that’s all.”

He pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to me. “If you have any other questions or any problems arise, don’t hesitate to call my office,” his smile widened, “Any friend of Mr. Falcon

is a friend of mine.

By the time we reached the front door, Mr Spirko had materialized. He was the weirdest butler I had ever seen. Not that I had ever seen any butler, apart from those portrayed in movies or on television. The guy was huge, like a tank, but somehow he moved through the house silently, popping up when he was needed, even without being called. And I never heard the guy speak more

than a few words.

He let the lawyer out with only a curt nod and then turned and stood like a soldier at ease, watching, like he was just waiting for me to say something or do something unexpected.

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It was unnerving. So I said nothing and instead pivoted on my crutches to head back to the study. I had only a few minutes left before the kids returned from school, and I wanted to make sure I had everything safely stowed away before the two little whirlwinds descended on me.

Not that I was complaining. Alex was the sweetest kid. Some might expect the child of an elite CEO to be spoiled and entitled, but not Alexander. He was kind and polite, and he clearly adored my daughter. She had lots of little friends over the years, but she’d never latched on to any of them as firmly as she did to Alex Falcon.

As if on cue, I heard the front door open, and the sound of little feet pounding across the floor like a tiny herd of wild elephants. I swear it was impossible for them to walk quietly. The door to the study banged open, and the two children tumbled in, talking over top of each other.

I held open my arms, and Joy rushed in, but Alex held back shyly. I motioned for him to come closer. When he was in reach, I scooped him in for a double hug. He smiled and looked pleased to be included in our after-school hug. “Ah! I’ve missed you two hooligans!” I said happily. “How was

school?”

“School was great!” Joy said, but I noticed the look that passed between her and the young boy. Privately she had told me how Alex was often bullied at school. And while I really didn’t want my six-year-old to resort to physical violence, I was proud of the fact that she was strong enough and confident enough to stand up for her friend.

Later, when we were alone, I would ask her what really happened.

“Oh, Mommy! Look!” She dropped her backpack and unzipped it, before pulling out a slightly crumpled flyer and handing it to me. “It’s the end of the year carnival!” She said, bouncing on the

balls of her feet.

I took the tri-fold flyer and opened it. The annual event wasn’t just an end of the school-year celebration for the children and staff, it was also a major fund-raising event for the prestigious private school. I had taken Joy last year, alone, as usual, since Kevin had been “too busy” with work

to accompany us.

“They need parent volunteers,” Joy said importantly. “So I signed you up!”

“You signed me up?”

“Yep!”

I shook my head. “Joy, I’d love to help out, but with my ankle, I’m afraid I’m out of commission.”

“Don’t worry, Mommy! I asked Miss Lind, and she said there were plenty of jobs you can do sitting down! Like the kissing booth!”

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< Chapter Thirty-Three A Specialized Client Base

“The what?” I asked faintly. “Uh Joy, I don’t think-”

“I signed my Dad up, too,” Alex said solemnly.

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My refusal died on my lips. If Mr. Falcon was going to volunteer, every unattached mother in the school, and likely several attached ones would be lining up to volunteer alongside him.

Was that…jealousy?

I certainly had no right to stake any kind of claim on Ezra Falcon. He was just a good friend who

had done me a massive favor.

“Well, if your dad agrees, then I guess I can volunteer, too.”

”

Maureen Atsali

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< Chapter Thirty-Four Call Me Daddy

Chapter Thirty-Four: Call Me Daddy

$25 PORTS

Being hugged by Joy’s mom was so nice. She was soft and warm and she smelled like love. It still amazed me that Joy wanted to share such a special person with me. I wanted to stay in Kristen’s arms and have her brush my hair off my forehead all the time.

We had to convince my dad and her mom to get married! Mrs. Farley called us to come to the

kitchen for our after school snack. She knew I always came home from school hungry enough to

eat a horse. Joy sat at the counter with me, and Mrs. Farley slid a platter of cut fruit, cheese and little cubes of meat in front of us, along with little cocktail forks so that we could stab the snacks.

Joy stabbed a hunk of watermelon and nibbled at it delicately, while I started attacking the meat and cheese. We had almost finished the whole thing when I heard the familiar purr of my dad’s car

entering the gate.

I put down my fork and jumped off the stool and ran to the door to meet him, as I always did. My dad worked really hard every day, but when he came home, he was always happy to see me. The first thing he did when he walked through the front door was drop his briefcase and lift me up, throwing me into the air and then catching me again, with a big, happy smile on his face.

“Daddy!” I shouted, already lifting my arms.

He tossed me as usual, and then he bent and scooped up Joy. He spun us in circles until we were both squealing with laughter and clinging to his neck. He nuzzled me with his nose, and then did the same to Joy. “How are my trouble-makers today?” He asked, leaving behind his briefcase as he carried us through the house. He knew either Spirko or Mrs. Farley would take it to his office for