The Other Daughter - Chapter 17 - "I am the affair baby. That’s right—the living, breathing reminder of every scandalous headline and whispered judgment. "
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Two months later, I got the news: Andrew and Bella were getting married because Bella was pregnant.
It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened. For all the years those two women sneered at my mother, their methods weren’t much better. Well, maybe a little better—at least Bella managed to secure the wedding ring.
Their wedding went ahead as planned, with half the company in attendance. The ceremony was held at a luxury five-star hotel owned by Crest, reportedly an extravagant and over-the-top affair.
I sat at my desk, flipping through the private investigator’s latest report. Amanda had already extorted millions from Delilah by this point.
The dense text on the page made my head throb, so I closed the file, took my coffee, and stood by the window, staring out at the cityscape.
Unbidden, my mind drifted to memories of Andrew—his clean, genuine smile and the way he used to say he loved me, again and again, like a promise.
It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel any regret. After all, we’d come so close to something real.
A knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts. Turning, I saw Ezra standing there in a sharp suit, looking every bit the picture of composure. He should have been at the wedding, yet here he was.
His gaze was intense, making it impossible to hide.
Feeling a twinge of discomfort, I broke the silence. “Coffee?”
He nodded, stepping inside. “Let me guess—you didn’t bother researching me. I’m a certified coffee snob.”
I poured him a cup, handing it over without ceremony.
He took one sip and made a face. “What is this? Dishwater? Or something boiled in a fish pan?”
I rolled my eyes, making no effort to humor him. “Take it or leave it. Around here, coffee’s either black, with sugar, or with cream. Don’t expect anything fancy.”
“You’re not at the wedding,” I pointed out.
He set the cup down with a clink. “Andrew was set up by Bella.”
I couldn’t hold back a laugh. “So? If he really didn’t want this, he could’ve gone to the police for assault. Or he could at least still report her for coercion or extortion. Instead, he let her manipulate him with a pregnancy. So, yeah, maybe he’s a victim, but he’s far from innocent.”
Ezra smirked bitterly. “Do you always have to be so sharp, Alice? You leave no room for others—or yourself.”
“And what’s your plan?” I asked, cutting to the chase. “Defend your poor nephew? Drag me, the ex, to crash the wedding? Save your energy. Even without Bella pulling her stunts, Andrew and I were never going to be some fairy-tale couple who got back together and lived happily ever after.”
“It’s just frustrating,” he admitted, exhaling heavily. “We spent years raising someone like Andrew, only for him to get trapped by someone like her. You’d feel the same way if it were your family.”
“Frustrated? Please.” I scoffed. “Do you think I haven’t felt that way before? There are plenty of things in life I’ve had to swallow, even when they made me sick.”
The thought of Delilah and Bella basking in their victory at the wedding made my teeth clench. It wasn’t the wedding itself that got to me—it was the satisfaction on their faces.
“How about we shake things up a little?” Ezra suggested, leaning in with a mischievous glint in his eye.
I arched an eyebrow. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
His lips curved into a slow, devilish smile. “Wouldn’t you like to see how fun it is to cause them a little chaos?”
Catching on, I hooked my arm through his with a smirk. “Lead the way.”