Introduction
On our wedding day, Sebastian Goddard made a vow.
"I'll never make Sylvie cry. Every time I upset her, even once, I'll wire her a million."
I thought he was joking.
Then he came home drunk from a business dinner. a million hit my account.
He picked me up one minute late. Another a million.
He had a nightmare and startled me awake. A million.
I thanked God I'd married a man who loved me.
Then he tumbled into bed with his stepmother. A million.
He took the baby I'd just given birth to and handed him over to her. Still another a million.
I lost my mind.
He just tossed me the money like always.
"Her body can't carry a child. Someone has to give me an heir, right?"
"I don't agree to this!"
He looked at me, cold as ice.
"If you couldn't stomach it, why'd you take the money in the first place?"
I burned every bank card he'd ever given me.
After that, I'd grab my son back, he'd hide him, and she'd lock the boy away, wouldn't even let him out when he was burning up with fever.
So I burned the estate to the ground and rushed my son to the hospital.
But when he opened his eyes, he shoved me away and screamed.
"Why did you take me away?! If it weren't for you, Mommy Brielle would've accepted me by now! We'd already be a family of three with Daddy!
"You only ever wanted money, didn't you? Daddy already gave it to you!
"Get out! Get out!"
I froze.
A long moment passed. Then I spoke.
"Call me Mommy one last time. After that, Mommy's never coming back."
Chapter 1
My son Sawyer blinked up at me with those little eyes.
"If I call you Mommy just once, will you stop fighting Mommy Brielle for me? Forever?"
I nodded.
"Mommy."
My hand was still raw from the burn while I was carrying him to the hospital.
The blister had swollen up huge. I lifted my hand and covered it. "Ah."
"I said it. So from now on… you really won't try to take me back?"
I looked at his soft little face.
I smiled and shook my head.
"No more."
Never again.
Sawyer was desperate to leave the hospital. I wrapped my hand quickly and carried him back to the place I shared with Sebastian.
By the time we got there, Sebastian had half the city out searching. When he saw me walk in carrying our son myself, he froze.
Sawyer thrashed in my arms.
I set him down fast.
He tore across the room straight to Brielle Lindgren, standing right at Sebastian's side.
His bright little voice rang out for everyone to hear.
"Mommy!"
"Sylvie! What the hell are you doing, snatching her child?"
Sebastian's anger came down on me like a hammer.
Brielle scooped Sawyer up against her chest.
Her sharp manicured nails didn't hold back as she ran them over him, checking him head to toe.
I instinctively reached out to stop her, terrified she'd scratch him.
Then I remembered what I'd promised. My hand pulled back.
Once she was satisfied he was fine, Brielle shot me a vicious glare.
"He's my son. What gives you the right?"
The friends and family who'd been out searching all frowned at me too.
"Brielle is your elder! She's raised that boy like her own, there's no difference, none at all!"
"You've never nursed him. Never raised him. And you have the nerve to call yourself his mother?"
"What right do you have to take him?"
Someone got worked up enough to lunge at me, grabbing my collar.
I stumbled. Almost went down.
A hand caught me, steady.
Sebastian's voice was ice.
"She's mine. I'll handle her myself."
Everyone shut up.
Brielle patted Sawyer's back, slow and deliberate. Her face went cold.
Sebastian walked me back to the bedroom.
His voice was flat. "Why would you pull something like that? Do you even realize you almost burned Brielle?"
I sat on the couch, staring blankly ahead.
"Sawyer had a fever."
"Fever or no fever, that's his mother's job. What business is it of yours to step in?"
I looked at him.
He must've heard himself, because he tried again.
"What I mean is, everyone knows Brielle is Sawyer's mother, in name. You shouldn't make her lose face."
I stared at him for a long time.
The longer I looked, the less I knew him.
"Sebastian. Let's get a divorce."
The hand holding his cigarette stopped.
