Chapter 4 4

Jazmine Parker's Chelsea apartment was a masterpiece of minimalist wealth. White walls, exposed brick, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the High Line. Annemarie stood in the middle of the living room, feeling utterly out of place. Clementine was asleep on the plush velvet sofa, clutching her red rubber ball, her breathing soft and even.

Jazmine handed Annemarie a cup of Earl Grey tea. The porcelain was delicate, painted with tiny blue flowers. Annemarie wrapped her freezing fingers around the warmth, but it did nothing to stop the trembling in her core.

"Talk," Jazmine ordered. She sat opposite Annemarie in a sleek leather armchair, her posture perfectly straight. Jazmine was a force of nature-sharp, observant, and utterly ruthless in her loyalty.

"I went to the law firm today," Annemarie began, her voice hollow. "The one you recommended. I was supposed to meet with Warren Clark about the custody suit."

"And?" Jazmine prompted, taking a sip of her own tea.

"He wasn't there." Annemarie set her cup down on the glass coffee table with a clatter. "Carlisle Bradford was there."

Jazmine's perfectly shaped eyebrows shot up. "Carlisle Bradford? As in, the Carlisle Bradford you dated in college? The one who made a billion dollars and graced the cover of Forbes last month?"

"The very same," Annemarie whispered, burying her face in her hands. "He's a senior partner at the firm. He took over my case. He knows everything about the divorce."

Jazmine was silent for a long moment. "That's not necessarily a disaster. You said he was ambitious. Maybe he just wants to bill you."

"He hates me, Jaz." Annemarie lifted her head, her eyes swimming in tears. "He thinks I left him for Eston because I wanted money. He told me today that he wants to help Eston take Clementine away from me."

Jazmine set her cup down, her expression hardening. "He can't do that. You're her mother."

"You don't understand," Annemarie cried, standing up. She began to pace the length of the living room, her cheap sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floor. "He wants to punish me. And Clementine... Clementine is the weapon he wants to use."

Jazmine stood up as well, blocking Annemarie's path. "Stop pacing. Sit down. We will hire a different lawyer. We will fight this."

"I can't fight him!" Annemarie shouted, pointing toward the sleeping child on the couch. "Look at her, Jazmine! Just look at her!"

Jazmine turned her head toward the sofa. Clementine was sprawled out, her mouth slightly open. The late afternoon sun slanted through the windows, highlighting the little girl's face.

Jazmine stared. The silence stretched, heavy and thick. Jazmine walked slowly toward the sofa, her eyes narrowing. She looked at Clementine's sleeping face. Then she turned back to Annemarie, her dark eyes wide with dawning horror.

"Oh my god," Jazmine breathed, pressing a hand to her chest. "Annemarie... is she...?"

"Don't say it," Annemarie sobbed, sliding down the wall to the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms. "Please don't say it out loud."

"He doesn't know?" Jazmine asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Eston doesn't know. Carlisle doesn't know?"

"Eston thinks she's his," Annemarie said, the words muffled against her knees. "He needed an heir. He can't have children. He took her to secure the family trust. He thinks she's his blood."

"And Carlisle?" Jazmine asked, kneeling beside Annemarie.

"Carlisle thinks she's Eston's child. My love child with a billionaire." Annemarie lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. "He can't see her, Jazmine. If he looks at her for more than five seconds, he'll know. She looks exactly like him. I didn't realize how much until today."

Jazmine grabbed Annemarie's hands, squeezing them tight. "Listen to me. We will fix this. I will help you. We will keep her away from him."

"How?" Annemarie cried. "He's my lawyer! He has access to my life. He's going to dig into everything."

"Then we fire him," Jazmine said firmly. "Tomorrow morning, first thing, you go to that office and you tell him you're dropping the firm. You don't give him a reason."

Annemarie sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "And then what? I have no money, no lawyer, and a husband trying to take my baby."

"I have money," Jazmine said. "I will find you a shark who doesn't care about Carlisle Bradford's grudge. But you have to cut ties with Carlisle first."

Annemarie looked at her sleeping daughter. The little girl shifted, her fingers curling tighter around the red ball. Annemarie felt a fierce, protective instinct surge through her. She would not let Carlisle take her baby. She would rather die.

"Okay," Annemarie said, her voice hardening. "I'll fire him tomorrow. I'll tell him I found someone else."

"Good," Jazmine said, pulling Annemarie into a tight hug. "Now, go sleep in the guest room. I'll watch her."

Annemarie hugged her friend back, a tiny sliver of hope cutting through the panic. She had to get away from Carlisle. She had to disappear from his radar, just like she had six years ago.