“Did he go out for a run again?” Grandma perks up, ready to greet him.
Before I can answer, I notice Dawn Spearman walking toward us, fists close, face red, and eyes bulging.
“Why are you telling people you’re engaged to my son, whore? He’ll never be with you and I’ll make sure of that.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Atzi
Slack-jawed, I stare at Dawn Spearman in surprise. Why is she here? Who told her about the engagement?
None of that matters. I have to think on my feet before she ruins everything. I square up my shoulders and plant the best fake smile I can. “Good morning, Dawn. It’s nice to see you.”
“Where is Heathcliff?” she yells, then looks at me again. “I’m not going to allow you to ruin his life. I thought I got rid of your kind years ago, but you’re still hanging around, aren’t you?” Her voice can be heard all the way to San Diego or probably Seattle. The veins in her forehead are popping.
“Heathcliff!”
“You need to leave,” I say as calmly as I can.
She steps closer, looking down at me. “Listen, whore, I won’t be leaving the house that belongs to my son. You are nothing to him. Nothing. If I were you, I would leave while it’s safe.”
Is she losing her shit? I don’t know what to say or how to act. I’m not afraid of Dawn, but I don’t do well during confrontations. Also, what if she has another breakdown and gets lost in her mind for another six years? Her children won’t be able to handle it.
“What the fuck is going on? It’s just seven in the morning,” Heath says as he makes his way down the stairs.
“How can you still be friends with this woman?” she asks with an accusatory tone. “After everything her family did… how could you, Heathcliff?”
I want her to say more about my family. What did we do to her? Unless she’s talking about me and she believes I’m more than one person. She’s definitely losing her mind.
“Mom, calm down.”
“I’m calm.” She lifts her arm, showing her shaky hand. “See, steady hand. I’m in control of the situation.”
“You have to leave, Mom.”
She lifts her hand. The movement is so fast that I don’t realize she’s slapped me until my face begins to throb.
“That’s enough,” Heath says.
Dawn touches her chest and begins to breathe rapidly. “If you think I’ll allow you to be with this woman, you’re mistaken. Her aunt stole my husband, but I won’t allow her to steal my son.”
Heath blinks a couple of times. “What?”
“You didn’t know? Your father had a mistress,” she says. “Everyone thought he was a good man, but he was just like every asshole in the world—a cheater.”
Dawn slaps me again.
She slaps me.
Heath puts himself between his mother and me. “Mom, you have to leave.”
“I won’t. I’m here to protect you. If this bitch thinks she can have you, she’s mistaken. Lying that you two are together… what’s next? Getting knocked up so you can trap him? That’ll never happen, not on my watch.”
The elevator sounds again. Lysander and Caspian are walking toward us. “What’s the commotion?”
“This woman is trying to steal your brother from me.” Dawn is screaming so loud my ears are about to burst. “She’s spewing lies about an engagement. They’re just lies.”
“You’ve done enough damage, Mother. Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Lysander says, grabbing his mother by the elbow.
One moment she’s walking, the next, she’s fainting on the floor.
“Give her space and call 9-1-1,” Heath orders.
His brothers are moving around. Cas carries her to the couch. I remain in the corner watching, horrified at the scene. The ambulance arrives within minutes. Heath leaves with her, and Lysander looks at me, shaking his head.
“Sorry, I apologize,” I mumble.
He looks at my face. “Did my mother hit you?”
“It doesn’t matter.” I wave a hand.
“But it does. Are you okay?”
I smile cheerfully, because that’s what I do all the time. Pretend nothing affects me. Not even the psycho who might’ve ruined my life. “I’ll be fine.”
He turns to my grandparents and extends his hand, and shakes them. “Lysander Spearman. I’m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances.”
“Pablo Rivera. This is Adelaida, my wife. Is your mother going to be okay?”
Lysander shrugs. “Sure. That was probably one of her best acts. Pretending she’s tragically dying, so we let her get away with shit. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
“She seemed sick.” Abuela looks at the closed doors, almost horrified.
“Nothing a promise from her favorite son won’t cure,” he states and salutes us. “If you don’t mind, I must join my family at the hospital. Hopefully, I can reason with Heath before he surrenders his soul to Satan.”
Once he’s gone, my abuela asks, “Is that true?”
“She’s pretending to be sick to drag her sons’ attention?” I nod. “Most likely.”
“No. That you’re faking being engaged to him.”
I could say no, but maybe confessing the truth is for the best. If I hadn’t lied for so many years, my face wouldn’t be throbbing, and Heath wouldn’t be worried sick about his mom because she’s disturbed by the fake news.
“Did you lie?” Abuelita insists.
Both my grandparents are already looking at me with disappointment. I won’t be surprised if they leave without saying goodbye. The nightmare that’s been haunting me for years is about to become a reality.
I lift my chin, trying to be courageous. “Yes, but only because—”
“You lied to us,” Abuelo interrupts me angrily.
“I didn’t—”
He shows me a hand. “Stop. You’re just like your mother.”
“I hope I am just like her. She was a loving person, smart, and compassionate.”
“Vamonos, no tenemos nada que hacer aqui. Esta niña es igual de ingrata que Lydia.” Abuela does the sign of the cross.
I want to tell her I’m not ungrateful, and my mother wasn’t either. That if they want to leave, the door is wide open. I don’t need them, but the last part would be a lie. I need their love.
“We’re leaving. Send our things to Mexico. We don’t want to see you again,” Abuelo says.
“But I did it—”
“We don’t care why you lied,” Abuela says, adding, “Was Heath your boyfriend?”
“No.”
“You’re nothing to us,” she says. They turn around and walk toward the elevator.
As they leave, Rys enters the penthouse. “I take it they didn’t like Dawn’s performance.”
I shake my head.
“Let’s put some ice on those cheeks.”
“Why are you here?”
“Cas texted me. He wanted me to make sure you were okay.”
Am I okay? Doubtful, but they don’t need to know that. No one has to learn that I’m ready to cry. “How’s Dawn?”