“Willa.” A million tiny needles prod at my heart. He moves toward me, and I throw my hand out. I won’t be able to get through this if he touches me. “Willa, tell me what happened.”
I shake my head. I can’t. I made that decision when I failed us and signed that paper. “I can’t. Please. This is for your own good.”
He ignores my plea to stay away and comes at me, gripping me in his hold. “What happened?” he demands, his voice is tight. “I’m not an idiot, Willa. What did she do? What did they say to convince you running is the answer?” He shakes me. “Tell me!”
“I can’t. I promised. They won’t take away everything you’ve worked so hard for. You’ll get to live your life without the burden of me holding you back—”
“Stop! Stop. If you think leaving will do anything but destroy me, you’re crazy. I don’t care what they do to me. They can take it. Everything. I only want you and Bria. Why can’t you trust me? Let her do her worst. We will fight. I told you.”
Let her…
“How do you know—”
“I came home, and you were gone. The scent of my mother’s perfume tainted the place, and I came to one conclusion. I had the doorman play me the security footage to confirm it.”
“She made so many threats. I couldn’t bear to be the reason…how would you still love me—stand to look at me, knowing I’m the reason you lost it all? How would you still—?”
He cups my cheeks. “I would love you through anything. Do you think I care if they strip me of my name? I’ve never wanted it, just like you. Steal my hard work? It’s been for them—not me. I can start over. Be anyone. But if I’m not with you, I’m nothing. Let them do their worst.”
I can barely see him through the tears. “What about money?”
Jake laughs. “Willa, I’ve always been one step ahead of them. I always knew something like this could happen. Play with the snakes, and one day you’ll get bitten. I’ve been putting money away since before I left for school. I have enough saved for us to live on a private island until we’re old and gray. I told you to trust me.”
“Oh, Jake, she said such horrible things. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do, and I panicked. The only thing I could do was think about your future and what I would be taking away from you if I stayed, then what I’d be taking away from you if I left. I would’ve never taken Bria from you. Not again. But I felt so trapped. She threatened me. She made me swear to stay away from you.”
“Nothing would keep me away from you.”
“What do we do now?”
“We do what we’ve always wanted to do. We break away. Cut the strings for good and leave. Give you that cute little cottage in the woods. A king-size pool. A swing. I’ll do anything. I’ll build you that fortress so no one can touch us ever again.”
My lips quiver as he presses his to mine. “No more doubting. This is the start of us. We leave tonight. Us three. I love you, Willa.”
“I love you too. I’m so sorry for doubting. I’ll never do it again.”
He kisses me deeply, filling my heart with promise. His love shines so brightly, pushing away the dark clouds that have overshadowed us for half a lifetime. The warmth of his embrace is the comfort I need to know we finally won. Just like our silly fantasies as kids, we’re finally getting our happily ever after. Together.
Jake pulls away quickly. “Grab what you need here. We can buy all new things once we get settled.”
Suddenly anxious, I bend down and grab my box, remembering the missing birth certificate. I turn around and make another attempt and sigh in relief when I find it. With the certificate securely in my hands, I breathe easier.
But my relief is short-lived when the memory of the contract Meredith made me sign comes to mind. The color drains from my face, and I slowly lift my frantic eyes to Jake. “Oh my God, Jake, I did something… your mother—she had this contact. These terms…she made me swear, and I started to panic and signed—”
“What do you mean signed? What did you sign?”
“I don’t know! It was just a bunch of details making me swear I would stay away. If not, she would take Bria. She would rig the paternity results and claim you weren’t her father and send me to jail for fraud.”
Jake grips my shoulders. “Willa, calm down.”
“I can’t! What if she finds out? She’s going to take Bria from me!” A storm of emotions erupts from my chest, and tears begin to soak my cheeks.
He brings me to his chest. “Willa, look at me.” He coerces me to fight through my anguish. “Breathe. I told you. I’ve prepared for this.”
“How? How can you have possibly prepared for this? Jake, they are going to take our daughter and strip you of everything.”
He offers me the sweetest, gentlest grin, and I’m confused at how he can find such courage to smile at a time like this. “I never trusted my parents as far as I could throw them. I knew one day I would have had enough. And when that day came, I would have to have a plan. Something that would allow me my freedom, no matter the claws they had in the world around us.”
I shake my head. “I don’t understand?”
“Right now, you don’t need to. Let’s hurry and get our daughter.” He grabs my hand, and we hurry out of my apartment and down the stairs, barreling through the exit door. The driver’s eyes widen in surprise at Jake’s presence. He reaches for his phone, contemplating his next move.
“Jeffries, I see you’re still doing my parents’ dirty work. Go on. Call my mother. I would love to have a word with her.”
The driver nods and presses the number on his speed dial. We hear Meredith on the other line, and before Jeffries can get a word out, Jake grabs the phone.
“Jeff—”
“Hello, Mother.”
“Jakey, this is a surprise. To what do I owe the—”
“Enough. Save all your games and bullshit.” I hear her inhaled gasp through the line. “And the pleasure is all mine. Because I will finally break free of your lies and deceit.”
“Jakey—”
“You’ve messed with my life for the last time. And now, it’s time to repay the favor.” My brows perk with interest. “After today, you will never attempt to make contact with me. You will never attempt to make contact with Willa. From this point forward, I’m dead to you—”
“Jake, this is nonsense—”
“Because you are dead to me. I don’t care what you tell your country club friends. Tell them I was shipped off at sea, never to return. Shit, tell them the truth—that you’re a conniving bitch who only cares about herself.”
“Watch your tone, son. You will not talk to your mother like—”
“I am not your son. You should get used to repeating that. Now, to the good stuff. If you think to ever go against my wishes and try to find me, send your dogs to harm Willa, or if I even feel anything is wrong, I will not hesitate to make my move. You think you’re high and mighty, but you’re not. That perfect marriage you and Father pretend to flaunt around—I will broadcast to the entire world the decades of exploits Father has enjoyed. The women. The hookers. The gambling.” His mother’s strangled gasp matches my own. “I will ruin you. Do you understand?”