Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
“With modern technology, I’m sure they could get whatever heir they want,” Antoinette said. “Don’t worry yourself too much about it. I’m sure James is handling everything.”
“He usually does,” I murmured.
“Good. Now, I am throwing a garden party next week, and I INSIST that you come. You will get a formal invitation in the post, of course, but I just wanted to make sure you left the date open…” Antoinette changed the subject.
I smiled at her, thankful to know I did have a few people I could share my life story with. It was a big surprise to know that everyone had their own stories here, just like we did.
I committed to the garden party, just as long as it didn’t conflict with any of the legal things we had going on with Alessandro, then waved goodbye as Antoinette went to collect her little girl and walked back in the direction of her mansion.
As the sun began to set a little, I decided applesauce and graham crackers just weren’t going to cut it anymore, so I wheeled Alessandro back to our own mansion, nodding to the guards at the gate. For some reason, their smiles were extra bright. They knew something I didn’t.
I got Alessandro some food and milk, and played with him a little more and read him a book before it was time to set him down to sleep. Luckily, he fell asleep in my arms and did not wake when I transferred him to his crib.
In the nursery, I curled up on the spare bed and tried to sleep myself. It got harder and harder to do so without James.
I must have fallen asleep, however, because I woke to a soft kiss on my temple.
“James?” I asked muzzily.
“Yes, it’s me, darling,” James said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I thought I’d go out and get you a present. That’s why I was gone all day. I was making arrangements.”
“What present? Arrangements for what?” I replied, the sleep slowly clawing away from me.
James smiled at me and showed me what he had in his lap.
I looked down and burst into tears. “Dahlia!”
Dahlia was a bit grumpy, probably because of the time shift, but accepted me scooping her up in my arms just the same.
James stroked a hand over my hair while I peppered kisses all over Dahlia’s squirming body. I got some diaper fuzz in my mouth, but I didn’t care.
“I thought it would be nice to be together as a family,” James explained.
With a sob, I leaned up to James and kissed him.
“Okay,” I whispered, tucking my head under his chin. “Okay, I think that’s the best idea I’ve ever heard.”
Allison.
“So, as I was saying, Jessica, don’t you think Becca is a completely unfit mother?” I asked again, staring at my daughter’s friend with purpose.
The girl was not the sharpest knife in the drawer. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen her as a mother.”
“But Becca is promiscuous and violent and not a good friend to Tally, right?” I tried again.
Jessica rubbed her chin. “Tally’s dead, though. How can she be any kind of friend to her?”
I sighed and opened my purse, taking out a small stack of the financial reserves the Cartwrights had given me for… well… bribe money, to be blunt. “Think, Jessica. Think back. Didn’t Becca attack men, including Chad, at Tally’s parties?”
Realization finally dawned in the idiot’s eyes, and she quickly pocketed the money I slid across the table. “You know what, you’re right. She did. And she tried to get back at Chad. And Tally said Becca sent her dad to beat up Chad.”
Bingo. “Yes, that is true, isn’t it?” I simpered. “It would be a shame for Tally’s baby, little Alessandro, to stay in her custody while there is a loving family like the Cartwrights willing to open their home to him.”
“That’s absolutely right,” Jessica replied with a vigorous nod.
“Good. Good. I’m glad we understand each other. You just make sure you tell all this to the lawyer and the judge when the time comes,” I said.
“Sure will.” Jessica gave me a greedy, eager grin. “Should I be expecting anything else for my trouble?”
F*ck no. “Of course,” I smiled, patting her hand.
“Great. Guess I’ll see you in court, then,” Jessica said, getting up from the table and walking out, leaving me with the bill.
Rude.
I was having trouble believing my daughter had collected such a string of idiots as friends.
But, as I continued vetting them, coaching them, and bribing them, each girl who came was stupider than the last, and each boy was a huge egotistical asshole.
Not that that stopped me from asking both boys and girls if their fathers were single. I was coming up with quite a few prospects for myself. I knew after they had Alessandro, I wouldn’t be able to count on the Cartwrights for anything.
Luckily, my next meeting was with Carter Cartwright himself. He could pick up the tab for all these vacuous people.
Carter strode across the cafe as though my thinking his name had conjured the man himself. “So?” he asked, sitting down across from me.
“Please hand the tab to this gentleman,” I said to a passing waiter. Then I smiled at Carter. “Easy peasy. There will be twelve witnesses there to poke holes in Becca’s character. And I haven’t even gotten completely through the list yet.”
“Excellent,” Carter responded, tossing a black AmEx at the waiter when he came back with the tab.
If James hadn’t divorced me, I would have one of those. I’d also still have my Tally. This was all his fault. Him and that bitch Becca.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Carter?” I simpered, leaning over the table to expose my cleavage as I put a hand on his. I could do worse than kicking out the current Mrs. Cartwright and raising my grandchild myself.
“Allison, we’ve talked about this,” Carter said stiffly, snatching his hand from under mine. “I have no intention of ever leaving Cecelia. You’re a beautiful woman, but go fishing elsewhere.”
I shrugged and sat back in my chair. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“I will also require that you sign over any rights or claim you might have to Alessandro now or in the future,” Carter intoned. “Frankly, I can’t have trash like you around the heir to the Cartwright fortune.”
“Trash?!” I screeched.
“Lower your voice,” Carter commanded. “I won’t have you making a scene.”
“How dare you call me trash?!” I hissed, lowering my tone.
“You and your daughter are both trash. And we’re going to have to change Alessandro’s name when we have custody of him. Alessandro is too… ethnic. Maybe Alexander,” Carter mused to himself.
I stood, incensed. “You’re insulting the memory of my daughter.”
“I’m telling the truth. Ugh, new money,” Carter grimaced as though he’d stepped in something foul.
“I’ll have you know…” I began.
“Know what? That your father had his own fishing boat? Good for him,” Carter said. “Alexander—yes, I like the sound of that—will have a multi-million-dollar corporation to oversee. A lot more than a boat.”
