Six Years Later, He's My Boss

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The nurse checked her tablet. "Eight-thirty to nine-fifteen AM."

"And what time was the game pad discovered?"

"I—I believe Mrs. Winters reported it around nine o'clock," the nurse said hesitantly.

"So my son was literally in the imaging department, having his heart scanned, when the game pad supposedly went missing." Ambelyn turned back to Cassandra. "Unless you're suggesting he has the ability to be in two places at once?"

Cassandra's mouth opened and closed. "But it was under his bed—"

"Which proves nothing except that someone put it there." Ambelyn's eyes flashed. "Tell me, Cassandra, who would benefit from making my son look like a thief? Who might want to cause me problems? Who might want to embarrass me?"

Understanding flickered across Cassandra's face, followed quickly by guilt. "Veronica wouldn't—"

"Wouldn't she?" Ambelyn laughed bitterly. "Your dear friend Veronica, who was at the investor meeting this morning with Thomas. Who saw me succeed despite their best efforts to sabotage me. Who probably called you the moment they left and suggested you find some way to—what? Get revenge? Make my life difficult? Remind me of my place?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cassandra said, but her voice had gone weak.

"Let me be very clear," Ambelyn said, her voice dropping to something soft and dangerous. "I have spent five years letting people like you and Veronica walk all over me. I stayed quiet when you made snide comments at charity galas. I smiled when you excluded me from your parties. I tolerated your barely concealed contempt because I thought I had to, because I thought keeping the peace was more important than my dignity."

She took another step forward. "But that woman is gone. I don't answer to Thomas anymore. I don't need to curry favor with his social circle. I don't have to pretend that you're anything other than what you are—a petty, cruel woman who gets her thrills from bullying children."

Cassandra's face had gone blotchy with rage and humiliation. "You can't speak to me like this—"

"I just did. And let me tell you what's going to happen now." Ambelyn's voice was steel wrapped in silk. "You're going to apologize to my son. Then you're going to leave this hospital and never come near him again. And you're going to go back to Veronica and tell her that her little games won't work anymore."

"And if I don't?" Cassandra's attempt at defiance fell flat.

"Then I'll make sure everyone in your social circle knows exactly how your son was conceived," Ambelyn said pleasantly. "I'll tell them about your affair with your father-in-law. I'll explain in vivid detail how you got pregnant while married to his son. I'll make sure every country club, every charity board, every social event knows that you're not just a cheater—you're someone who destroyed a family from the inside."

"You wouldn't." But Cassandra's face had gone pale.

"Try me." Ambelyn smiled, and it wasn't a nice expression. "I have nothing left to lose, Cassandra. No reputation to protect, no social standing to maintain. You and your friends can't hurt me anymore because I don't care what you think. But you? You care very much what people think. So ask yourself—do you really want to test me?"

The silence stretched. Finally, Cassandra turned to Iniko, her expression sour. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "For the—the accusation."

"Louder," Ambelyn commanded. "And look at him when you say it."

Cassandra's jaw clenched, but she met Iniko's eyes. "I'm sorry for accusing you of stealing. It was wrong."

"Now leave," Ambelyn said.

Cassandra grabbed her designer purse and stalked toward the door, her heels clicking angrily on the linoleum. At the threshold, she paused and looked back. "You've made a powerful enemy today, Ambelyn. Veronica won't forget this."

"Good," Ambelyn replied calmly. "Tell her I'm counting on it."

After Cassandra left, the ward seemed to collectively exhale. The nurses exchanged impressed glances. Dr. Martinez looked at Ambelyn with new respect.

"Mrs.—Ms. Moreau," he said. "That was... impressive."

"That was necessary," Ambelyn corrected, turning back to Iniko. Her fierce expression melted into something gentle as she cupped her son's tear-stained face. "Hey, baby. Are you okay?"

"I didn't take it, Mama," Iniko said, his voice small and broken. "I promise I didn't take the game pad. I don't even like video games that much."

"I know, sweetheart. I know you didn't." She pulled him close, breathing in the scent of hospital soap and little boy. "That woman was wrong to accuse you. She was wrong about everything."

"Why was she so mean?" Iniko asked against her shoulder. "Did I do something bad?"

"No, baby. You didn't do anything wrong. She's just—" Ambelyn paused, choosing her words carefully. "She's just an unhappy person who tries to make other people unhappy too. But we're not going to let her win, okay?"

Iniko pulled back to look at her. "You were like a superhero, Mama. You weren't scared of her at all."

Despite everything, Ambelyn smiled. "I was a little scared. But sometimes being brave means doing the right thing even when you're scared."

"Like when you told Thomas to go away at Grandma Eleanor's house?"

Ambelyn's breath caught. She'd thought Iniko had been too focused on his treatment to overhear that confrontation, but clearly he'd caught more than she'd realized.

"Yes," she said carefully. "Like that. Speaking of which, sweetheart, there's something important Mama needs to talk to you about. But first—" She retrieved the gift bag from where she'd dropped it. "I brought you something."

Iniko's eyes lit up as he pulled out the blue T-Rex. "A dinosaur! Is it for me?"

"All for you. I thought you could name him."

"Rex!" Iniko declared immediately, hugging the stuffed animal. "His name is Rex and he's the king of all dinosaurs."

"Perfect." Ambelyn sat on the edge of his bed, gathering her courage. This was it. Time to tell him the truth—or at least as much truth as a five-year-old could handle. "Iniko, remember how I said Mama needed to talk to you about something important?"