Page 19 of Hearts of Wealth

Catherine

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I WALKED INTO THE RESTAURANT, a little irritated to discover it was very upscale. I should have known she would choose a place like this. I wasn’t going to complain too much. She had agreed to meet me, and that was nothing short of a miracle. I ignored the looks I got from the other patrons. Yes, I was seriously underdressed, but I didn’t care. It wasn’t like I would ever see any of these people again. Unless they bought an old house they needed me to restore.

It didn’t take long for me to spot Regina. She was dressed to kill with full hair and makeup as usual. She was inspecting her manicure, and judging by the look on her face, she didn’t like it. Or maybe that was just her face. It was hard to say. I pulled my shoulders back, put my chin up, and started through the restaurant. She looked up at me with that same pompous expression I had come to expect from her.

I sat across from Regina. The tension between us was palpable. We were sizing each other up. I knew that this conversation was going to be difficult, but I was determined to lay it all out on the table. She wanted to intimidate me, and deep down, she did a little. But she was just a woman.

“Regina, thank you for agreeing to meet me,” I said.

“I figured I should have a conversation with the woman screwing my husband.”

“Ex-husband,” I corrected.

“For now.” She smiled. “I think you underestimate the power of love.”

“Not at all,” I said. “I believe in it.”

“What do you want?” She sighed like she was bored. “I’ve got things to do.”

“I need to talk to you about Timothy and Paisley,” I began, my voice steady despite the nerves that churned in my stomach. “I love Timothy, and I want to be with him. I don’t care about his money or his social status. I just want him to be happy, and right now, he’s not. Neither is Paisley.”

Regina’s expression remained impassive, but I could see the flicker of anger in her eyes. “Paisley is my daughter,” she interjected sharply, her voice tinged with possessiveness. “You might have fooled the man, but you’re not going to fool my daughter. I know your type.”

I nodded understandingly, acknowledging her maternal instincts even if they weren’t exactly coming from the right place. It was very clear she was jealous and mad at me. Mad at Timothy for not giving in to her. “I know she’s your daughter, Regina,” I replied gently. “But Timothy loves her too, and he wants to be a part of her life. He’s offered to allow you to take over Paisley’s trust fund and pay for her lifestyle and college if she can come stay with him more often. I truly believe you love your daughter and you want what’s best for her.”

Bullshit.

Regina loved Regina, but I could talk the talk and say whatever was necessary. I had to grit my teeth and stroke her ego.

Regina’s eyes narrowed at my words, her expression guarded. “Timothy has no right to interfere in our lives,” she retorted, her tone defensive. “He’s my ex-husband, as you just reminded me. I don’t even know why I’m listening to the slut sleeping with my husband. You don’t know anything about me or my daughter.”

I sighed, feeling a sense of frustration building within me. I had to take her insults. “Regina, Paisley needs her father,” I insisted, my voice pleading. “And Timothy needs his daughter. Please, just consider what’s best for Paisley.”

For a moment, the restaurant fell silent, and all that could be heard was the clinking of cutlery as the table next to us was prepared for the next customers. Regina just sat there, staring at me, her eyes hard and cold, but I noticed a glimmer of something beneath the surface. Was it doubt? Fear? Or perhaps it was simply surprise that I had the gall to confront her.

“You’re out of your depth, sweetheart,” she finally replied, her voice low and chilling. There was no warmth in her smile, no compassion or understanding in her gaze. “You can’t possibly think that Timothy has any real rights here. He’s not her father. He didn’t adopt her. He was the man I married. She is nothing to him.”

“That’s not true,” I replied, holding my own against her. “She’s everything to him. He gave you everything you wanted. He’s given you a lot of money. Why not just do the right thing? It’s not like you’re going to miss her. She’s at boarding school. A school she hates. It’s making her miserable. I know you love your daughter. Why not let her come back to the States? She’s struggling over there.”

Regina sat back in her chair, a stiff and icy figure against the warm ambiance of the restaurant. The corners of her mouth curled into a cruel smile as she studied me with hard eyes. “Do you really think that I would let my own daughter be raised by you?” she spat the words out like venom, her disdain for me evident in her tone.

I swallowed hard. Things were going sideways. The last thing I wanted to do was push Regina into doing something worse. But I was not going to back down now. This was for Paisley and Timothy, and I would not let Regina’s poisonous words deter me.

“I’m not asking you to let me raise her,” I said, matching her intensity. “I’m asking you to let Timothy be a father to his daughter. He has every right to be in her life, and she needs him.”

“And why would I trust you?” she sneered, leaning forward so our faces were inches apart. “You, who seduced my husband, are telling me what’s best for my child?”

“I’m suggesting what’s best for Paisley,” I retorted firmly. I did not flinch under her gaze. Instead, I looked into her eyes with sincerity that was hard to deny. “Her well-being should be above any grudges and personal issues we have.”

Regina leaned back once more, sizing me up. I wasn’t going to take the bait and get into who loved Timothy more. This was about her daughter.

“Let me be clear, darling.” Regina’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Paisley is mine, and I will not have her corrupted by the likes of you. You don’t get a ready-made family. I’m the one that suffered through nine months of pregnancy and the horrors of labor to just let some floozy take my kid.”

Beneath her bravado, I sensed a familiar fear. The terror of losing control.

“Paisley isn’t an object to be owned. She’s a person with her own needs and desires. I have no intention of taking over or trying to be her mother. She’s a young woman on the verge of adulthood. She’s going to need all the love and support she can get.”