Chapter 4

The news hit the room like a grenade. Within seconds, people were taking my side.

"Unbelievable. They let her raise their kid and pay their bills, then waltz in to collect?"

"Calla went through hell paying off that man's debts!"

"It's not just the money. They stole her whole youth. Every chance she had to be happy!"

Even Bastian was looking at me with pain in his eyes.

"Calla," he said, low. "Say the word, and I'll throw them out."

"Don't." I put a hand on his arm. "This is my business. I'll deal with it."

That was when I spotted Tobin, hanging back behind his parents.

I walked over and cupped his face in my hands, the way I used to when he was little.

"Tobin. Are you choosing them, or me?"

His eyes flicked to Delphine, like he needed her permission. When he answered, his voice was flat.

"This is the last time I'm calling you Mom. Thanks for raising me, I guess. But Delphine loves me just as much as you ever did. More, honestly. She was actually around."

He pulled his face out of my hands.

"And I'm glad she's my real mom. If I'd gotten your genes, I'd be stuck as some weak Omega for the rest of my life. So please don't get in the way of my family."

Delphine pulled him into a hug right away.

"I knew all that love wasn't for nothing."

Then she turned to me with a smirk.

"If you want a kid so badly, Calla, go find some man and make your own. Just stop clinging to mine."

A bitter laugh caught in my throat. Eighteen years, and all I had to show for it was a pup who'd bite the hand that fed him.

Fine. He'd never really been mine anyway.

Before I could say anything, Corwin stepped in, eager to twist the knife.

"Back then, I saved your life. A pack of rogues had you pinned down, and they'd already stabbed you. If I hadn't gotten there in time, you know exactly what they would've done to you."

Then he turned to face the crowd and raised his voice.

"After I recovered, I faked my death because I never loved Calla. It was always Delphine. I just didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. Is that really so terrible?"

The room split. A few of the men were nodding along, eating up his little performance.

Once fewer people were glaring at him, Corwin pressed his advantage.

"So we're square, Calla. All I want is what's mine: this company. I built it from nothing before we were ever mates." He pulled a document from his jacket. "I'll give you fifty thousand for running it all these years. Call it a thank-you."

He slapped a transfer agreement into my hand.

That was when Bastian snapped. He grabbed Corwin by the collar.

"Fifty thousand? For everything she's given up? She paid off twelve million dollars of your debt!"

One of my business partners spoke up right away and offered to find me the best lawyer in the territory.

Corwin didn't even flinch. He just smiled and went after my reputation instead.

"Oh, so this is your boyfriend? Looks like you've been having a great time since I 'died.' I bet you paid off those debts on your back, didn't you? I mean, how else does an Omega run a company?"

Bastian's fist connected with Corwin's jaw and knocked him flat.

In all the years I'd known Bastian, he'd never been anything but gentle. I'd never once seen him lose his temper.

When he drew his fist back again, I caught his arm.

"Bastian, stop. He's not worth it."

Then, while everyone watched in disbelief, I stepped forward, uncapped a pen, and signed the transfer agreement.

"Fine. You can have your happy family."

Corwin and Delphine froze. They clearly hadn't expected me to give in that easily.

"But," I said, "I have one condition."