I’m dying to know what happened with Victor when she confronted him, but that’s not an appropriate subject to talk about in front of a child. Especially one who’s been through all the things that Daniella has.
Luckily, Amber is already on it. “Hey, listen, I need to talk with Dawn about a few things. Why don’t you and dad go back to the house for lunch? Then we’ll join you a little later.”
“But I already ate lunch with Mrs. Dawn earlier,” Daniella whines. “And Mrs. Dawn said she was going to teach me how to make my own flipbook next.”
Amber’s face sets just as stubbornly as her daughter’s. “Kid, you know the rules. You don’t have a law degree like your father and me, so you don’t get to argue….”
Daniella rolls her eyes in a way that makes her look like a tween twice her age. “I know, I know. I have to negotiate.”
Daniella lets out a sigh. Her expression is totally aggrieved. “Okay, can I come back here after I make Dad lunch?”
“Hey, I can make my own lunch,” Luca points out. “I’m a grown man.”
“It’s Carol’s day off,” Amber reminds him.
“In that case, super appreciate the offer,” Luca says quickly to Daniella. “One of those panini sandwiches you’re so good at making would be great. Thanks, kid.”
Shaking her head, Amber says to Daniella, “I’ll consider your terms. And after you and your dad have finished your ice cream, I’ll let you know if Dawn’s up for a visit.”
“I can have ice cream after I make Dad lunch?” Daniella shrieks. “Come on, Dad, let’s go!”
Amber’s daughter tugs her father out of the guesthouse like they have extremely urgent business to attend to. She didn’t even seem to hear the part about maybe not being allowed to come back over here today.
But I definitely noticed that Amber appeared reluctant to commit me to doing anything for the next few hours. Did it go that bad?
“Well, you missed an exciting episode of Mr. and Ms. Mafia,” Amber says as soon as the door closes behind Luca and her daughter.
She whips out her mobility stick and taps around until she finds the armchair.
“What happened?” I ask, dropping into a seat on the couch right next to the chair.
“Get this. Your asshole ex arranges a meeting with Luca. And I guess he was all set to, like, trade you as if we were back in the olden days and you were chattel or something. Luca actually had the nerve to say he would’ve taken the deal if it had been anybody but one of my clients—he can still be an asshole too sometimes, but I decided to love him anyway, so there’s no going back now.”
Amber shakes her head again like she’s still trying to reconcile that decision. “But whatever, you should have seen me walk up in there. I was like—Bam! Amber Ferraro in the house, Bitch! I would’ve murdered this case like Narcos. But I’m not serving you with divorce papers because you’re not even married. Dunh-dunh-DUUUUNNNHHH!”
“And what did Victor say?” I ask breathlessly. I’m all the way leaned forward now on the literal edge of my seat. “Did he make an excuse or try to explain himself?”
Amber lets out a disgusted sound. “Not exactly. He said real or not, you still verbally agreed to the ten years but skipped out on your contracted time before it was up.”
Even though I knew he would go here, I’m immediately enraged. “I didn’t skip out. He humiliated me. And my dad. So I left with my brother before he could do any more damage.”
“Yeah, I pointed that out, using all the legal eagle language, and threatened to sue him for everything. But unfortunately, he wasn’t that easily intimidated. He just kept on insisting that because you left your last agreed-upon date early, you still owed him one last year to make up for the one you didn’t finish. He’s basically saying he wants a do-over. He said something about a longer version of Operation Good as New 3.0?”
For several seconds, all I can do is choke on shock. “What? I don’t owe him anything. He took ten years of my life. For nothing. I can’t believe that psycho is using my branding to try to abuse me for another year!”
Amber winces. “So, your answer is definitely no?”
I bug my eyes and come all the way off the couch to give her my obvious reply, “I’m not going to spend another day with him, so yeah, it’s a hell to the no to a whole ‘nother 365!”
I expect Amber to agree with me full-heartedly. But she just taps her fingers against her cane like she’s trying to figure out how to tell me something.
“What?” I demand, not liking the uncharacteristically hesitant look on her previously frank face.
Amber makes a calming down motion with her free hand. “Trust me. I’m on your side. This guy is an Asshole with a capital A. I know the type, and I don’t blame you for never wanting to see him ever again. I used to feel the exact same way about Luca.”
“Wait, but you’re married to Luca now,” I point out.
“And that’s why I get how guys like this operate,” Amber replies, slicker than slick.
I am easily beginning to see why she’s never lost a divorce case.
“So I used his counter as a jumping-off point to get you the deal you really want. I let him know that you absolutely did not owe him another year of your life. But we were willing to perhaps come to new terms, if he agreed in writing, never to bother you again after you fulfilled this last obligation. That means no surveillance of any kind. No calls, no texts, no emails. In fact, he needs to agree in writing not to come within a mile of you.”
I open my mouth to ask her why she would want to negotiate anything with my ruthless ex, but then I start to follow her logic.
“I figured this might be a way for you not to have to deal with a huge custody battle while you’re setting up your new life and also trying to grow a whole baby,” Amber explains, confirming my guess behind her motives. “If he can’t come near you, then maybe you’ll be able to raise his baby in peace. All you have to do is lay low.”
I like the sound of that. Of being able to keep my secret baby without fear of Victor showing up and trying to rip my child away from me unless I agree to live under his thumb again.
“So what would I have to do to make that happen?” I ask Amber. “What do I have to give him to make him leave me alone forever?”
“I negotiated him down to three dates,” Amber answers. “Three dates and you’re free. So… what’s your answer?”
5
VICTOR
Phantom’s phone vibrates just as he and Victor are climbing out of his Audi. They’re in the parking lot for Denang on Third, one of the few restaurants in New York City with parking. It’s also the same place where Victor ended their partnership with Kuang back in April.
Phantom frowns, then tells Victor, “It’s a message from that hard-ass lawyer. Dawn’s finally agreed to your terms. Amber says she’ll be in touch soon to negotiate the details.”
Phantom shakes his head. “Helluva time to finally get back to us.”
Indeed, Victor agrees.