kalani depradine

Music blared in my ears as I pushed the stroller through the park. The weather was great and Amelia didn't seem to mind being outdoors.

My running slowed down before I transitioned to a brisk walk. The park was filled with other mothers and it was refreshing to see. I couldn't help but peak into their strollers to see what their babies look like. They all vary in size and I have to hold back from asking how old they are, all because I want to talk about Amelia.

I removed my earbuds and placed them in my pocket when I arrived at a lemonade stand. I pulled cash from my wallet and handed it to the gentleman after ordering.

"How was your run?"

I jumped at the voice that was far too close to me for my liking. I turned and saw Blake with his very broad shoulders and intimidating stare, peering down at me.

"Blake," I swallowed, processing Grayson's father being here in front of me while I was in the park. The simple fact didn't make me feel good. Every time we've encountered each other, it hasn't been good and this time Grayson wasn't going to be here to save me. He was at work. "It was good. Thank you."

"I'm happy to hear that. Does Grayson normally just allow you stroll the city alone like this?" He was following my slow walking pace while I sipped my lemonade. A crease in my forehead formed. Allow. "Anyways, your engagement party was...cute." He said cute like it was an insult and coming from him, it might be.

"Can I help you with something, Blake?" I quickly responded. Him being here in the park wasn't coincidental. He clearly was following me.

"You're not good enough for my son," Blake said the words with such causality, I almost didn't believe the way he was speaking to me. I was near to choking on my lemonade because I was in complete shock.

"Pardon?" I gulped down the lump in my throat, tightening my grip on the stroller to control myself. "Grayson can choose for himself who he wants to date and marry." It was so odd how invested Blake insists on being in his son's love life. Grayson is an adult. He's 32 years old and doesn't need his father actively controlling his life anymore. Especially since he's never previously showed Grayson the attention he wanted.

For the first time, I heard this man laugh. It was the most mocking laugh I have ever heard. "You don't get it, do you? This why we don't associate with outsiders," he muttered under his breath. "Grayson is an Astor. New York royalty with many woman and men jealous of the man he is. He was the most eligible bachelor until you appeared out of nowhere and ruined it with that...that child."

He pointed to Amelia like she was the plague and it made me want to throw my fist at his face. He sounded disgusted.

"The Astor family has appearances to uphold. We cannot go around giving the Astor name to just anyone. Grayson is choosing to be a blind imbecile and I'm going to clean this mess up," he continued to speak and I felt the same way Grayson felt. So shocked beyond movement or speech. "Grayson has never felt love before and he thinks that's what this is. He thinks he loves you, but it's an infatuation. He's thinking with his dick. He doesn't love you. He barely even loves that child. He just needs you for him to become CEO." Blake was making me rethink everything. He was trying to get into my head, but it wasn't going to work. I know Grayson. I know his feelings for me are genuine.

I froze. My limbs went numb and I was genuinely shocked because never in my life have I had someone speak to me like this. He was speaking to me like I was below him and was this illiterate burden he's been forced to take on.

"This child is the last thing our family needs and I've done you a favour by allowing you to flaunt around this baby like a prize and allowing it to carry my family's last name, but I will not allow you weasel your way into my family. You will not destroy everything my son has built."

I blinked, doing my best to hide how stunned I was. The tears wanted to make an appearance but I wasn't going to let them. This bastard isn't going to get the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

"I've done you a favour by allowing you to flaunt around this baby like a prize and allowing it to carry my family's last name."

"How much would it take for you to disappear?" I blinked. Then blinked one more time for safe measures. Just so I could be sure I was still alive and well. But I wasn't. I saw these things happening in movies, but didn't know they happened in real life and I was now experiencing this man trying to buy me to stay away from his son.

"Disappear?"

"Yes. I want you gone and as far away from my son as possible. I heard Spain has nice beaches," he chose to further elaborate. He not only wanted me gone, but on a complete other continent.

"Why would I leave? I'm not scared of you." I should be. I should be terrified of this man.

"Grayson's future is perfectly lined up for him and everything has gone according to plan except this minor hiccup. He wants to play house and it was never apart of the agreement. He was to marry and have an heir. That's it. Love was never involved," he stopped walking and for some reason I did the same. "If you don't leave my son, tonight, I will fire him and take away everything he's ever worked for. You seem to forget I'm CEO. This is still my company. Grayson is at my mercy. If you leave, I'll give him the company without the obligation of a child or marriage."

I bit the insides of my cheeks when my breathing grew heavy. I couldn't believe he was willing to destroy everything Grayson has worked for.

"Your mother works at Bank of America doesn't she? It's actually a weird coincidence because I'm friends of the CEO. I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to hear an employee of his has been stealing from him." My mother isn't a thief. He was going to lie and make it seem like my mother has been stealing from the company. It would be his word against a simple bank teller. "If you even as much as think about mentioning this to my son, I will make sure your mother can never find a job in the entirety of this country."

He was leaving me with absolutely no options. If I stayed and told Grayson, he would take everything away from not only Grayson but my mother. This man is cruel and I wanted nothing more than to hurt him. Everyone in their family accepted Amelia and I, yet the only person who seems to matter is Blake. I was defenceless.

"You know what, because that's my son's child, I will give you two million. Two million dollars to start a new life somewhere else." He acted like he was doing me a favour. He was only giving me money to ensure when I run, I can afford to stay gone.

"No," I repeated in disgust.

"Just name a price. Nothing is too high," he chuckled, becoming irritated with my stubborn ways. I bit my lip, putting my hand through my hair.

"You don't have to pay me. I'll go," I said making him confused. Blake is a powerful man and I would be stupid to believe these are empty threats. When I'm pushed in a corner, I always fight back. But fighting back right now would be stupid of me. Not only for my sake, but Amelia's and my mother's and Grayson's.

This man is disgusting and I feel bad Grayson was forced to be raised by him. Despite being left with no option but to leave, I would happily leave if it meant sparing my daughter from being anywhere near to him. She may share their blood but I refuse to let her be one of them.

"Don't be stupid. I'm offering you-"

"I know what you're offering me. And I don't want it. I will leave Grayson." Not being able to tell him I was leaving made this worse. He's sacrificed so much for me and I would be disappearing with no explanation. But I couldn't take the money. Not only because I'm not accepting his bribes, but because it'll be easier for him to spin me as a villain to Grayson when he reveals I've left. If I can spare Grayson the hurt, I would like to.

"Grayson has a meeting tonight at five. You need to be out of the house by then. Here are two plane tickets to Spain. It leaves tonight. Apparently you're fluent in Spanish. From there you can decide where you'd like to go. I'll give you twenty four hours to contact me if you change your mind on the money. After that, I never want to see or hear from you again," he handed over the plane tickets. "If I as much as smell you're back in this country, your mother will be out of a job quicker than you can get from the airport to your home. The moment you tell my son about this...agreement and he will be fired faster than he can dial my number."

Then just like that he was gone, leaving me to soak in his words. I digested them and wanted to vomit from them. I stared down at the tickets in my hands, looking at when the expected departure time was. It's set to depart at 5:05pm and it was only noon.

I pushed the stroller, making my way back to the car. Every part of my body was shaking and tears landed on my lap the entire time I drove because I didn't want to leave Grayson. We have our wedding in less than a month and Grayson would be left to clean up this mess on his own. It felt wrong. But I had to remind myself why I was doing this. I'm doing it for him. I know how much this company means to him. He can get over me. I know he can. But he would never get over losing everything.

There wasn't much I could pack. I knew I had to leave my furniture and half of my wardrobe. I went into one of the storage room, dragging a large suitcase to the master bedroom. I was forced to constantly wipe my eyes because I couldn't seem to stop crying. I shoved my clothes into the suitcase and used a duffel bag to pack things for Amelia.

A safe was in his closet where I punched in the pin to open. Grayson told me the pin for it a while back, but this was my first time opening it. There were passports, important documents, stacks of money and a gun. Reaching for her and I's passports, I stared at the money which must've been at least ten grand. But I disregarded money and closed the safe again.

I contemplated how I would be going to the airport. My options were limited. I wasn't going to take the car Grayson bought me. And I couldn't call any of my siblings because then they would question why I was running away to Spain with no notice. So I decided I would take an Uber. I ordered it then went back to Amelia when she started crying.

I sighed, trying to calm her crying. It's like she knew she was never going to see her father again because she would not stop crying.

"Miss. Depradine, is everything okay?" The housekeeper asked because she must've heard Amelia's nonstop crying. She looked around the room, planting her eyes on our luggage and passports. "You're leaving him?"

"Mary, you can't say anything. Please."

Fear filled her eyes. "I can't lie to him."

"I know. And I'm really sorry I'm putting you in this position. But I'm begging you. His father is...I can't stay," I stopped myself from going into details because regardless of if she tells Grayson I've left, he doesn't need to know why and he doesn't need to know where.

She remained quiet, going through this internal battle I couldn't understand. "Let me help get your bags downstairs," she dragged the bags while I grabbed our passports, the baby bag and my handbag.

Before I could leave, I removed my engagement ring and set it on the counter. I wanted to cry at the idea of never wearing this ring again because I know Grayson had it made personally for me. But there was no way I was going to be keeping it. I jotted down a few words on a paper then left it beside the ring.

By the time we had gotten the bags down and Amelia stopped crying, the Uber had arrived. "Miss. Depradine," she stopped me from getting into the car when we finished loading the bags and stroller into the trunk.

"Yes," I looked at her and she quickly hugged me with Amelia in my arms. She didn't even know the reason behind me leaving or that I would never be seeing her again, but she broke down into tears and it made things much harder than this needed to be.

"I'm sorry it did not work. I was excited for Mr. Astor to marry someone like you," she said and the tingling at the back of my eyes began again.

"Thanks for everything. Take care of him for me please," I got into the car and she shut the door behind me. If Blake informs Grayson he no longer needs to marry, I can't see him opening his heart to anyone. He's going to need at least one person looking out for him.

Amelia was quiet throughout the entire car ride and while I got us through security. Boarding had begun and I knew at this time Grayson would be entering his meeting. I don't know why, but I felt the urge to text him and tell him I love him one more time, but I didn't. We boarded the plane and I had tears streaming down my face the entire time because I couldn't believe I was leaving him.