He dialed her number as he pulled out onto the main road. His jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
“Hello, Victor,” she answered cheerfully.
Vic scowled at the happiness in her voice.
“I was just about to walk out the door,” she said.
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, Margaret and I are going for a nail and spa day. You know, we need to beautify?—”
“Did you meet Sydney yesterday for lunch?” he cut in. He wasn’t sure where he was driving, he just drove. He navigated through the streets until he was out of thick traffic. He decided he’d go to the metro parks. He always did love the beauty of the outdoors, and Cleveland had some amazing parks.
Silence greeted him.
“Yes,” she finally answered. Her voice changed to her ‘I didn’t do anything wrong even though I probably did’tone.
“Why?” He turned off to a small road that brought him into a local park. He drove along the winding road until he found an area that was vacant with no other cars in the parking lot. He put his car in park and settled back in his seat.
“Because she asked me to and she’s lonely. The girl is still heartbroken over the two of you no longer being together,” she said. “She’s struggling right now, and I thought it best for me to help her.”
“She is not struggling,” he bit out through gritted teeth. “She’s causing problems. So why are you helping her do it?”
“What are you talking about? I’m not helping her do anything. I was just being an ear for her to vent to. Your relationship?—”
“Ended,” he said flatly. “She made the decision that I probably should have made a long time ago.”
He completely regretted that now. He’d known what Sydney was after and he’d allowed her to stay around. But he had allowed them to blindside him, convince him he needed her and her family’s name…when in reality, it wasthemwho neededhislast name.
“I saw her face, Victor.” Nancy sighed dramatically. “She wants to fight for your relationship. She wants you back.”
“Not happening,” he snapped.
He didn’t know how many times he had to say this. Why couldn’t they just move on? He ran a hand over his face and stared out at the scenery before him. A few pedestrians strolled along a path, enjoying the nice fall day.
He inhaled and tried to calm down. “As I have said a million times, she doesn’t really want me. She wants our name. She wants you to keep listening to her so she can get you on her side so she can keep doing things like lying to the press and trying to degrade what Tachina is doing at the Artisan Avenue.”
“All Sydney did was mention her concern when asked in an interview.”
“Which she should have never commented on. She has nothing to do with this project,” Vic barked.
“But people care?—”
“And you don’t think Tachina does?” He closed his eyesand raked his fingers through his hair. “Have you even thought of how this would affect Tachina? The mother of your grandchild?”
Silence met him.
“Tachina has worked extremely hard on the designs. That’s why I went with her and her company. This project will not only benefit her but our company as well. There’s so much talk about this project. It’s headlining worldwide right now. It’s already in talks for awards, and recognition.” He was sure that was something she’d be interested in hearing. He was damn proud of Tachina and her work. This would certainly catapult her career.
“I wouldn’t want to do anything to harm Tachina, but Sydney said?—”
“If you ever have any questions about Tachina, come to me, or better yet, go to Tachina.” He needed to nip this in the bud right now. He was so sick of hearing ‘she said this’ or ‘she said that’. “Invite her to lunch, dinner. Hell, in the five years she’s been in my life, I’m not even sure you’ve spent twenty minutes alone with her.”
“Now, Victor,” Nancy sputtered.
“Mother. No matter what you have thought over the years, Tachina is in my life forever. We have a child together.” He’d almost said children, but that was a conversation for another day. “No more gossiping, no more sharing rumors you hear. That is unbecoming of a woman of your stature.”
He was hitting below the belt and didn’t have a care in the world.