Page 130 of Dr. Aster
“It’s too late,” I said in defeat. “I told you; I’m fucked.”
“You fell for him, didn’t you?” she questioned. “Shit. He was a rebound from that narcissistic prick you were engaged to. Not that I blame you at all—I mean, I’ve met the guy, and I can’t say I’d have the strength to push him out of bed—but yeah. This is one guy you should’ve stayed far away from.”
“You act like his family will invite all their rich friends over and hunt me for sport,” I tried to turn this into the joke I hoped it sounded like.
“No” she said, “but they will get rid of you in one way or the other if that is really their son. Who knows, you might get lucky, and it turns out he’s just some adopted kid from a scandal with a maid.”
I laughed, “What the hell, Lydia?”
“Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s not that. They’re just going to hunt you for sport,” she laughed, too. “Seriously, though. That family doesn’t seem the type to put their name out there like that.”
“Well, maybe the guy I fell blindly and stupidly in love with was adopted, but I doubt it. After what I went through tonight, I’m pretty sure I’m fucked, and his mom will stop at nothing to end the relationship.”
“Well, I won’t fault you for falling in love because love is blind, dear sister,” she said. “But you better pray he’s a scandal baby because if he’s blood, it’s never gonna happen.”
“John mentioned something about his fears for his future, and I think what you’ve been talking about is what he was worried about.”
“Because he knows that he doesn’t have a future unless it’s something his family chooses for him. Fuck, I’m sorry, Mickie,” she said as if she’d already seen into my future, and John and I were toast.
“I don’t?—”
“His parents will ruin your life if you stay with him. They care only about themselves and their money. They don’t love their children. The children are used for attention, popularity gain, and marriages to merge families into a stronger empire. John seemed like a cool guy, but I don’t think he’ll have the happy life he seems to be living now for very long.”
I heard a knock on my door, and I was relieved John was finally here so we could talk about this. I was not going to bed with a head full of worry. I needed the facts. I wanted to know how screwed I was for allowing myself to fall in love with some trust-fund prince.
“I gotta go, Lydi,” I said. “Hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I love you,” she said, then we hung up.
I threw on my robe after stepping out of the tub, soaking wet and not caring. I needed to see John. I wanted to hug him and hold him and never let him go now that I knew I might lose him.
I flung open the door and sucked in a breath when two hazel eyes stared sternly into mine. Unfortunately, these hazel eyes belonged to Margot Aster and not John.
“May I come in?” she questioned with supreme authority.
“Something tells me that you aren’t the type to need permission?” I said.
Her stern expression didn’t waiver. Hell, she didn’t even blink.
“It would be rude of me not to ask,” she stated.
“Come in,” I said, not wanting to get into a pissing match. “Do you know where John is?”
“John is speaking with his brothers and father. Don’t concern yourself over him, please.”
I suddenly felt like I’d been transported to some strange world where everything was prim and proper. It wasn’t comfortable—I wasn’t even fucking dressed and I was soaked beneath my robe—but I also wasn’t in any mood to be intimidated.
“I trust John and you have discussed the finer details of his life by this stage in your relationship,” she said, turning and clasping her hands in front of her.
“Why don’t I go get dressed,” I told her. “Give me a second. You caught me getting out of the?—”
“There’s no need for that. I won’t be long.”
“Okay,” I exhaled. “John and I have discussed the details of his life. He’s an excellent doctor, he loves last-minute, spontaneous?—”
“That’s not what I’m speaking about, and I think you know that very well.”
I studied her, lifting her chin in superiority to speak, and eying me in a way that should have made me shrink down to the smallest person on the planet.