24. Claire

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Claire

Drew gets off me and sits on the couch next to me.

"I don't think I can let you go, Claire. I don't even want to imagine a world where we aren't together."

I straighten my dress and turn toward him. "We can start by me moving out. I plan on looking for an apartment or a small place to rent for me and the baby. You can be as involved—or as  uninvolved—as you want to be with the pregnancy, but when the baby comes, you're either in 100% or you're out completely. I won't have my child dealing with an inconsistent, half-assed parent. Our child comes first in your life, Drew. Before your mother, before Becca. If you can't agree to that, then I want you to sign away your rights. And when you see us walking down the street, just act like you don't know us."

Drew looks at me, completely perplexed. "Claire, that is OUR baby!"

I glance at my nails in feigned boredom. "And you assume I don't know this because...?"

Drew huffs out in frustration. "Because you're making it seem like I won't be a present dad, like I'm some flake, like I'm already a failure at being a father. I am not my father, Claire. I will be there!"

Drew's dad, John, has been out of the picture since Drew was a kid. He had never wanted to marry Drew's mother, but their wealthy parents wanted them to marry to merge their fortunes. John was in love with a woman named Sara, but Sara was a "regular person." Her father had been Papa St. Claire's driver for John's whole life, and her mother had been a maid in their house since before John was born. They knew the St. Claires inside and out, and a false sense of closeness had formed between the families. Sara and John had grown up together, and like a tale as old as time, they fell in love.

John's parents forbade him from spending any more time with Sara, but what their parents didn't know was that the two of them would still sneak off and continue seeing each other. One night, John's mother found them together in the gardens, and that next evening she invited Moira and her family over.

Moira had been in love with John from the moment she saw him. John, on the other hand, only wanted Sara. But that night, John's mom made it look like John and Moira were together and would be married. Sara had been helping her mother prepare dinner at the St. Claires and, when she came out to serve it, she saw John and Moira sitting close. From Sara's point of view, it looked like John was listening intently and completely taken by Moira. John's mother saw Sara watching and said loudly, "Sara, don't Moira and John look good together? It's wonderful that her parents have agreed to a marriage between them to merge our families." Then she turned to her guests and added, "Sara here is our help's daughter. She'll probably grow up to serve John and Moira's family too—keep the tradition going."

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Sara set the food down and left. That night, her family packed everything they had and disappeared. The next day, when John went looking for her, he was told they were gone—and he lost it. He searched for her for a year and refused to marry Moira. But after a year, his family gave him an ultimatum: marry Moira or leave the family and his inheritance. So he married Moira.

He never loved Drew's mother and only slept with her to "create a legacy," as his parents required. But he was an absent husband and father. One day, while walking through town with a young Drew, he spotted Sara—and that was the beginning of the end. John started disappearing for days at a time. Eventually, he left and never came back. Word on the street is that when Sara and her family left, she was pregnant. Rumor has it John found her, and they reunited and went on to live happily ever after, with John leaving everyone and everything else behind. Drew has mentioned that his father has tried to reconnect a few times, but by then, they were adults and the hurt had cemented in.

"Drew, I never said that you would be like your father." I actually think Drew would be a great father—if he can learn to stand up to his mother and Becca.

"Well, Claire, I plan on being at every appointment, every pregnancy class, every shopping spree, every school play, every birthday, every holiday—everything. I know my word means shit to you right now, but I will be there."

I know I struck a nerve, even though I didn't mean to. "I know, Drew. But you need better boundaries with your mother and Becca. Or I will fight for full custody—I don't care how rich you are. I'll start an OnlyFans if I have to."

Drew's jaw clenches and he says through gritted teeth, "You will do no such thing, Claire. No one sees that body but me."

I smirk. "Yeah, tell that to my future husband."

Drew stands up and starts pacing. I know I'm getting under his skin.

"Claire, you are my wife. And I won't sign anything that says otherwise. I will fix this."

"Well, Drew, I'm not holding my breath. One—because I'm an asthmatic. And two—because I'd die waiting, even if I wasn't. My first ultrasound is next Wednesday at four, at the Planned Parenthood in town, if you want to come."

Drew makes a face. "The Planned Parenthood? Why are you going there, Claire?"

Gosh. Clearly, Drew has never been poor before.

"They offer low-cost or free prenatal care, Drew. I'm a teacher, remember? I'll probably need to get a job this summer to make sure I have everything ready for when the baby comes."

Drew closes his eyes and presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Claire, you are my wife. You're a billionaire. Are you really going to let our baby suffer because you're too proud? That sounds like 'mother of the year' for sure. You'll be under my health insurance through our company, Claire. You can go to any doctor you want, and I'd prefer you go to Dr. Waters. I'm friends with her husband and she hates my mom and Becca—not to mention her office is state-of-the-art and she's a fucking fantastic doctor... or so I hear."

I chuckle. "Glad you cleared that up, Andrew. I was starting to worry you were growing a vagina. Also, I am going to be mother of the year, thank you very fucking much. And there is nothing wrong with going to Planned Parenthood. It doesn't make me a shitty parent, you asshole. Plenty of people go there and have babies just fine. But I will agree to go to Dr. Waters—only because she hates your mother and Becca, which tells me she has one of the brightest minds for miles."

Drew smiles. "I deserve the asshole comment. That was judgmental of me. Can I also convince you to come back home?"

"Oh, absolutely not, Drew. I'll find a place and let you know where it is, so you know where your kid lives—but that's it. We don't have to figure it all out today. Plus, I'm hungry and tired."

And I really want to get out of this dress and back into my pajamas.

Drew nods and walks over to me. "I'll call Dr. Waters and set up an appointment. Call me if you need anything, baby. I love you."

He leans down, like he's going to kiss me, but at the last second he just kisses my cheek. Then he walks out.