Her words sank into me like poison, slow and deliberate, aimed with precision at everything I held close. I stood there, unmoving, as Hayley's voice curled with mockery, her confidence sharp and suffocating.
"Stay away from Elliot," she said, her tone light but laced with threat. "Do that, and I'll keep your past buried. Otherwise, your son will learn exactly how he came into this world."
My breath hitched, but I refused to let it show.
She stepped closer, her gaze gleaming with satisfaction as she pressed further. "Even if you drag that man out and ruin him, it won't change anything. He'll still be tied to your bloodline. Your son will still carry that truth."
A chill ran through me, but anger followed just as quickly, burning hotter.
"Get out," I snapped, my voice low but edged with fury.
