Chapter 70 I will return to your house
"No." My voice wavered a bit, but I still kept my gaze as expressionless as I could, watching him and waiting for him to haul more words at me. "You don't deserve to be in their life. You don't deserve my kids. You are not worthy of being their father!" I yelled at him.
"Not worthy?" He narrowed his eyes on me. "Tell me, Nova, why are you hell-bent on keeping the kids from me? Why can't you just let me be with them? I know I wasn't the best when we were together, but that doesn't mean I haven't realized my mistakes. I'm willing to do anything you want as long as you will go back with me. I will make sure I treat you well."
"Then get out of my life." I gestured towards the door. "You said you would do anything I asked of you, right? then leave. Forget about the kids. Forget you know who I am. Leave me alone." "You realize I can't do that. I spent five years without you and my babies. I don't want to miss any more time. Please, Nova. Give me this chance." He joined his hands as he watched me, his gaze earnest. "Please, Nova."
I watched him for a long time, thinking of what to do. He didn't seem like he would let me leave without a fight, not with that determined expression on his face. I needed to think of something. Asking him to fight for the kids legally wouldn't help my case. We are in France, not America. Brion didn't have as much influence in this country as Dashiell did. Fighting him legally wouldn't end in our favour. Not with his wealth and family background. Though his mother wasn't working in the law court, she still had more than enough friends to help her out. All she needed to do was snap her fingers, and they would all do whatever they could to make her win the case.
I couldn't afford to piss him off. At least not until I was certain I would win the case should he sue me.
Tapping my index finger on the desk, I tried to think of the right approach to take, knowing I needed to think fast. Finally, I nodded. "I will return to your house as your wife."
"What?!" He gasped, looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time. "You are not pulling my legs, are you?"
"Isn't this what you wish? To have me return to your house? Why are you acting this way? Don't tell me you never wanted me back. You were only acting?" I lifted my brows, loving the confused expression on his face. I bet he thought I wouldn't agree with him. He might have assumed I would continue refusing him until he gave up.
"I want this!" He took my hand in his, but I slid them out, glaring. "You are not joking about this, are you? You will return to my side, right?" He looked into my eyes, searching. "Are you willing to return to the house? To let go of everything that happened years ago?"
"Yeah." I nodded with a sly smile. "I will return to your home with you, but on one condition."
"Which is?"
"My babies won't come back with me."
"What??!" He gasped at me like I had gone bonkers. "What the hell are you talking about? Why aren't the children going with you? Who will you leave them with?"
"Brion." I leaned on my desk, placing both hands on my jaw as I watched him smirking. "You get to choose. It's either I return with you willingly or I don't. If you want the kids, you will have to fight legally for them. Just so you know, they are American citizens. I doubt the case will be in your favour should you take it to the courtroom."
Smirking, I watched the wheels going off on his head. He looked to be deep in thought, his eyes narrowed as he watched me. "Why don't you want the kids to return with you?" He asked after a moment of deliberation, watching me with a frown. "Why do you want them to stay with a man who isn't their father?"
"Brion is more of a father to them than you can ever be, Dashiell. He was the one who stood by my side when I gave birth to them." I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms, barely keeping the smiles off my face at his pissed look. "So? What will it be? Are you prepared to take what I'm giving, or do you want to fight for your kids?"
I sounded more confident than I felt at the moment. If only he knew what was going on in my head, he would have pursued the matter.
"What happens to them? Will they live with him forever? Don't tell me you will let another man stand in as their father when I'm still alive?" He looked mad at the prospect. "I will not condone that, Nova. It will not work!"
I didn't respond to his words. I tapped my index finger on the desk while waiting for him to come up with a decision.
"How long will you keep them with Brion?" He asked once more.
"Until you prove you are a changed man."
Well, that wasn't my reason for that. Leaving my kids with Brion was the only way I knew I could get to take them out of the country faster when I had taken the revenge I so craved.
"Deal," he gritted out, looking like it took so much for him to say that.
"It wasn't that difficult, was it?" I brought my hand out for a shake, but he ignored it. He got up from the chair.
"Thanks for giving me a second chance, Nova. You won't regret it."
"I hope I don't."
Without saying a word further, he turned his back to me and walked out of the office, closing the door gently behind him, while I watched with a confused expression on my face.
His reactions made no sense. I assumed he would be on top of the moon, but he didn't seem so happy. Could it be because of the kids or something else? Well, that was his problem, not mine.