Billie stood ramrod straight, staring wide eyed at the tall man, sweat running down her back. She could hear her heart drumming in her ears, her breathing a little harsher than it was before.
From what Brandon had told her about his father and now seeing him in person, Christopher Adams was a cold hearted, dispassionate man. He and Brooklyn were currently seperated until the divorce would be finalized in May. Brooklyn had told Billie he only stayed with her and Brandon in November because he'd been in Los Angeles on business, and it was only practical to stay with them. But she'd also told her that he wasn't planning on returning to Los Angeles until May to finally finish up the divorce proceedings and receive his settlement.
So what was he doing in Los Angeles?
Billie swallowed thickly, steeling her nerves and trying to appear more courageous than she fet. She held her head higher, still protectively covering her abdomen.
"Can I help you?"
"Where is my son?"
"He's not in right now."
"You're not very bright, are you?" He said, a look of disgust on his face.
His insult took Billie off guard, and she frowned in slight confusion. How would he know anything about her intelligence and smarts and what not? They'd never met before today.
"Excuse me?" she snarled.
"You left the door completely unlocked. Anyone could have just walked in."
"An oversight on my part." Her eyes narrowed. "So can I help you? Because I've got a lot of stuff to do, and I don't have time to chat."
"I wasn't aware that my son and his mother were hoarding a destitute." He replied with his eyes narrowed, "The least you could do, as a guest in the home I paid for, is introduce yourself. Who are you?"
"I don't need to introduce myself to you." She said lowly, her gaze mistrusting. "Brooklyn opened her home to me. And as far as I'm concerned, I owe you no explanation."
His eyes glinted with something malicious, and Billie fought to keep her gaze on his.
"Very well then. In that case, let me cut to the point." Christopher replied evenly, his gaze impassive, "I was suspicious as to why Brandon decided to apply to only schools in California when with his grades and resume, he could have easily gotten into more prestigious universities. So I asked him, and he responded that his interests lied in California."
Christopher snorted. "A ridiculous notion, of course. His interests do not lie in California. He's always loved New York. He wanted to go to school in New York. So I came here to set him straight. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the apartment under my name and found some knocked up little whore in her ninth month."
"Seventh." Billie said through clenched teeth.
He snorted derisively as he stared daggers at her belly, and Billie took a slight step back, alarmed by the vitriol and treachery in the hazel brown eyes.
"It's become quite clear to me, that stupidly, Brandon has knocked you up, and you now live with them."
Billie felt some comfort from the kick she felt from Jellybean and stood straighter, looking him dead in the eye.
"So what Brandon knocked me up? It has nothing to do with you. Why do you think he didn't tell you? He clearly doesn't want you in his business."
His mouth turned down into a furious frown.
"It has everything to do with me. Brandon's business is my business and has always been my business and will always be my business. And you're ruining my son's chance at a good life. I don't want him to be tied down to some poor street slut whose only value is in being a stepping stone for Brandon to find a better, more respectable woman. He's having his fun with you now, but he won't be with you in the long run. Give it up."
Billie tried to pretend like his harsh words didn't hurt, but each one stung, unobstructed, sharp like a knife.
"You're nothing but a cruel dickhead."
"How juvenile." He drawled, eyeing her in disinterest. "You know what you are? You're just the type of trash that is meant to get left. You're the toy that men will play with until they find the woman they want to marry. End things with Brandon."
Billie scoffed, "What?"
"You heard me. End whatever silly little relationship you think you have with Brandon."
"Or what?" she sneered, glaring at him feriously. He was nothing but a bully. She wouldn't bend to his twisted will. "You'll try to hurt me or our baby? I'm not afraid of you. I dare you to try. I'll kick your ass."
It was bravado, she knew, but if she showed fear, she knew he would have the upper hand. Where was Brandon when she really needed him? When would he get home already? She was starting to get anxious being stuck in the apartment alone with his father. And Billie was terrified that if she tried to make a run for Brandon's room to grab her phone and call him, his father would give chase.
Christopher let out a short bark or derogatory laughter, shrewdly staring at her as if she'd lost her mind.
"Calm yourself, you uncivilized little tramp. There's no reason for any violence." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I have a proposal for you. Since you didn't want to end things calmly, I'm giving you an ultimatum now."
Billie glared at him, her fist clenched by her side. "You can give me whatever fucking ultimatums you want to. I don't have to do anything you say."
He ignored her.
"If you end your relationship and cut ties with Brandon by telling him the child is not his, I will make sure you are paid in checks to two thousands for child care every month. I have a nice, unused condo in Malibu that I'll even let you have and live in, and you'll be able to raise your child as a single mother. Brandon will forget about you and in the future, will become a successful athlete and dutiful father and husband to a respectable woman. Everybody wins."
Billie's eyes widened in shock. "Are you deranged? Why the hell would I do that?"
"You care a lot about Brandon, don't you? Let me tell you the other option. And I do believe you will say yes to my offer after this." He said snidely, a dark look hooding his eyes. "If you choose to stay with him, I will use all the power I have and every contact I know to make sure Brandon can't go to any colleges, will never find work, or get a place to stay. He'll never find happiness. I'll force Brooklyn and Brandon to leave this apartment. It's under my name after all, and technically, my possession in the divorce. And I'll make the divorce hell for Brooklyn. We didn't sign a prenup, you know. We agreed to part on civil terms, but I don't have to follow through with that. I can get the best lawyer money can buy and drive her to bankruptcy. I can take everything she and Brandon has. I can leave them with nothing. And with nothing, how can Brandon even consider going to college? He'll have to drop out. He'll have to work. But like I said, I'm not going to let that happen."
Billie's breath hitched, her lower lip quivering the slightest bit as cold chills of fright ran down her back. A fear gripped her heart, rendering her immobile. She didn't know if it was a bluff, but his eyes were scaring her.
"Y-you can't do that..."
"You really want to make that bet? You have no idea what I'm capable of. My influence extends pretty far. Brandon can't escape me." His eyes were glinting sharply. "And I will make Brandon's life living hell. I'll pull strings to make sure he stays miserable and slowly, he will start to resent you. He'll see you as a burden."
Billie inhaled sharply, a little whimper leaving her lips as she felt her eyes stinging with tears.
"He'll despise you. He'll never want to see you again. All he'll think when he sees you and that child is that you both ruined his life. He'll wish he never had to deal with you. And he'll leave you. And then nobody wins."
"What kind of horrible father are you?" Billie's voice cracked, and she clenched her fists, trying to keep herself from shaking. "You don't even care about Brandon's happiness."
"Of course I don't, you vagrant. Happiness doesn't mean anything. Only success means something. And if Brandon wants to be successful, he has to ditch the dead weight. In this case, a fat knocked up bitch who's good for nothing."
She took in a shuddering breath. "Y-you're a monster."
"Thank you." He replied in boredom. "Now make up your mind. Even if you don't care about yourself, you wouldn't want that kind of life for Brandon, would you? I thought you cared a lot about him? Do you want him to miserable? Is that what you want? Brandon to be miserable? Do you really want to stay with him and ruin his life? Think about what he could become without you. Are you really going to stand in the way of his dreams?"
"S-stop..." Billie whimpered, tears falling from her eyes as her shoulders shook with sobs.
"Here you have the perfect opportunity given to you to help him not be miserable in the future, and you want to be selfish and appease your own happiness. You're a hypocrite." He spat cruelly. "You chastise me for not caring about Brandon's happiness, but look at you. You want to choose yourself over him and make sure you and that child of yours is happy. But at the cost of what? Brandon being miserable."
"Stop..."
"The choice is yours. I'm sure you don't want Brandon hating you, do you? I know my son. He may be nice and accommodating to you now, but do you really know the future? No doubt the stressful lifestyle will ruin your relationship. Can you see him in the future? No job, no college education, no dream career. Because of you." He hissed, his lips curled in pure loathing. "It'll be all your fault. You know what you will have turned him into? A man who lost everything. A man who can't do anything to support his family. A man who is slowly losing his mind. A man who'll look at you and your child and who will want to die. A man who will one day not be able to take it anymore. He'll open the window. He'll stand on the balcony. And he'll-"
"Stop!" Billie shouted, her voice wavering from her crying. "I don't want that for Brandon! I'll leave, okay?! I'll break up with him... I'll leave...I'll do whatever you want. Just don't do this to Brandon. Please. He doesn't deserve it..."
Billie sank to her knees on the floor, sobbing helplessly, her heart tearing in two. She couldn't believe he was this evil. She couldn't believe he was this despicable piece of vile human trash. How could he use his son's future as blackmail?
"Good girl" Christopher smiled sweetly as he pulled out a check book from his jacket pocket, "Look, I feel bad about this. I'm sure you and Brandon had some good times together. I feel absolutely terrible about making you break up with him this way."
"No you don't, you piece of shit." Billie sniffled, her voice small and weak.
"I do. I really do feel bad. Let me help make it better. I'll cut you a black check right now. Five thosand dollars." He said as he scribbled on a check before ripping it out and slapping it on the table. "If you leave for Malibu by the end of the week, I'll send you another check for five thousand so you can buy yourself something nice. It'll help you get settled in. It'll help you get over your breakup. I'm sure you'll want to forget all about this as soon as possible, right? So why not leave this week?"
She said nothing, twin rivulets of tears leaving her eyes as she wept.
"Do the right thing. Break up with Brandon as soon as possible. Or you'll be the reason why Brandon is miserable." He sneered at her, his eyes frosty. "I'll be back in a few hours. If you're not out of my apartment by then, and Brandon isn't single, it's bye bye college for him."
He paused, watching her triumphantly as she sobbed on the carpet.
"And I think it goes without saying that if you tell anyone about our little arrangement, you'll be forfeiting Brandon's future. Have a good evening."
With those words, he spun on his heel and left the apartment, slamming the door behind him so roughly the portraits on the walls shook a bit.
Billie sat there, shivering, her shoulders shaking from her sobs as tears cascaded down her cheeks.
She was terrified.
She was absolutely terrified, and even though she knew it very well could just be an empty threat, her heart was almost violently racing in fright and the only thing Billie could think about was what if Mr. Adams wasn't lying.
Billie didn't want to ruin Brandon's life. She didn't want to be a burden to him. She didn't want to be resented by him.
She loved him so much.
But it would tear her apart if he ever came to hate her.
With a harsh sob, Billie rose to her feet and rushed to his room. She grabbed her suitcase and all the clothes and shoes she'd brought, her hands shaking violently as she tossed in everything that belonged to her. Billie whimpered, roughly wiping her eyes and sobbing uncontrollably, her tears impeding her vision as she packed her bag.
She had to leave. She had to get her stuff, including the things she'd left at Drew's, and she had to leave.
Zipping up the suitcase in a flurry, she tugged it behind her, grabbing the check on her way out of the door.
______________________________
Billie had just stuffed the last of her sweatpants in her suitcase when Drew's front door opened and slammed shut.
"Billie?! Are you here?"
Billie froze, her eyes widening. It was Brandon.
"N-no..." she whimpered, clutching the locket under her sweater and wishing she didn't have to do this so soon.
He suddenly appeared in Drew's doorway, looking sweaty and out of breath, his face slightly red from exertion. When his eyes settled on her, momentary relief overtook him before he got a good look at her and the relief was quickly replaced with a deep concern.
"Billie...I'm glad you're here. I got worried when I couldn't find you." He said with a smile, trying to catch his breath. "Why did you take all your stuff out of my room?"
Billie stared at the carpet, closing her eyes to try to control her shaking shoulders.
"How did you get in here?"
Brandon frowned. "Drew gave me a spare key too in case I needed to get something of yours from here."
She said nothing, still standing in place, her sobs threatening to overtake her.
"Billie, what's wrong?" He said, walking over to her and pulling her into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "You're scaring me. Is it about the C-section? Because everything will be okay."
She stiffened, tears pooling in her eyes once again as she thought about what she would have to do. Billie sniffled, but didn't hug him back, remaining perfectly still. After a few moments of no response, Brandon pulled away from her, his brows furrowed in worry as he watched her.
"Billie, what's going on?" he asked, a frightened edge to his voice as he wiped away an arrant tear from her cheek, "Is everything okay?"
"Brandon..." she said softly, her voice quivering as she stared at the ground, "Let's break up."
"...What?"
He stared at her silently for a moment, his expression flickering from amusement to concern to confusion and finally settling into a frown when she wouldn't say a word.
"Billie?"
She sniffled, trying to control her shaky breathing "Brandon, I want to break up."
"Stop playing around, Billie. First off, what brought this on?" He let out an incredulous little laugh. "And second? I don't believe you. What is going on? Are you scared because of the surgery?"
Brandon frowned, glancing up at him through her tears before quickly averting her gaze.
"I-I just don't like you anymore." She swallowed tightly, her sob choking up her words. "And I want to break up."
Brandon was looking a little frustrated by now. He grasped her chin in his hand, tilting her face up so she was looking at him directly.
"I don't believe you. You expect me to believe that after everything we've been through? After all we've shared? What the fuck is going on, Billie?"
She slapped his hand from her chin, taking a step back from him, and she saw the momentary spark of irritation in his eyes.
"Nothing, okay? I just want to break up. So just break up with me!"
"No, Billie! What the hell is going on with you?" He ran his hands over his face in annoyance. "I'm not just going to break up with you randomly. Tell me what's wrong. Why do you want to break up?"
"I told you I don't like you!"
"And I told you I don't believe a word of that bullshit!" Brandon took a step closer to her, reaching out to take her hand. "Billie, what-"
"Don't touch me!" she yelled, jerking her hand away from him.
Anger flashed through his eyes. Anger and something like pain that made Billie avert her gaze quickly in guilt. Why wouldn't he just listen? Why wouldn't he just leave her well enough alone?! She didn't want to do this to Brandon. She didn't want to hurt him, but he was being too stubborn.
"Are you serious, right now?" He growled, stepping up to her. "Why are you trying to break up with me?! Did I do something to make you mad?"
"I just don't want to be with you anymore."
"Can you stop fucking lying to me?!" he roared, "You're literally crying while telling me you want to break up. You can't even look me in the eye and say that you want to break up! Tell me what the fuck is going on!"
"I'm not lying!" Billie yelled, "I want to end things with you! I've had it with this relationship. I've had it with you being overbearing and smothering me and always deciding things on your own without consulting me! I'm not your damn charity case. I don't need or want your pity."
"You don't mean that..." Brandon said, the pain in his voice unmistakeable. "Billie, you're not a charity case for me. You never have been. How could you ever think..."
"I don't want to be in this relationship."
"Billie, I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like a charity case. I'll stop. I-I can change. I'll do better for you, but that's no reason to break up." Brandon said earnestly, cradling her face in his hands, carresing her cheeks with his thumbs. "We can make it work. I'm sorry. Just don't do this."
"Brandon, it's over" She sobbed, taking in a shuddering breath as fresh tears blurred her vision.
"Billie..." Brandon said, his voice sounding strained, "Please, don't do this. I love you. And I know you love me too."
"No..." She whimpered, her heart lurching so painfully in her chest at his words that she couldn't catch her breath, "Brandon, stop."
"Billie, why?"
She shook her head, closing her eyes tightly.
"Billie, look at me!"
She refused. It would only break her heart more.
"At least give me a reason why... I don't believe that you would ever think you were a charity case. Billie. Don't close yourself off. Please. Talk to me. What's wrong?"
"I can't give you a reason. And I don't love-"
Her words were stolen from her lips when he leaned down and kissed her desperately, Billie freezing in his grasp. His lips were soft and urgent, and he pulled her closer, pressing his mouth to hers harder, coaxing her to respond. Billie let out a soft moan, her fingers moving of their own accord and clutching the fabric of his t-shirt. She reciprocated with a whimper, pouring into his fervent kiss every ounce of her feelings towards him.
But she had to say goodbye. She refused to let him lose everything he'd worked for.
With a sharp intake of breath, Billie planted her hands on his chest and shoved him away from her, roughly breaking the kiss.
"Brandon, stop!" Billie cried, "I don't love you. You're better off without me."
"I'm not! Can't you see that I need you, Billie!" He gripped her shoulders, his eyes a bit glassy, "Stop rejecting me. I love you. I love you so much I can't stand it. I don't want to lose you."
She took in a shuddering breath. Why wouldn't he listen? She was trying to protect him!
He didn't need her. She was nothing but trouble. He didn't need someone who would ruin his life.
Guys like Brandon Adams didn't end up with girls like Billie O'Connell.
"B-Brandon...The truth is..." Billie swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath and sniffling, tears spilling from her eyes, "The baby isn't even yours."
She watched as his eyes widened incredulously, his gaze growing alarmed and furious and anguished all at once.
"What?" he whispered under his breath.
"I...I just wanted to be secure. I-I knew you would help me, so I used you." Billie whimpered, each lie that dropped from her lips tightening the grip her pain had on her heart. "She's not your baby. And I lied to you because I wanted someone to support me and take care of me and I knew you would."
"B-Billie, tell me you're joking."
She said nothing. Brandon's breathing harshened the slightest bit as he stared at her, fury burning in his gaze.
"Tell me you're lying to me, Billie!"
"I-i'm not. Jellybean isn't...isn't..."
This was the end. She looked up and met his gaze head on. His beautiful hazel gaze, watery, red rimmed, grief, anger, and pain swirling in the irises all at once.
Goodbye Brandon...
"Jellybean isn't your baby." She sniffled, steeling her expression as she looked up at him. "And I don't love you."
Brandon stared at her in shock, a tear trailing down his cheek as he shook his head in disbelief.
Then he took a couple steps back, letting out a mirthless, breathless laugh and dropping his hands from her shoulders. He chuckled cheerlessly, his fists clenched at his side as he stated down at her. Then he grit his teeth, a gleam of rage in his eyes as he took heaving, angry breaths.
"I can't believe you." He growled, "How could you ever do that to me, Billie?! You toyed with my feelings. I fell in love with you, for fuck sakes!"
She felt her heart snap to pieces at his tone. At the way he was looking at her like she was something disgusting that he should never have touched. Like he didn't know her at all. Like she was some dirty whore.
Like he couldn't stand to look at her.
She chewed her bottom lip, a sob escaping her lips, knowing she had really ended things for good.
"I guess it's my fault for ever delucing myself into believing you could actually love me back." He took in a deep shuddering breath, his lip curled in disgust. "You're right. I am better off without you."
And Billie watched him turn and leave, wanting so badly to reach out and stop him. To tell him the truth.
But she couldn't.
"Brandon..." she whispered hopelessly, watching him storm away.
Billie heard the door of Drew's home open and then heard the sound of laughter. They must have just arrived back from the trip to Arizona. Then she heard Drew's voice from the living room.
"Brandon?! What's wrong? What are you doing here?"
Billie didn't want to face Drew after he inevitably told them. She didn't want to face the whole family or anyone else and she didn't want them to look at her like she was the street trash she knew she'd always been. The street trash she would always be.
Body convulsing with shuttering, all-encompassing sobs, Billie opened Drew's window. She grabbed her suitcase and crawled out before lugging it down the driveway.
And then she ran.
She ran and ran down the sidewalks, ignoring the stares from nightowls.
Ignoring the agony gripping her chest and the misery pervading in her mind.
Ignoring everything.
She let her feet take her all the way to a snazzy high rise apartment complex, up the stairs and down the hall to a place where she'd been once after work.
Billie banged on the door, pounding her fist on it over and over again, even after her hand began to ache and the skin turned raw. There was furious stomping approaching the door and then it was ripped open.
"Okay who the hell..."
Billie looked utterly confused.
"Billie?"
As Selena stared at her in concern, something in Billie's heart shattered.
She felt tears blur her vision and with a harsh sob, she collapsed in Selena's arms, wailing bitterly and gripping the front of her nightrobe.
"Holy shit, Billie! What the fuck happened?"
"It's over...it's all over..." she wept, clutching Selena, feeling no strenght in her body to lift herself up.
"Billie, what? What's wrong? Shit, where's Brandon? Let me call him."
"Don't! I let him go."
"What?"
"I let him go!"
"Why?"
"Because I can't be with him..." Billie started crying harder. "I can't ruin his life! I don't want to!"
"Ruin his life? What the fuck are you ta-What happened?"
"Selena, please don't tell anyone I'm here." Billie blubbered, "Please don't let anyone know. Please. They can't."
Selena looked disturbed. "Billie-"
"Promise me you won't tell them! Or I'm leaving!"
"Fine! I promise! What the fuck?"
And Billie gripped her robe, crying harshly in her chest. She had wanted so badly for things to work, but in the end, everything had gone wrong. Just like it always did in her life."
Why?
Why did she have to endure this much pain just when she'd found some happiness?
Why did she had to let herself have hope for even a second?
This was what having hope and faith did to her.
And now she was alone.
She was truly alone...
________________________________
FOREIGNER!!! ITS BRANDON BIRTHDAY TODAY. GOOD MOTHERFUCKING VIBES ONLAY