Their eyes were slimy, and the other
classmates were cracking up.
No one stepped in.
I grimaced.
く
This reunion was nothing like I thought it
would be. If I wasn’t waiting for someone, I’d
have stormed out already.
I was about to yell for security when Tom
suddenly crushed his cigarette and grabbed
one of the guys by the arm.
He looked furious. “Knock it off.”
The guy yelped, trying to shake Tom off.
Sarah tugged at Tom’s sleeve.
“What are you doing?”
His face was still like stone. “Being decent.
This is a reunion, not a frat party.”
shoved the
He shoved the guy away, and the guy, though
cowed, glared at me.
I couldn’t help but look at Tom. Never thought
he’d be the one to defend me.
Sarah’s teeth were practically grinding to
dust. But she said, all sugar, “I hear the CEO
of Stark Industries is meeting upstairs. Maybe
we’ll get lucky and see Tony Stark himself!”
The room perked up.
Tony Stark.
Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.
A–list celebrity.
“You think we’ll see Pepper Potts too? I have
く
to get a TikTok!”
“This is huge!”
A few minutes later, a squadron of
bodyguards ushered a little kid into the room,
and the crowd went wild.
“That has to be Stark’s kid! Look at that
swagger!”
The guy who tried to buy me shots earlier,
even after getting his arm twisted, could only
seethe at me.
“Ashley, if it weren’t for Sarah, you’d never
see Tony Stark’s kid! You should get down on
your knees and thank her! Maybe you’d get a
decent job, and I could be married to you, a
regular guy who has six grand a month!”
く
Please.
I ignored him, watching the little boy.
Everyone was fawning over him, snapping
photos and videos.
Even Sarah, all smiles and honey, went over,
hoping to get close.
“Hey, sweetie, you want anything? Auntie
Sarah will buy it for you.”
She reached out, trying to pinch his cheek.
But the kid, surrounded by his guards, didn’t
even glance at them.
He went straight for me.
L
He gave me a sweet smile and threw himself
into my arms.
“Mommy! You’re here!”
Chapter Three
The little guy, who had been all business,
suddenly turned into a needy little cuddlebug.
“Why didn’t you come home last night? |
missed you!”
I held him close, whispering, “Mommy was
working, honey. Remember? I told you I had
to work. But I’m off tomorrow, so you want to
go to the park?”
My precious son, Charlie, nodded eagerly.
“Yes! You’re the best, Mommy!”
Г
The room was stunned. Everyone was staring.
One of my old classmates opened her mouth
to say something, but before she could get a
word out…
A handsome guy in a suit came rushing down
from the meeting rooms upstairs.
“Honey, I heard you were at the reunion! Why
didn’t you call? I would have picked you up!”
The hotel manager, who seemed to
materialize out of thin air, addressed the
room in a professional voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mr. Stark, CEO
of Stark Industries, the husband of Dr. Ashley
Thompson. If any of you need assistance,
く
please don’t hesitate to find me, and the
Hotel will be more than happy to help.”
The reactions were priceless. Some people
were ecstatic, others looked like they’d
swallowed lemons.
The ones who were trash–talking me a few
minutes ago were now pale as ghosts.
One of the nicer girls couldn’t help herself.
“Ashley, your husband is Tony Stark?”
“Duh! Did you hear the manager?”
