Until Cece (Happily Ever Alpha World)

My eyes shoot to hers. “What? Who’s—?”

“Corina,” she whispers, and I nearly drop the glass I’m drying before I take in the woman still legally married to the man I started falling for.

Corina is beautiful, and she clearly knows it. She has a set to her chin and a cock to her right eyebrow that gives off the impression she believes she is better than everyone in the vicinity. Behind her trails the cutest little boy I’ve ever laid eyes on, even if his expression is sad as he drags his feet.

Steph disappears to the back for a moment, and when she returns, Winston is with her. Corina reaches the bar, and the little boy gets up on one of the stools. When he looks up and spots Winston, his face instantly morphs from sad to ecstatic.

“Dad!” he calls, and Winston gives him a grin before turning suspicious eyes to Corina.

“Hey, buddy. Didn’t expect to get to see you until tomorrow. What’s up?” he asks Nick, even though the question is directed at his ex.

“I have some stuff to get done today, and Mom and Dad went out of town for the weekend. I need you to take him a day early,” she replies sassily, taking out her phone and typing into it as she speaks.

Winston takes out his own phone while I try to keep my hands busy and not look like I’m eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Then I’m going to need it documented that you are the one asking me to take him early,” he tells her, turning on his camera and holding it up to her.

She looks up angrily from her own phone and rolls her eyes. “You cannot be serious.”

“Serious as a heart attack, Corina. The one and only time I asked you to take him a day early was when my dad was having surgery and I didn’t want him to have to sit in the waiting room with me and mom for hours. You told me you were going to take me to court because I wasn’t holding up our 50/50 agreement,” he says, and she scoffs.

“Your dad was under anesthesia, asleep. He wouldn’t have known if you weren’t there.” She puts her phone away and crosses her arms under her ample chest.

Is… Is she serious right now? Did she really just say—

“Yes, Corina, but my mother would have had to sit there alone, waiting for her husband to get out of surgery. I know you have no clue what it means to selflessly care about and be there for another person, but that’s how it works. So say it. On camera. You are the one wanting me to take care of our son on a day that you are by law supposed to be responsible for him,” he orders.

And when I say I’ve never seen a grown ass woman throw a toddler tantrum, that is now a lie. Because Corina throws a fit to end all fits, right there in the restaurant, in front of everyone, including her little boy, who looks embarrassed but at the same time like this is nothing new as he just keeps his eyes locked on his dad.

“You’re such a fucking asshole, Winston! How dare you treat me like this, your wife, the mother of your child!”

That makes me cringe, and I sidestep away until I can reach my purse under the bar. I take off my apron as she continues to cause a scene while Winston continues to record her, the poor little guy sliding a Shirley Temple in front of him that Steph makes him as I loop my crossbody bag around me.

I’m out the front door before I realize my feet carried me away, vaguely hearing my name being called in Winston’s deep voice while Corina continues to yell.

A few hours later, I’m tucking Ruby in when she asks for my phone so she can call her dad to tell him goodnight. She does this every night, so it’s not a big deal. What is a big deal though, as I’m in the girls’ Jack-and-Jill bathroom, wiping the counters where water had splashed when they brushed their teeth, is when I hear her ask him, “Is Tammy coming over again next weekend?”

Who the fuck is Tammy?

I don’t hear his reply, but by her “Yay! I can’t wait to show her my new high score!” I know his answer was yes.

They finish up their conversation while I try to keep my features neutral, when inside… I don’t know what I’m feeling. Anger? Hurt? Embarrassment? This weekend has been a complete clusterfuck of emotions, when it was supposed to be amazing, filing for divorce, spending an evening with the guy I like, feeling like I might spot the light at the end of the tunnel, finally. But instead, everything has turned completely upside down and even worse than it already was.