11. Let Me Handle It

River’s voice thundered through the room. “Absolutely not!” “River,” Ellie started, placing a hand on his arm, but he glared at her before turning back to Valerie. “Under no circumstances do you need to be seeing Antonio again,” he insisted. Valerie took a deep breath, trying to remain calm in the face of her brother’s anger. “River, I understand your concern, but we need to sort out what Antonio wants from me. We never got to put that whole Julian thing to rest because I went into labor!” she exclaimed. “You have bigger things to worry about now, Valerie. I will set things straight with Antonio Costello. All you need to worry about now is being a mother to your son,” River argued. “And what if he won’t stop, River? What if ignoring him just makes things worse?” Valerie asked, frustration seeping into her voice. “We can’t pretend he doesn’t exist. He has already intruded into our lives, and we need to know what he really wants.” “Valerie, you’re not dealing with an ordinary man,” River