CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER THREE

Damon’s expression remained as hard as steel, unmoved by her words. Was Katelyn trying to be funny? Or was she trying to stall signing the divorce agreement? He refused to give her the satisfaction of falling for her silly joke. Instead, he waited, totally unimpressed, for her to get serious. 

Katelyn stood her ground, lips pursed in quiet determination. 

“Wait…don’t tell me you’re serious?” Damon finally broke the silence when he realized Katelyn wasn’t going to.

“I am. I want a baby.” Katelyn repeated at last, even more certain of her decision now that it was leaving her lips a second time.

 “A baby? As in a human child?” Damon asked in utter disbelief. 

Katelyn frowned, “Yes.” What part of that did Damon not understand? 

His expression shifted a couple of times, gawking at her like he was debating her sanity. It was the most absurd thing he has ever heard and that’s coming from a businessman who has heard it all. She didn’t want properties or money, she wanted a child? 

How…odd. Damon couldn’t deny the tinge of amusement and curiosity he felt—both feelings that he has never had towards Katelyn until that moment. However, he clamped down on them quickly and put on his mask of indifference again. 

“Fine, uh…we’ll get you a baby. I’ll have my assistant look into orphanages and adoption processes by tomorrow.” It shouldn’t matter to him what she wanted as long as she signed the divorce papers so he can freely be with the woman he was slowly falling for—Genevieve. 

Katelyn shook her head. “No. I’m not adopting a child. I want my own child.” She paused and swallowed hard before adding, “With you.” 

Okay. She got him this time. Damon couldn’t help it, he just had to laugh. The deep-throated laughter boomed through the entire room and he didn’t stop until tears formed in his eyes. What nonsense was she spouting now?

He looked at her. Really looked at her, and saw how her face still had that serious expression.  “What the hell does that mean?” He cursed, standing. 

Katelyn’s hands tightened at her sides. Dropping her eyes to her feet, she said, “I don’t want your money or anything else. All I want is a baby with you.” 

In an instant, Damon crossed the little distance between them until he was standing barely an inch away from where she was seated.  

“Look into my eyes and repeat that.” His voice was cold and hard. Katelyn sucked in a shaky breath at how close he was. The closest he had ever been to her. Then she lifted her eyes and met his hard gaze head-on. 

“I fulfilled my end of the contract.” In the last three years, she had suffered more emotional turmoil in the hands of his mother more than ever before just by being married to him.  “I did everything you asked me to do in the last three years with the promise that when it ends, you will give me anything I ask for. No matter what it is.” 

“And what you want is my baby? That’s impossible!” Damon was on the verge of yelling. “Do you think this is some sort of game?” 

“Why would I play games with you?” Katelyn said, still holding his hard, unflinching gaze even though it burned her like an open flame. 

“What is it then? Why do you want my child?” 

“I don’t want to answer that.” She responded firmly. Katelyn couldn’t tell him the answer without seeming pitiful. All she wanted was a family. And if she couldn’t be a part of one, she was just going to make one. One who she will love and be loved by, wholeheartedly and unconditionally. 

Damon stood there in front of her, half-expecting all of this to still be a prank. And when it fully dawned on him that it wasn’t, irritation and annoyance for her started to expand in his chest. 

He has never really cared about his mother’s personal vendetta against Katelyn but maybe the woman was right about Katelyn after all. How desperate was she for their wealth that she would resort to giving birth to his heir just to be around it? 

If she was truly a gold-digger, then she was a smart one. She was playing the long game which she was bound to win because of that damn contract. 

“I am not ready to father a child.” Damon said coldly. The aggravating woman in front of him had the audacity to smile. It was a small, tight-lipped smile, but a smile nonetheless and it only made his blood boil hotter. 

“I am not asking you to carry the responsibilities of the child or mine, I assure you that.” Katelyn spoke softly, “You just have to go to the hospital with me to get the insemination done and once I am pregnant, I will sign the divorce papers and walk out of your life forever.” 

Damon scoffed, “You want me to foolishly believe that you’ll just walk away and never come back?” 

“We can draft another contract, an agreement. I know how businessmen like everything written and documented.”  Katelyn spoke calmly despite the storm brewing inside of her. She was handling this with so much grace than she thought she possessed. “The  agreement will state that once I get pregnant, I will leave after the first trimester and never return.” 

That was three months at least. She needed to be certain that the baby was healthy and safe in her womb before leaving. 

“And if you do?” Why was Damon even asking? He shouldn’t be considering this madness.

“Then the punishment for it should also be slated in the contract.” Katelyn said. 

Silence enveloped the room, thick, suffocating and heavy. Neither of them was eager to break the silence just yet. Maybe Damon was hoping she would change her mind but for Katelyn, it was too late to do that. Her mind was made up. 

Quietly, he stepped away from her and Katelyn could finally breathe properly again. She didn’t miss the look of  acceptance in his eyes as he put the documents back into the brown envelope. 

“I will contact my lawyer.” He said simply, his tone final. “He will draft the contract and you can pick a date.” 

Katelyn’s face lit up as she nodded. “A date for the hospital visit, right.” 

Damon shot her a piercing look. “A date to fuck.” 

Katelyn’s eyes grew twice their size, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment and shock at the vulgar words that just left Damon’s mouth. Did…did he just suggest they slept together?

 He was completely unfazed, already walking away from her.She jolted upright, going after him.  “Wait? What do you mean by that? We agreed to go to the hospital for an insemination.” 

“I never agreed to that.” Damon responded flatly. 

“But…but…we can’t…we can’t do…that. We can’t—”

“Fuck?” Damon cut her off sharply, leveling her with a dark look, “I am a busy man. I do not have time to follow you to hospitals and fertility clinics until you get pregnant.” 

“But—”

“No buts, Katelyn.” He cut her off flatly, “It’s either we do this my way or you forget about the baby. Let me know when you pick a date.”