NIKOLAS
I wished I knew what to tell her. Alva probably already told her everything but for Doria, hearing it from my lips would be the only thing she would consider the truth. The easy way out would be to lie and deny it all but what tale would I weave when Alva arrived at my door with Samuel. There was a slim chance Alva might have rejected my offer though. Still, the look of dread Doria had on her face suggested she had pieced something together. Lying to her would be futile and if I broke her heart, she had to know it was never my intention.
"Samuel is my son," I confessed.
"I don't understand," Doria stammered, tears running down her cheeks like trickles from rooftops. "I was in Paris for just four months. How is this possible?"
"Doria, calm down and let me explain." I tried pacifying her but she had sunk too deep.
"Calm down! How do you explain that you have
KLAUSLilika stifled a laugh. The growl emanating from her throat continued to grow until she was cackling like a witch. I could tell this was her coping mechanism. She had laughed the same way when the doctor had told her the love of her life; the man who had danced with her at the balcony on her birthday had died from a heart attack the next morning. This was another of those many hollow laughs my mother gave when things were going awry. Soon enough, her laugh relapsed. Honestly, it felt like a Deja-Vu of the morning I lost Dad. Mom looked at Doria who had just returned to the living room playing the role of betrayed dutiful housewife to a fault and then back at me. I saw a drop of tear escape from the crevices of those eyes that always pretended to see all the bright and beautiful things of the universe. Mother was shattered."You are not kidding. You...have a son." I had never remembered her sounding so anxious. This s
ALVA I hoped he understood my plight. Probably not. But a part of me still believed he would come to an agreement with me. I was trusting a man I knew I should not be trusting with the life of my son and ensuring no legal case happened that would cause Samuel to wrenched from me. His pause on the line made me feel like I was fighting a losing battle. My mind would not stop making up scenarios that made my head split open. Had he figured something out? After all, I had cracked so easily when he suggested I reach a compromise if I didn't want him to fight for custody. He was a businessman. He was known to make gambles and oftentimes, they weren't wrong. "Mr. Sica?" I said, flagging down a taxi by the hospital road. "Are you still on the line?" "Of course." He retorted, breaking the static white noise that had almost become familiar. "I understand your perspective. Samuel is going through so much. I
NIKOLAS"You aren't serious." Doria scoffed. "You are really shoving me out of your life for some lowlife prostitute you fucked years ago?"My ears ringed at her assertion. She thought she was better. Oh, Doria had it easy. Every passing second stayed close listening to her spew bullshit made an inferno invite within with me. I had blamed Doria for being rash but heaven knew what I would do if I lost my temper. I pushed past her, returning to the living room only to see my mom prepared to face me with a scowl. Doria had succeeded in pulling her to the dark side. Ignoring the daggers she shot at me, I proceeded to spill the information I had."Alva will be coming here with Samuel."My mom erupted into another bout of laughter like she could not believe what I said. "Lemme guess, Alva is the whore you knocked up?"The blatant use of such a dirty word made me clench my fist.
ALVA The ride to his place was an awkward one. In fact, if there was a word to describe the way I felt, I was pretty sure the term would worse than awkward. The feelings that rushed through me ranged from fear; the fear that Nikolas would figure everything out to disgust; repulsion at myself and the man who drove us. I wanted nothing more but to end this. I just wished I knew how. I hated that I needed him. I hated that I could not figure out a solution that did not have Nikolas Sica in the picture. I pressed my hands on the necklace that graced my neck. The gold necklace was one of the few things I could remember my sister, Charis by. She would have had an idea if she was still around. Why wouldn't she? After all, if there was anyone who hated Nikolas Sica more than I did, it had to be Charis. “So,” Nikolas finally spoke as he continued to drive into the unknown. “Is this how the tension is going
DORIA "What would you like to order for dinner?" Lilika enquired solicitously, strolling into the kitchen where I sat, drinking a glass of warm milk while playing around with Nik's abandoned engagement ring. They were matching ones we had got when he joined me in Paris for a fundraiser project I was involved with. I could not understand how Lilika could be so calm about this. I was disturbed. Nikolas was my beacon. I had been an oddball out of the perfect mannequins of our beauty agency. If Nikolas hadn't found me, I would have remained unnoticed Doria. I could not let such happen. Not when I was so close to taking over the modeling world. "Something light," I said, "But aren't you worried Lilika? Nik's P.A filled me in on the gory details. He's gotten an apartment downtown and has gone to pick that bitch up. We should not just sit down and watch her destroy him." Lilika dropped a pan loudly in the sink
NIKOLASToday was a great day. Mom had called to apologize for how cold and insensitive she had been. She was sure to mention that she wanted to see her grandson. I told myself it had something to do with the results I had gotten concerning Samuel's paternity but I still suspected she was only calling dinner to involve Alva. It was why I had suggested the brunch. It was a cover. I was sure Alva would dress like a nun because I had to face it, she still didn't feel comfortable around me. I had seen how she held her breath when my eyes went her way and what my touch did to her. Telling her we were going shopping would be suicide. If she did dress like a prude which I was certain she would, I was sure it would be easy to convince her to shop. I needed tonight's dinner to go well.I dropped Samuel at the backseat, swiped a seatbelt to keep him in place, and proceeded to the front seat. When I started the engine, I felt Samuel'
ALVA "What exactly are they looking for?" I asked Ruby while trying my best not to give away too much to Nikolas. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My secret. Someone wanted to dig it out. There was no leap of logic to it. someone who would benefit from discovering something shady about me was involved in this. I found it hard not to suspect Nikolas. He was the only one who stood to benefit from learning my secret. But, he had somehow learned of my legal trouble with the child welfare services. It was an easy opportunity for him to rip me out of the picture but instead of doing so, he had chosen to help me gain full custody of Samuel. As much as I wanted to blame Nikolas. He wasn't the one. However, it had to be someone he knew. "Anything really but it seems someone might have told them about your adoptive parents and they seem super interested in knowing more. Are you sure there isn't something you are not telling
NIKOLAS "What would mother like?" I pondered as I scanned the pieces of jewelry adorning the necks of perfect mannequins scattered across the store. "...what would Alva want?" It had been strange of Alva not to resist me when I brought the idea of managing her. I suspected she was only being considerate considering I had the power to take Samuel away from her. I picked up a necklace that caught my fancy. The necklace was a simple silver chain with an Amber stone as big as a grape dangling at the end. It would match Alva's hair perfectly. "I'll be taking this," I told my guide, dropping it into his delicate hands before setting off to another circuit of the accessory store. Minutes went by as I scavenged for something my perfectionist of a mother would be appreciative of. It was usually easier than this, I had to admit. I glimpsed at a gold-plated watch that reflected my worried demeanor. I picked it up because it s