CHAPTER 7: BABY DADDY

JADA'S POV

The next morning, I woke up feeling the same way I had every morning for the past few weeks.

Like absolute shit.

After spending several miserable minutes with my head hanging over the toilet, the nausea finally eased enough for me to function. I took a quick shower, then pulled on a pair of dark jeans, a black turtleneck, leather boots, and my favorite leather jacket.

The weather had turned chilly overnight.

If I didn't have work, I would've crawled right back into bed and stayed there all day.

I was pouring myself a cup of coffee when I heard the familiar click of heels against the hardwood floor.

A second later, Mani appeared in the kitchen doorway.

She was still wearing last night's outfit-a white bodycon dress that stopped mid-thigh and a fluffy pink faux-fur coat draped over her shoulders.

I took one look at her and snorted.

"Well... you look like hell."

She groaned dramatically as she dropped onto one of the kitchen stools and tossed her glittery purse onto the counter.

"Trust me," she muttered. "I feel even worse."

I took a sip of my coffee, trying not to laugh.

"I'm never drinking again."

I raised an eyebrow. "You've said that about a thousand times."

"This time I mean it."

"Sure you do."

She sighed and rested her cheek against the counter.

"You are only coming back now, where did you end up going?"

"Robert took me to this new club that just opened." A tired smile spread across her face. "He brought a bunch of his friends, and those men just kept throwing money around all night."

As she slipped off her coat, my eyes landed on a huge yellow stain splashed across the front of her white dress.

I winced.

That stain was going to be a nightmare to get out.

"He also gave me a bunch of cash."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a thick stack of bills.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Oh my God, Mani... that's a lot of money."

She smiled and pushed the cash back into her purse.

"You don't have to worry about your share of the rent this month. I've got it covered."

"Mani, you don't have to-"

"Yes, I do." She cut me off gently. "From now on, your paycheck is going straight into savings."

Her gaze softened as it drifted to my stomach.

"We've got a little bundle of joy on the way."

A lump formed in my throat.

I looked down at my coffee, blinking back the sudden sting behind my eyes.

I didn't know what I had done to deserve a friend like Mani.

But I thanked God for her every single day.

"Thank you, Manila," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "For everything."

She smiled softly. "I've got you, my love. Always."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and managed a small smile before setting my mug back on the counter.

"Speaking of the baby..." I said. "I've got news."

Her head shot up.

"What? Is the baby okay?" she asked, panic instantly flashing across her.

I chuckled. "Girl, calm down. Everything's fine."

She let out a dramatic sigh of relief and slumped back against the stool.

"Don't scare me like that." She placed a hand over her chest. "So... what is it?"

"I know who the father is."

Her brows shot up. "You do?"

"Yeah."

"Well..." She leaned forward eagerly. "Who is he?"

Without saying a word, I unlocked my phone, opened the picture I downloaded from the internet last night, and slid it across the counter.

She picked it up.

A confused frown settled on her face.

"Uh..." she murmured. "Isn't this Castiel Sterling?"

She glanced at me for a few more seconds and then it clicked.

Her mouth fell open.

"No freaking way."

"Exactly my reaction."

"The guy you hooked up with in Miami..." She pointed between the phone and me. "Was Mr. Sterling?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Oh. My. God."

She dropped the phone onto the counter before grabbing both of my arms.

"When did you find out? How?"

"I found out yesterday morning." I let out a slow breath. "Spitfire assigned me to clean the CEO's suite, right. I went there and I thought nobody was in, so I let myself in and started cleaning."

I paused, remembering the moment.

"I was wiping down the kitchen counters when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around... and there he was."

Mani stared at me with wide eyes. "The same man from Miami."

"The exact same man."

She blinked several times, trying to process it.

"Jada..." she whispered. "Out of all the people in the world..."

"I know."

"Did he recognize you?"

I nodded. "The second we looked at each other, I could tell he remembered."

"What happened then?" she asked, leaning forward. "Did he say anything?"

"He barely had the chance."

"Why?"

"Because I panicked."

I wrapped both hands around my mug, letting its warmth seep into my cold fingers.

"I practically ran out of there."

"You just... left?"

"I didn't know what else to do."

"But why?" she asked. "Didn't you want answers?"

"I did." I sighed. "But before either of us could say anything, his wife walked in."

Mani's expression instantly changed. "Oh..."

"Yeah. So I ran."

Silence settled between us as Mani slowly ran a hand through her curls.

She stared at me for a moment before finally speaking. "So... what's your plan?"

I wished I had one.

"I honestly don't know."

"You have to tell him."

I quickly shook my head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because he's married, Mani." My voice cracked. "He has a wife. A family. A reputation. What am I supposed to do? Walk into his office and say, 'Hey, remember that one-night stand in Miami? Congratulations, you're going to be a dad.'"

"It sounds crazy when you say it like that," she admitted.

"Because it is crazy." I threw my hands up. "I'm carrying a married man's baby. That's freaking me the fuck out."

Mani reached across the counter and squeezed my hand. "You didn't know he was married."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

I shook my head, staring down at our intertwined fingers.

"I was in the elevator with Mrs. Sterling yesterday. She was standing right beside me. All I could feel was shame. I couldn't even look her in the eye."

Mani sighed and walked around the counter until she was standing in front of me. She took both of my hands in hers.

"I know it's hard, okay? But what happened, happened. There's nothing we can do about that now."

"I know."

I looked up at her, blinking rapidly as tears gathered in my eyes.

My hormones were all over the place lately.

"It's just..." My voice trembled. "I feel bad."

"I know you do."

A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone, Mani."

"Of course you didn't." She cupped my face and gently wiped away my tear. "Look, you're getting yourself worked up. You need to calm down. I already told you we'll figure this out. Together."

I nodded, taking a shaky breath. "Okay."

"Now, how about you get your ass to work before you're late?"

I glanced at the clock and immediately jumped up.

"Oh, shoot!"

Mani laughed. "Let Spitfire not catch you running late."

I quickly grabbed my bag and hurried toward the door.

"We'll talk about this later," she called after me.

I nodded. "Love you."

"Love you too, babe."

I stepped out of the apartment and rushed to the train station as fast as I could.

♧♧♧

I was sweating buckets by the time I arrived at the hotel, despite the chilly weather.

I was at least twenty minutes late.

I swear, Ms. Baron was going to kill me.

I tapped my foot impatiently, glancing at my watch as I waited for the stupid elevator doors to open.

"Come on. Please." I pleaded.

The train had been delayed, and there was nothing I could do about it. I had texted Ms. Baron explaining the situation, but I doubted that was going to make much difference.

One of the requirements for the job was that commuting employees had to live at least twenty minutes away from the hotel.

I had lied about where I lived.

God, I was so getting fired.

I desperately pressed the button again.

"Open up, you stupid thing."

I glanced at my watch and bit the inside of my cheek.

Maybe it was just my hormones, but I genuinely felt like crying.

Why the hell didn't this thing want to open?

A huge sigh of relief escaped me when the silver doors finally slid open. I quickly stepped forward, ready to get inside, but stopped dead when I heard a familiar, stern voice of Ms. Baron behind me.

"Ms. Adams?"

My heart dropped straight into my stomach.

Oh God.

No.

I briefly closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

This was it.

I was finished.

I slowly turned around, and nothing could have prepared me for who was walking beside her as they headed toward me.

Castiel.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

No.

No, no, no.

This couldn't be happening.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag.

Why was she with him?

Dumb question because that man literally owned the whole damn place.

He could be anywhere he wanted.

Castiel's eyes were already on me. His expression calm and unreadable. But there was something else too that I couldn't quite place.

I swallowed hard, my heart beating right out of my chest.

I wasn't ready to face him yet.

What was I even supposed to say to him?

My feet involuntarily took two steps backward.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't think.

And then I did the only thing my panicked brain could come up with.

I turned and ran in the opposite direction.

Behind me, I heard Ms. Baron call my name.

But I didn't stop.

I couldn't.