chapter 6 Everyone wants money

Sara Hayes' POV

The next morning I got up at seven and showered. Then I stood in front of my small wardrobe for longer than I would like to admit.

Because I was genuinely confused about what exactly to wear to meet the man whose child you are accidentally carrying.

I settled on my dark blue dress. The one I saved for job interviews. It was simple but modest. It always gave me the confidence I did not actually have.

I left the house before anyone woke up.

I got to Whitmore Restaurant and it was not what I expected. Pictures did not do justice to its beauty.

I had googled it on the bus ride over but seeing it physically now I felt my stomach drop immediately. I felt out of place. Completely and obviously out of place. I knew immediately I didn't belong there.

I stood outside for a moment.

Then I exhaled and walked in.

A host appeared almost immediately.

"Miss Sara Hayes, welcome to Whitmore Restaurant. Mr Damian Kade informed us of your arrival. Please follow me."

He led me through the restaurant to a private dining area separated from the main floor by a frosted glass partition. The table inside was set for two.

I sat down, placed my bag on my lap and Held it with both hands. Then I looked at my wristwatch.

12:00 PM.

I waited. Deep down I was very tense. I did not know how this conversation was going to end. I kept my fingers crossed that it would go well.

At exactly 2:00 PM the frosted glass door opened.

And Damian Kade walked in.

God damnit! The internet had not done him justice. That was the first thing my brain registered and then immediately felt embarrassed about registering. But it was the truth and I could not pretend otherwise. The pictures online were all the same; tall, dark suit, Sharp jaw. 

But nothing prepared me for this version I was seeing now.

God created him on a Sunday.

He was tall, very tall. The dark suit fit him like it had been made specifically for his shoulders which it probably had. His jaw was sharper. 

You see what I say, the pictures didn't do justice to his face. 

But the internet was correct about one thing at least. His poker face was infuriating.

Let us not even talk about his confidence. 

I am scared in a sweet way.

Sara be serious. This is very serious.

Our eyes met across the room.

He crossed to the chair opposite me and sat down without a word.

For a moment neither of us spoke.

Then he said "Sara Hayes."

"Yes," I said.

He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and placed a document on the table between us. Then he looked at me directly and said "You are going to terminate the pregnancy."

Immediately I felt cold. Every single bit of admiration I had felt thirty seconds ago vanished completely.

I stared at him.

"I understand what your father is demanding," he continued. "Marriage. Whatever it is he thinks this situation entitles him to. Let me be very clear. I am not marrying someone I do not know. I am not fathering a child under these circumstances. If your father genuinely thinks that I'm going to marry you or claim this pregnancy then he is more deluded than I thought."

My jaw tightened.

"Excuse me," I said.

"You heard me," he said.

"I heard you," I said. "And I want you to know that I find it very impressive that you managed to be that offensive in under thirty seconds."

"Also," I continued, keeping my voice very steady, "I want to be very clear about something since we are being clear. I did not plan this. I did not want this. This was not in any plan I ever made for my life. And before you sit there and look at me like I am some kind of inconvenience, you need to manage, you should know that the damage to my life came from your family. Your mother, Your fiancée and oh let's not forget the hospital too. They all caused this. Not me."

He said nothing.

"So do not walk in here acting like I am the problem," I said. "I am the victim in this situation."

"Are you finished?" he asked.

"For now," I said.

He looked at me for a moment. Then he leaned forward slightly. "Let me ask you something."

"Go ahead," I said.

"What exactly do you want?" he said. "Not your father’s. What do you actually want out of this situation."

The question surprised me. I had not expected him to ask me anything. I had expected orders and cold efficiency.

I held his gaze. "I want my life back," I said. "I want to go back to three weeks ago before I ever walked into that hospital. Since I cannot do that I want to be left alone. Can you give me that?

I sarcastically asked him.

He studied me. "Then I will give you enough money to do exactly that. Name your number."

"I do not want your money, Everything isn't about money” I said.

He was quiet.

"Everyone wants money," he said.

"I want my life," I said. "You cannot put a number on that."

"Then since we are on the same page," he said,  "You do not want this child. I do not want this child. Terminate the pregnancy. Name your price. Whatever amount you want I will pay it the moment it is done."

I looked at him.

He looked back.

"And if I don't?" I said.

His eyes held mine. Cool and unbothered. "Then you will not like what follows."

The room was very quiet.

"Is that a threat?" I asked.

"It is a fact." he said.

Honestly not that I mind terminating the child, but I didn't like the way he put it as if he was commanding me 

He should be apologizing for all the inconvenience but rather the first thing he did was to choose war instead of peace.

His jaw moved slightly. Like he was choosing his next words carefully.

"Miss Hayes," he said 

 "I did not come here to argue with you."

"That is funny," I said. "Because you have been doing nothing but argue with me since you walked through that door."

After a very long silence.

He slid the document across the table toward me again and said. "Sign this. Non disclosure. Whatever happens between us in this room and beyond stays private. I looked at the document. Then at him.

Damn I was more angry at how dismissive he was towards this situation. Not a single apology.

 

I pulled the document toward me. Read through it slowly. Then I picked up the pen he had placed beside it and signed my name at the bottom.

Then I Heard him say, I will keep in touch for the appointment day. Don't play pranks with me, you won't like it.

I totally ignore and I stood up.

I picked up my bag.

I was done. I had nothing left to say to this rude insufferable man and I wanted to be outside in the air and away from him.

I turned toward the door.

And then the room tilted.

It happened fast. One moment I was standing and the next the floor felt like it was moving underneath me and the edges of my vision went white and soft and then everything rushed up at once.

I heard the chair scrape back.

I felt my hands catch me before I hit the ground.

Strong hands. Both of them. One around my waist and one gripping my arm and pulling me upright before I went down completely.

Then blacked out.