Chapter 5: Coffee and Quiet Lies

Elena kept the card Alexander gave her on the kitchen counter for three days. Just sitting there next to the sugar bowl like it was nothing special. Every time she walked past it she felt a little pull in her stomach. Not fear exactly. More like the feeling you get when you know you're about to do something you might regret but can't quite stop yourself.

Theo asked about Alex twice. Once while eating cereal, once while brushing his teeth. "When's Alex coming again?" Simple question. Innocent. Elena answered the same both times: "Soon, maybe." She hated how easy the lie felt.

Thursday morning she woke up early. Theo still asleep. Rain tapping the window. She picked up the card. Turned it over. Blank on the back. Just the number. No name. No company logo. Like he wanted to make it easy to forget who he really was.

She typed the number into her phone. Stared at it. Thumb hovering over the call button. Then she deleted the draft message she'd started yesterday. Typed a new one instead.

Hi. It's Elena. Theo keeps asking about you. Coffee Saturday? Same park. 10am. Just us three.

She hit send before she could overthink it.

The reply came in less than a minute.

I'll be there. Thank you.

No emojis. No extra words. Just that.

Saturday came too fast. Elena dressed Theo in his red jacket this time. The one that made him look like a little fire truck. She wore a green sweater she hadn't pulled out in months. Felt strange putting it on. Like she was trying too hard or not hard enough.

They got to the park a few minutes early. Same bench. Theo ran straight for the swings. Elena sat down. Hands in her lap. Watching the gate.

Alexander showed up in the same hoodie and cap. Hands in pockets again. He spotted them and walked over slow. Like he was giving her time to change her mind.

"Morning," he said when he reached the bench.

"Morning."

Theo saw him and waved big. "Alex!"

Alexander smiled. Small. Real. "Hey, champ."

Theo ran over. Hugged his leg like last time. Alexander ruffled his hair. Gentle. Then looked at Elena. "Thanks for this."

She nodded. "He wouldn't stop talking about the bubbles."

Alexander pulled another small bottle from his pocket. "Brought more."

Theo cheered. Took off running with the wand. Bubbles floating everywhere.

They sat on the bench. Not too close. Not too far. Elena kept her eyes on Theo. Alexander did the same.

After a minute he spoke. Quiet. "How's work going?"

She almost laughed. "You mean at your company?"

"Yeah."

"It's... fine. Busy. The team is nice."

"Good." He paused. "If it's too much pressure being there—"

"It's not." She cut him off. "I need the job. The pay helps."

He nodded. Didn't push.

Theo came back. Out of breath. "Mommy, Alex, come push me!"

Elena stood. Alexander did too. They walked to the swings. Alexander took one side. Elena the other. They pushed together. Theo giggling every time he went high.

For a few minutes it felt normal. Like any family on a Saturday morning. Elena caught herself smiling. Real smile. Not the tight one she used for strangers.

When Theo got tired they went back to the bench. He climbed between them. Leaned against Elena. Yawning.

Alexander looked at him. Then at her. "He's tired."

"Yeah. Long week."

Alexander reached into his pocket again. Pulled out a small toy car. Red. Shiny. "Thought he might like this."

Elena tensed. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

Theo's eyes lit up. Took the car. Started making engine noises.

Elena watched him play. Then looked at Alexander. "Thank you."

He met her eyes. "I mean it, Elena. I don't want to buy my way in. I just want to be here."

She didn't answer right away. Watched Theo roll the car along the bench.

"I know," she said finally. Soft. "But it's hard. Trusting this."

"I get it." He leaned forward. Elbows on knees. "I left that night because I was scared. Of what I felt. Of what it could mean. I thought an envelope would make it clean. Easy. I was wrong."

Elena swallowed. "I kept the money. For rent. For doctor visits. For everything."

"I don't blame you."

Silence again. Not uncomfortable this time. Just heavy with things unsaid.

Theo looked up. "Mommy, can Alex come to my birthday?"

Elena froze. Birthday was three weeks away. Small party. Just her, Mrs. Alvarez, maybe one preschool friend.

Alexander looked at her. Waiting.

She took a breath. "We'll see, okay?"

Theo pouted but nodded.

Alexander stood. "I should go. Let you two head home."

Theo hugged him again. Quick. Tight. "Bye Alex."

"Bye, buddy."

Alexander looked at Elena one last time. "Call me. Anytime."

She nodded.

He walked away.

Elena watched him until he disappeared through the gate.

Theo tugged her hand. "Ice cream?"

She smiled. "Ice cream."

They left the park. Theo chattering about the car. Elena holding the toy in her pocket like it weighed nothing.

But it did.

Because later that night, after Theo was asleep, she opened her laptop. Searched Alexander Voss. Found articles. Photos. Interviews. The empire. The headlines. The women on his arm at galas.

One photo stopped her cold. Him at a charity event last year. Smiling. Arm around a tall blonde. Caption: Voss and fiancée spotted together.

Fiancée.

Elena closed the laptop.

Sat in the dark.

Heart pounding.

She had let him in. Just a little.

And now she wondered if she'd opened the door to something she couldn't close again.

Across town, Alexander sat in his penthouse. Staring at the same photo of Theo he'd saved from Elena's phone.

He opened his email. The report from his investigator was waiting.

Birth certificate. Hospital records. Preschool enrollment.

And one line that made his stomach drop.

Father listed as unknown.

He closed the email.

Picked up his phone.

Dialed a number.

"Cancel the rest of the background check," he said.

Pause.

"Yeah. All of it."

He hung up.

Then stared at Theo's photo again.

One step at a time.

He just hoped he hadn't already taken too many.