Chapter Six : Not a dad!

NICHOLAS

I glanced at Ashley as she managed to get that baby to shut up.

I could feel my driver staring at us through the rearview mirror.

He knew better than to say anything.

I remember nothing of the night that baby's mother was talking about.

I would never sleep with a girl without protection.

I was definitely not the father, even though she had most of my features.

Looks could be deceiving.

I wasn’t her father. I couldn't wait to get to the hospital and get the test over with.

And to return her back to whoever her mother was.

The driver pulled up in the car park of the hospital.

Ashley was about to get down, but I held her hand back.

She froze, and her eyes looked down where our hands touched.

I cleared my throat.

I retracted my hand. "He would send someone to come get us."

She nodded in understanding. The paparazzi could be lurking in the shadow.

The last thing I needed was a baby scandal. One I had no relationship with.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Unlock the doors," I told the driver.

He did as instructed.

My personal doctor entered the front seat. He was a few years older than me, but we were cool.

His eyes scanned every person in the car before meeting mine.

"Hey Nick," he finally said.

"Hey. I need to conduct a DNA test. Her mother thinks she is mine."

His eyes narrowed on Ashley, and she shook her head quickly.

"I am not the mother." Her voice raising to an higher octave.

He looked more confused after her answer.

"Before you ask, I don't know who the mother is. She just dropped her off in front of my gate," I explained. "Can we just get the test over with?"

"I just need a strand of your hair." He gave me a small nylon.

He handed one to Ashley, too.

"Okay baby, I will be needing one strand of your hair," Ashley cooed.

The girl smiled at her.

She's beautiful.

She gently plucked one strand and put it in the nylon. She then kissed her cheek.

I would have thought she was her mother if I didn't know better.

I plucked one from my hair, too. We handed both nylons to him.

"How long would it take?" I asked.

He checked his wristwatch before replying. "Few hours. You can leave, I will email you the result."

"What if I want to wait to get it? I want to be done with it once and for all."

He nodded in understanding. "There’s a small coffee shop after the hospital. You can get something there. Staying here would raise suspicions."

"Thanks, man," I said.

He got down from the car, and the driver didn't need to be told twice.

"Do you want anything?" I asked Ashley as he pulled up in front of the shop.

"Coffee. Can you get Luciana any other drink and snacks? We don't know when her mom dropped her off."

My eyes flickered to the kid before returning to Ashley.

I nodded and stepped out from the car.

The bell dinged open as I entered the shop. It's the cozy vibes to it. I adjusted my sunglass as I walked to the cashier.

She gasped - my sunglasses doing nothing to hide my identity.

And she had the familiar pink tint in cheeks that I was used to.

Ashley doesn't blush around me. The best she had looked really embarrassed was today at the restaurant.

I didn't know why I thought of it at that moment.

I looked at the menu on the wall just behind the girl.

They had pastries, but I wasn't sure what an one year old should have.

I told the girl my order while noting the time.

I still had the meeting in a few hours.

I was tired.

This was so surprising.

Unplanned.

In the back of my head, I could hear unspoken questions.

'What if she's mine?'

'What I would do if she was mine?'

I didn't want to believe I could be so stupid to make such a mistake. Even in my drunk state.

"You can go pick up your order from the other side."

Her voice snapped me out of my trance.

I handed my card as she purred at me.

Either there was something wrong with my eyes, or her shirt got tighter. She was practically flashing me her asset.

If it were other non-crazy nights, I would have definitely taken up her offer.

Didn't mean my eyes couldn't appreciate the beauty in front of me.

"Thank you..." I trailed off trying to read her name on her tag.

"Lisa." She rushed out.

I allowed myself to smirk and lean closer. Just enough to make her breath hitch.

"I would definitely be coming back here. Hopefully, you will be the same person here."

Her cheeks flushed, and I straightened up.

I winked at her before strolling off to the other side.

This was who I was - not a dad.

I collected my order and headed out. I entered the car.

The dread of what's to come clawed back at him.

I took my coffee and handed the bag to Ashley.

She turned to the child and beamed.

The smile was beautiful.

It's genuine.

She whispered something into her ear before reaching into the paper bag. She pulled out the strawberry drink I got her. Before putting her in a sitting position on her lap.

She put the straw in the kid's mouth, and she sucked like her life depended on it.

I almost felt bad before remembering her mother's cheap tricks.

What kind of a mother was that?

She could have let us talk before dropping her child off.

She knew the DNA test would expose her lies. And I could have sued her.

I wanted to get the result before contacting my personal investigator involved.

I busied myself to attending to mails on my laptop while waiting for my doctor to call back.

I tuned out of Ashley's baby voice and the kid's babbling sounds.

I almost jumped out of my seat in excitement when his text came in.

It read:

It's ready.

I nodded at the driver through the rearview mirror, and he understood. He started the small drive back to the hospital.

I rubbed my knuckles while anticipating what's to come.

She couldn't be my child.

I texted him that I was in the car park.

The child stopped making sounds as if she realized this moment was important.

The tension could be cut through with a knife.

He took the shotgun again and handed me the envelope. I told the driver to excuse us, and he got down from the car.

"There’s no match, right?"

The look on his face said otherwise. "Unfortunately, it matched. The mother was telling the truth."

My eyes widened.

What the actual fuck?

"Dada," the most angelic voice I ever heard said.

I turned to the child who was looking at me with expectant eyes.

I frowned at her instead.

I was no father.

No dad.

And I was going to deny it for as long as it takes.