Chapter 107 Our son needs us
Giovanni’s POV
Octavia appeared more well-behaved than I had anticipated when I arrived at Molly's office. However, it was time to terminate our contract, so I led her to my office.
She sat on my desk, and due to my indulgence, I allowed it.
"Vanni, I was sad you couldn't make it to my graduation, but it's okay. Mom said you were busy, so she came on your behalf," Octavia said.
Her words caught me off guard. "My mom was at your graduation?" It was odd, considering my mom's initial dislike for Octavia. What was she playing at?
"Yes, and she used to call to check on me. She's quite nice, and I don't think she has any issues with us," Octavia said innocently, but I couldn't help but scoff.
If that woman was getting close to her, there was something fishy going on, or Octavia was hiding something from me.
"Octavia, you've graduated, and I have a job lined up for you, but our contract can't continue," I informed her. I couldn't keep up this facade with Molly back in my life, no matter how pitiful her expression was.
"Gianni, please, our son needs us," Octavia pleaded, kneeling at my feet. I couldn't decipher her true intentions.
"Don't start, Octavia," I said, standing up and walking away. In a few days, I would be able to separate my personal affairs from the Dawsons.
After that, I will be able to dedicate all my time to Molly and Roger, taking them on trips around the world after dealing with the woman who took my parents away from me.
For now, I will continue to pretend that I don't know anything until I have everything sorted out. She doesn't need to know when I decide to confront her.
"But you promised to take care of me. Gael died in your place, and you promised to take over his responsibilities, including me," Octavia began to remind me.
Gael was my cousin who sacrificed his life for me in a feud where I was almost killed. Octavia was his girlfriend, and at the hospital, he made me promise to marry her. However, since I hadn't moved on from Molly, I agreed to take care of her.
Later, I found out Octavia was pregnant and she suggested a pretend marriage. When I refused, she threatened to abort the child. For the sake of the child, I agreed, as long as the agreement remained between us without involving any third parties, including the court.
She insisted that I give her all my weekends, which I did until she gave birth to Roger, and even now.
It wasn't until Molly reentered my life that my promises to Octavia began to waver. The guilt of my cousin dying in my place was the reason I tolerated her, but now, I couldn't let it continue.
"I made a promise, but I also need a life," I explained, as tears streamed down Octavia's cheeks, her eyes turning red.
"You said you would never get married," she reminded me, but I had a valid reason for that.
"That was because I thought I had lost the only woman I loved. Now that she's back, we need to end the contract."
For five years, I've done everything to make her happy, except giving in to intimacy. But after all Molly had been through, I won't let her undergo another emotional torture, even if she agrees for me to continue the sham because Octavia was Roger's mother.
"How am I going to tell everyone I'm a single mother?" she asked. I felt like laughing in her face, but she continued with the emotional blackmail she had used over the years.
I didn't mind then because I didn't have a woman I cared for, but I do now.
"This was the reason I wanted to get rid of the pregnancy, but you promised to be his father and take care of me for the rest of our lives," she said through tears that no longer moved me.
"I know, and that was because I never thought I would fall in love again, but I did, and with the same woman," I said seriously. She looked like I was killing her as she asked, "Who?"
With her being the reason I wanted to keep our relationship a secret, I didn't have to do so anymore. "Molly is the only woman I've loved, and she's back."
Octavia stared at me with the greatest look of disappointment in her eyes. "You don't keep your word."
As much as I wanted to deny it, it hurt badly because of how I always strived to keep my word.
"Don't make it difficult for me. I will still take care of you, but we can't go ahead with people thinking I'm married to you. It has to end, and I already prepared the documents for the annulment."
I went to my desk and gave her the documents I prepared. She read it with shaky hands. "Are you washing your hands off me? How am I supposed to care for Roger alone?"
Every time she mentioned Roger, I couldn't get over how upset it made me.
"Roger is my son, and I will care for him," I explained to her. Roger is my only way of making it up to Gael, which is why I brought him up like my son.
From the moment he was born, I knew he was mine, and I was determined not to let anyone take him from me, not even his mother.
“Get a job, fall in love, and get married. You don’t have to claim Roger as yours. He gets along well with Molly,” she suggested.
That revelation seemed to stun her from the look in her eyes. “He does? He never warmed up to any woman before, not even me,” she admitted.
She was right about that, but Molly was able to melt Roger’s stony heart. “Well, Molly is different.”
“You gave me false hope,” Octavia accused, but I couldn’t accept it. “I didn’t, and you can live your life as a single woman with no attachments,” I tried to show her the bright side, but she didn’t seem to agree.
“This is too much for me, Vanni. Can I stay at your place for a while? I need to see my son,” she requested.
Though I didn’t want it to happen, she had the legal right. “It really upsets me when you call him that, but I will let you see him.”
We arrived home, and seeing Molly, I felt slightly guilty as I never wanted this to happen—bringing another woman into our home. Even though I owned it, she was now a part of it, so it belonged to both of us.
“Octavia, you've already met Molly,” I said as soon as we reached the dining room. Molly and Roger seemed to be waiting for me, as we always tried to have dinner together like a family. “She’s the woman I love, and Molly, this is Octavia, Roger’s mother.”
Molly smiled, about to say something when Roger beat her to it. “I hate her,” he yelled and began running upstairs. Molly shrugged helplessly and chased after him.