Chapter 9

Amara's POV:

I stared at Micah, eyes wide open and mouth slightly hanging open. I couldn’t believe it! The audacity of this man to come back around after almost four years! Nicole did mention her sister, Dana, had gotten into a relationship with some rich corporate man. I assumed that meant she dumped Micah, so was that why he was back? Did he see me as his second chance, thinking that I'd actually take him back after he cheated on me with my best friend's sister?

Zavier’s whole mood had changed. The friendly energy he was radiating had dimmed completely, and instead, he was now pissed and confused. This other man was now claiming to be Sebastian’s father, which was probably making him question me.

“You have some nerve showing up here, Micah,” I fumed, glaring at him. How dare he stand in front of me so proudly?

“Come on, Amara, you know you still love me. I do, too—it just took me a bit longer to realize how much you meant to me,” Micah concluded, lips turning up into a smile. That look once made me turn to putty, but now, it just raised my blood pressure. Zavier remained silent and just held onto the sleeping boy as he looked back and forth between the two of us, following the conversation slowly.

“No, it took the lady you cheated on me with leaving you for a rich man to come crawling back here,” I corrected him and motioned for him to step away from the door, which he did. Once he stepped back, I opened it and let only Zavier into the apartment.

“Amara, give me a second chance. I’ll be good and an even better father to our son,” he pleaded, wanting to come in too, but the stern look on my face made him back away.

“Fourth. It would be your fourth chance, and I’d be an idiot to give you that. Sebastian is not your child,” I corrected him, looking over at Zavier to see him walking to Bash’s room.

“Who is he, Amara?” Zavier then asked when he had returned to Micah and me.

“Nobody important,” I said coldly and moved to shut the door, but Micah stopped me.

“Her ex, who she was dating when she got pregnant,” he said with a smug look. “Around two or three years ago, right?”

“Amara—” Zavier was about to speak when I interrupted him.

“Micah, get the fuck out of here and never show up again. Next time you come around, I will call the cops. I bet they’ll love the little farm you and your father have,” I threatened, mimicking his proud look from before.

“You’re making a mistake. At least let me be in his life.” He glared at me.

“You’re a stranger to him.” I laughed in his face.

“Plea—” He tried to speak, but I shut the door.

“Leave. Now,” I shouted at him and could hear his footsteps receding.

“Did you date him when you got pregnant?” Zavier asked not a moment after I turned around.

“Yes and no,” I sighed, rubbing my temples.

“Is he my child, Amara? Have you been lying to me?” he asked me, raising his voice slightly. It was shaking a bit like he was panicking, scared of what the truth might be, yet angry at the same time.

“No, dammit. What do you see me as?” I snapped back at him, once again getting sick of his accusations.

“What do you expect from me? To just take your word after Micah shows up?” He raised a brow at me, and I turned around to face him, shaking my head in disappointment.

“Micah cheated on me, and I found out. He begged for another chance, which I gave him, but I told him he’d have to wait before we’d have sex again. When I worked that party, a woman sent me proof of the two of them having sex. After that, you and I happened,” I started to explain, taking a step closer to him with each sentence and poking his chest with my index finger. “And don’t forget: you’re the one who forced yourself into Bash’s life. I never wanted you in it,” I added, shaking my head in disappointment.

“Don’t pretend it hasn’t made your life easier,” Zavier replied, skipping over many facts and his accusations. “And you can’t blame me." He shrugged, once again using the same reasoning for his behavior.

“Seriously? Not even an apology? Get out and stay out of our lives.” I raised a brow at him and didn’t give him a chance to answer. Instead, I just walked to the front door and opened it wide.

Zavier opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again and stormed out.

~~~

Zavier's POV:

After leaving Amara's apartment, I headed to my car and made my way back home. The first thing I did when I arrived was head to my office. I always had very little trust in people who weren’t family, and I always tried being careful with situations that included pregnancies and children. Therefore, I was questioning Amara's integrity.

Pulling a brown envelope out from under a pile of unopened mail, I looked at it. This envelope held the truth. I had submitted a DNA test when I first confronted Amara but had never read it since I had previously taken Amara's words as the truth. I ripped it open and pulled out the paper.

It was a match…I was indeed the father of Sebastian, and I felt relieved. I had grown to love the child a lot. However, I now realized how much I had screwed things up with Amara, but I assumed she’d understand. I'd go over tomorrow with donuts, coffee, and cake pops to make it up to her.

~~~

I took the day off from work because I needed to meet with Amara. We had to smooth things over. It was all just a misunderstanding, and I assumed she’d get it. But, of course, she had every right to be angry with me right now. When I got to her apartment, I knocked on the door and waited patiently for her to open up, but instead, I saw a very irritated Nicole at the door.

“Oh, good morning. I’m here for Amara,” I said, looking over her shoulder and instead finding that the apartment was too quiet for one where a toddler lived.

“Amara’s not here right now,” she informed me in an annoyed tone. I assumed this meant Amara told her about what happened last night.

“Nicole, I’m serious. Let me in. I need to apologize to her,” I demanded kindly.

“Oh, so now you believe her?” She raised a brow at me, leaning against the doorframe.

“The test confirmed so,” I answered quietly.

“You’re a funny man, Zavier. I just never thought you’d be such an asshole.” Nicole shook her head, and man, it did not feel good being judged in person. With things like tabloids, it was different because they didn’t actually know me.

“Nicole, I just want to speak with her and see my son,” I requested kindly once again.

She stared at me and then sighed. “They left.”

“Where to?” I raised a brow at her, slightly panicking. What if she left for good?

“I won’t tell you that,” Nicole replied.

“Did she say when she’d be back?”

“She said when she felt like it. Also, I assume that means she quit her job?” Nicole mumbled. I could tell she wasn’t lying. If Amara and Sebastian were home, the little boy would’ve been running around already by now.

“Just tell me where she went, please,” I begged, but it was no use. Nicole made up her mind, and I couldn’t blame her for looking out for a friend.

“No. Now, good day, Zavier." She shut the door in my face, making me blink, my mouth hanging open before I collected myself.

I stood there staring at the door and took a deep breath. Where did Amara go? Did she run away with my son? She better not have. I had no idea where she might be—not to mention, she didn’t have her car either. I got into my car and hesitated about whether to call Tessa or not. I knew she’d scold me, but I could really use her advice, so I rang her up, and to my luck, she was available. As predicted, I got scolded, but she did mention Amara might be at her sister's place. It was worth a try, so I started the ignition and drove there. I saw another man standing there. His eyes were locked on mine as I walked up to the house.

“This is private property,” said the man, who I assumed was Amelia’s husband.

“I just want to know if Amara’s here,” I replied, looking around and trying to see if she was here. It was a lot harder now that she didn’t travel in her own car.

“You’re Zavier?” he asked, blonde brow in an arch.

“Yes, I am,” I answered and watched as his expression changed to a disappointed one.

“She doesn’t want to see you right now. Leave,” he said, walking past me to the front door.

“Just let me apologize to her, man,” I begged, letting out a sigh.

“After you humiliated her so many times and questioned her integrity?” he asked, getting angrier with each word that left his lips.

“I made a mistake; let me fix this. She can’t keep me from our son,” I said, my eyes going to Amara, who just opened the door.

“Amara, I’m handling it," the man said, looking over his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Ivan. Let me finish this up quickly,” she replied and stepped out, waiting for Ivan to leave first before turning to me. She didn’t say a word. She just stood there, eyes glaring into mine with her arms crossed.

“Amara, I’m so sorry—” I began to apologize but was interrupted.

“What made you come back? I don’t want to see you. Don’t you get that?” she said rudely, shaking her head in disappointment.

“I came to apologize,” I said calmly.

“So you can accuse me of being a liar and gold digger again? No, thank you,” Amara replied, coming down the steps to be closer to me and making me back away slowly. I hoped my chest wouldn't get poked this time.

“Ama—”

“Are those donuts, coffee, and cake pops?”

“Yes, I—”

“You can take them with you. We don’t want them. Now, leave.” She pointed away from where she stood.

“Are you really going to be like this?” I sighed, shoulders slumping. I didn’t come here to fight; I just wanted to make things right.

“Like what, huh?” Amara raised a brow at me, never giving me a chance to answer. “Did you expect I’d just accept your apology like that?”

“What can I do to make it up to you?” I truly wanted to fix things. I had to fix things. She didn’t deserve to be treated this way.

“Nothing. What do you want?”

“To be in Bash’s life. I took the day off. Can I take him to the park?” I replied, letting out a sigh again at how difficult she was being.

“Oh, so now he’s your son?” she asked, laughing to herself.

“The DNA test says so.” I shrugged.

“Of course…” she muttered to herself.

“Let me take you out. I swear I’ll make it up to you,” I promised. All I wanted was one more chance, and this time, I wouldn’t mess it up.

“No. What you’ll do is take our son to the park, and I’ll accompany him because I don’t trust you to be with him by yourself,” she answered. She seemed to have made up her mind and was unwilling to change it.

“Seriously?”

“You’re my son’s father and my boss. Nothing more,” she snapped, making sure I knew where we stood. This was my fault. I hadn't trusted her, and it ruined things between us.

“Fine. When can we head to the park?” I asked. Taking baby steps might work.

“After he's done with breakfast,” she answered.