Chapter 48 What Fate?
“Joan, please can you go inside? I need to speak with her privately. I will meet you inside in a few minutes,” Alex said.
I saw the look on his face. Though it didn’t sit well with me, I couldn’t place it. His expression was mixed with confusion, fear, and anger.
“What could be going on?” I thought to myself.
Without pressing further, I adjusted the strap of my bag and stepped inside.
Immediately, I heard the door close.
“I remember vividly. It was that woman,” I mumbled to myself and dropped my bag on the couch.
“Could she be working with Mrs. Hart?”
“No… she doesn't look like someone who works under another person. What could be happening?” I asked myself.
I kept asking myself questions, but I got answers to none of them. Then I moved quietly to the door, hoping I would hear something… anything at all, but I didn’t.
Reluctantly, I dragged my feet back to the couch and slid down onto it.
“I can just ask him when he comes back in,” I finally told myself and sighed.
ALEX HART’S POV
After thinking and almost breaking down, I finally felt at ease and my face lit up when I saw Joan at my door. She looked calm, too calm to want to say goodbye to me.
But that happiness didn’t last long, the devil in human form and my mother’s deputy, Cassandra had to walk in at that moment.
The moment I saw her, I felt a huge lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach.
I had to think fast, because any mistake could cut the growing bond between Joan and me.
I saw her stare at Cassandra as she walked closer to us and it made me wonder what was going through her mind.
“Did my mother really tell what I think she told her?” I asked myself.
“What if she asks me if what my mother said was true? What would I say?”
“No… let’s not jump to conclusions. The face I saw at my door didn’t look angry or betrayed,” I calmed myself down.
Then I summoned all the courage I could get before Cassandra got to us.
“Joan, please can you go inside? I need to speak with her privately. I will meet you inside in a few minutes,” I said, hoping desperately that it would work.
I didn’t trust Cassandra one bit. If she gets to us, she might introduce herself to Joan the wrong way.
Surprisingly, Joan didn’t even question it. She just looked at me, set the strap of her bag very well on her shoulder, and went inside.
I didn’t want to take any chances after that, so I locked the door immediately.
“Who is that woman?” Cassandra asked, curiosity clear on her face as she stopped beside me.
“Why would you even come to my place unannounced?” I asked, ignoring her question.
“Do I need to write a letter to come and say hi to the father of my unborn child?” she sneered.
“You are a joke. A very silly one at that,” I scoffed.
“Whatever you and my mum are doing, it’s better you stop it right here and right now. I’m not in for this madness at all,” I said, my voice firm, but not loud.
“Relax, you don’t need to strain your muscles. You need to be healthy to father and train our child,” she smiled, tracing my chest with her finger.
“Get your filthy hand off me,” I said through gritted teeth.
“You should be ashamed, but you are here gallivanting around, claiming the father that didn’t consent to the making of the thing in your stomach,” I said, pointing at her belly.
“I don’t care. Mrs. Hart said we will be getting married. That’s what I’m here for, I might have a better deal for you,” she said, her lips curving into a small knowing smirk.
“I’m afraid I have to leave you here to be with my guest,” I muttered curtly.
“You are joking, right?” she scoffed.
“We will see if I’m joking or not,” I chuckled dryly.
“Don’t try me, Alex,” she said
That sentence fueled my anger.
What would she do?
“This is my house and I shouldn’t let her control me.”
I felt my fist clench beside me, but there was nothing I could possibly do.
I looked at her, unlocked the door, and stepped in without hesitation.
“You are really leaving me here, Alex,” I heard her call out.
I ignored her and locked the door.
When Joan heard the click of the door, she looked back.
“Your guest has gone?” she said.
“Oh, yeah. She just came to drop something off for my mum. She volunteers at the community center with her,” I said quickly.
“Geez! Isn’t that ridiculous? Volunteering at the community center?” I thought to myself.
The lie came out too quickly before I could even process it.
“Just hope she believes it,” my inner voice chided.
“Oh okay,” she said calmly.
“Oh my God, it worked,” I mumbled under my breath and heaved a sigh of relief.
That was when I could finally join her on the couch.
I waited for her to talk about my mother’s visit to her house, but she didn’t.
I guessed it wasn't that serious after all.
JOAN COLE’S POV
They volunteer together.
Hearing that made me feel at ease.
It wasn’t as serious as I thought it was and that explained why Lena and I saw them together at the clothing store.
I didn’t feel the need to bring up his mother’s visit to my place, I just waited patiently for him to continue the conversation where he said he wanted us back together.
But he didn’t. In fact, the air between us felt weird.
After a few minutes of awkwardness, I figured he needed space and left.
“Maybe it’s work,” I told myself to feel better on my way back home.
The next day after work, I stopped by a pastry shop to get croissants and cookies, only to bump into a woman on my way out.
When I looked up, it was the same woman.
The one I saw at Alex’s place the previous day.
“Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry,” she said politely.
“I am too,” I replied.
With that, I wanted to leave without drama, but she recognized me immediately too. I didn’t know how but she did.
“Oh, wow. It’s you! You are the one I saw at Alex’s place yesterday,” she said, smiling.
“Oh, yes. It’s me,” I replied reluctantly.
“Well, I think this is fate,” she said, still smiling.
Then she extended her hand for a handshake.
“My name is Cassandra.”
“Fate? What fate?”