Chapter 39 If you have to choose
“Boss, Roger is making things difficult for her, scaring her with his pets and the maids..."
"What did the maids do?" I was furious at this point. Roger may be different, but the maids are my employees and should not be causing trouble.
"They believe she can't handle her job and is using Roger to get your attention."
"Did they mistreat her in any way?"
Jace hesitated for a moment before hurriedly responding, "I have to go. I think Roger is causing trouble again."
I didn't stop him, knowing he needed to be there for Molly, and turned to Hank. "Please drive. I want to check the surveillance cameras at home."
Despite his love for expensive cars, it was a mistake to ask Hank, as he was already behind the wheel.
"Who is causing problems?" he inquired as he accelerated. I watched the surveillance cameras closely as I updated him.
"Roger has taken a dislike to Molly."
"That's understandable, but he will outgrow it soon. None of us can force him to like her."
His response was not encouraging, and I replied sincerely, "I want them to get along because I can't let Molly out of my sight again."
"That is tough. The only way to keep her by your side is marriage, and I don't think you are considering that."
It was a harsh truth, and the more I watched the footage, the angrier I got. What was so funny about Molly being distressed?
My attention shifted slightly. "You know I can't marry her. She hates me, and even now, what do I tell Octavia? It's too complicated for you to understand."
Hank did not reply immediately, but I heard him sigh. "None of this is your fault, including leaving Molly. She would have been dead if you two were still together."
I knew he was right, but it didn't wash away the guilt I felt because of all that Molly went through.
"I know I'm being selfish. I promised to let her go after helping her regain everything, but I lied."
Hank looked at me with an unreadable expression and reminded me, "Octavia would be graduating soon, and I know she would want to be by your side. What are you going to do about it? You promised her a lot."
I didn’t want to dwell on it because I was unsure how things had become so complicated. Everything was going well until Molly entered the picture.
“I just wanted to help and let her go, but after seeing how vulnerable she was with those men, I’m constantly afraid of something bad happening to her,” I confessed.
The discomfort weighed heavily on my heart, leaving me at a loss for what to do. Even if I could turn back time, there was no way to change what had transpired between us.
“I understand, Gio. I was in a similar situation before, but I’m relieved that my ex is now married and happy. Our lifestyle may not endorse marriage, but that seems to be what these women desire, so one-night stands are preferable,” Hank remarked.
While I agreed with him on his lifestyle choice, deep down, I had always yearned for the kind of relationship my parents had, which now seemed like a distant dream.
The darkest period of my life had transformed me into someone unrecognizable, and Hank’s question only added to my confusion.
“If you had to choose between Molly and Octavia, who would it be?” Hank’s question caught me off guard, revealing his perplexity over the secrets I had kept from him.
Had he known the full extent of both women's stories, such a question would have been unnecessary. “I refuse to view women as objects to be chosen between.”
The confusion on his face was evident as he continued, "If it were me, I would choose the one who has my son."
I shook my head, acknowledging that things were not the same. "Since when did you become so talkative? Let me guess, how many drinks did you have?"
I knew the alcohol was loosening his tongue, but I wasn't prepared for all of it. He pulled over at my house, and I checked the surveillance cameras again, feeling disheartened by everything that was happening.
Roger was already a handful, so I didn't want the maids to trouble Molly as well. It would be best to replace them, so before getting out of the car, I called the agency.
"Your maids are misbehaving, mocking my partner. I want them all replaced," I stated firmly.
"Your partner?" Hank questioned after I ended the call.
"It wasn't the best choice of words, I know, but they're just from an agency," I explained. Molly wasn't mine, although I missed the way things used to be between us.
“But you never brought Octavia here," Hank pointed out, trying to understand the situation. I patted him on the shoulder.
"Another time, Hank. Maybe I will tell you the details about the night I received that call."
I haven't been able to tell anyone, but since he was going to work for me for some time, I might just tell him.
"I look forward to it, but I have to see my little man," he hurried inside, but I didn't like the way he looked at Molly when he saw her.