Chapter 12

Renee’s POV

The sudden force of the door bursting open causes me to jump out of my seat, which I only too soon after realize makes it appear that something suspicious was going on. I resist the urge to blurt out that nothing was actually going on. I bite my tongue, knowing that would only make matters worse.

Eric glares at Mia. “What are you doing here?” Mia looks momentarily hurt by his question.

“You suddenly asked me to go home. I was worried that something was wrong.” Mia practically whines. It’s the most sincere I’ve ever heard her be and I’m surprised to find myself actually empathizing with her.

I would be worried if the father of my son rushed me home so that I could go back to work only to find him in a room with someone who looked similar to his ex-wife. The irony dawns on me that I might be the other woman in this situation just as Mia was all those years ago.

I save the file and excuse myself, wanting to leave and not become any more entangled in this relationship. Eric flinches as though my sudden movements struck him somehow.

“You should probably stay away from Jasper,“ Eric says, causing me to stop in my tracks on my heels to look back at him, and I know there’s a look of bewilderment on my face.

Is he really telling me who I can and can’t see? That would be understandable if I were his faded mate, but I’m not at least not anymore.

Eric notices my reaction because he shakes his head as the words fall from his mouth, “He and I have personal issues. He’s not someone you would want to get mixed up with,” the explanation is enough to make me snort.

Jasper has been nothing but good to me and Debbie, whatever personal issues Eric has with Jasper are simply personal. As in having nothing to do with me and Debbie.

“I’m just saying he might be getting close to you and Debbie as a way to get back at me,“ Eric says trying to make it sound as if he’s giving me a piece of advice, but all it does is cause my skin to prickle. This sounds like a bunch of nonsense.

“Eric, may I respectfully remind you that we are only colleagues. If anyone is overstepping boundaries, it’s you.” I tell him plainly trying to keep my tone level. “You have your own child to focus on.“ I mindlessly wave my hand in Mia‘s direction.

“I think I know what you’re doing,“ Mia practically sings as she steps out into my peripheral. I cast her an annoyed glance.

“And what is that?” I know I’m going to regret allowing her to express her thoughts. Mia spins her eyes at me as though to zero in her attention on me.

“You think Eric likes you and you’re using your resemblance to his ex-wife to seduce him,” Mia clicks her tongue as though to say shame on me. “Honey, there are a lot of girls who look like you you aren’t the only one to have done this.”

My blood boils, and then I nearly laugh. Just as I’m going to tell Mia off, Eric steps in front of me.

“Mia, that is rude and presumptuous. You should apologize to Renee” He snaps, and again his quickness at defending me comes as a surprise, especially when I’m supposed to be nothing more but an employee to him.

“Why should I?” Mia shrieks, stomping her foot on the ground. Eric open his mouth to defend me further, but I interject.

“Is Eric made of gold? A lot of women may want him, but I don’t,” I sneer. I know my comment presses a particular button in Mia. Insulting her would only inflate her ego, insulting something she sees as a possession that other people envy, there’s no way for her to defend that.

Ignoring Eric’s intense gaze, I shoulder my way to the door. “Nilo is not my biological child!” Eric calls out after me and I hesitate, almost turning back around, but I don’t.

I wish I could truly brush off Eric’s comment as easily as I made it seem. But the entire walk home what he had said really stuck with me so much so that I almost completely ignore the fact that I’m alone walking home in the dark.

l saw he and Mia in that hospital together. why did he say something like that? Unfortunately, these are the questions. I may never get the answers to because there’s no way I’d ever be able to ask without giving away my true identity.

I try to leave these questions behind as I finally walk-through the door to my front house just happy to be home.

I barely make it through when Debbie runs up to me with a big smile and wraps her arms as tightly as she came around my leg. “Mommy!” A sense of peace washes over me. She somehow always knows how to make me feel better.

Margaux comes up to us and she puts on her coat I thank her for staying late with Debbie. Though my words of appreciation feel surface level. I know there has to be a better way to show her my appreciation for all that she does.

Margaux always says that spending time with Debbie is no trouble at all and she’s happy to do it I know that she’s not old enough to be a grandmother but as far as I know, she doesn’t have any grandkids of her own and she likes to treat Debbie as if she is hers.

Once Margo is out in the door Debbie pulls my hand leading me towards her bedroom “You have to help me decide what dress to wear for my interview tomorrow!”

I happily follow her because in this very moment there is nothing else I’d rather do.

The next day, Debbie and I stand in front of the principal at Young Paws Prep, a highly esteemed kindergarten.

Debbie is wearing her pale pink dress that flows slightly behind her as she walks. She spent all morning practicing her trolls in front of the mirror. She barely had enough for me to put on the matching pink bow. She truly looks adorable.

Unfortunately, Principal Robert doesn’t seem to care as he looks at the both of us with apathy. “Miss Renee if I may have a word alone.”

“Yes, of course,” I respond. I tell Debbie to go and play on the playground, which is located directly behind us. Once she’s out of earshot, Robert lifts his chin and peers over my shoulder and then back at me with pity.

“Debbie is far inferior. She is not the kind of pup we would allow at such a school like this. It does not look good for our reputation,”

At least he had the decency to wait for Debbie to be out of earshot.

“Gives me that!” I hear a kid shout, both Robert and I turn around and head out to the playground to see what is going on.

That’s when I see Debbie on the ground as if she’s been pushed over with some young child with spiky black hair leaning over Debbie holding her lucky stuffed animal in his hand high over his head so that she can’t reach.

It isn’t lost on me that Debbie being on the ground only makes her appears maller and weaker, not a good look in front of the principal.

“My daddy is the Alpha.” The kid declares. “Maybe you’ve heard of him his name is Eric, and I’m going to tell him about this.“ The child says, and I realize this is Nilo.