Chapter 29

Kadeem

“Kadeem.”

Hearing the familiar voice behind him, Kadeem swiveled in his chair, his eyes soon falling on the woman he’d expected to find.

“Hello, grandma,” he drew out, watching as the woman smoothly walked into the room. However, she soon stopped, giving him a quirk of her brow.

“Aren’t you going to offer me a seat?” she questioned. “You know…that’s what your son did this afternoon when he saw me hobbling around. I see he has better manners than you do.”

Kadeem resisted the urge to shudder at his grandmother’s words - the word “son” slithering under his skin. However, his gaze instead became more fixed on her features.

“Please, sit,” he murmured out slowly just before the woman took the seat across from him. The moment she gave him a knowing smirk, he continued.

“I know all about the little stunt you pulled,” Kadeem informed her. “Sam showed me the tapes.”

“Well, I just wanted to meet my grandchildren for myself,” she announced without a hint of remorse. Again, her words made him want to twitch.

“They’re not mine,” Kadeem stated, shaking his head.

“Do you know that for sure?” she asked, raising another expectant brow. To that, Kadeem’s features became blank, his lips pressing together.

“Just as I thought,” she said with a sigh. “Kadeem, this may have all started with rumors, but I highly suspect those are your children.”

“How are you so sure?” Kadeem asked, shifting in his chair.

“They look just like you - especially that one little boy…oh, drat. I never caught his name,” she replied, scowling. “They only said they called the little girl LaLa.”

LaLa. That was more info than he’d been able to gain.

“They’re smart, sweet, talented, gorgeous,” she trailed out. “I felt a connection to them that I can’t explain - and I’m pretty sure they felt one to me.”

Yeah - Kadeem understood. He’d felt the same way.

“But how is it possible?” Kadeem asked then. “How could I have four children and have no memory of it?”

“Because you lost your memories,” his grandmother pressed, reminding him. “They looked about six years old - that’s about how long it’s been since your accident. Likely it happened before.”

Goddess. Kadeem opened his mouth to respond, but soon closed it before he was left shaking his head again.

“Don’t worry - I’ll keep your little secret. After all, this is all speculation…,” the woman drew out with a shrug. “But…there is one way to find out for sure.”

Kadeem’s eyes raised to her again, his body stiffening before his grandmother continued with a nod.

“And you do what to find out…don’t you?”

Ardal

After a busy morning at the gym, I was thankful that my last client had canceled and I was free to go home early. Only, I soon discovered that my enthusiasm would be short-lived.

I had wanted to surprise the babies by buying and downloading a few games for them on the computer. Only, when I went to check my email for the confirmation of my purchases, I found a surprise of my own.

My heart pounded as I stared at the screen, reading the email over and over. It was from Red Moon Studios - Kadeem’s studio - letting them know they had been cast in an upcoming ad. And in reply, my babies had sent back the contract - a signature forged where mine should have been.

I knew it - I knew in my gut they’d been keeping some kind of secret. Maybe I would have been inclined to do more snooping, but I was too distracted by the dates listed for the ad’s shooting schedule.

They were supposed to start Monday, which was days ago. And I knew without a doubt that my babies had gone, that they’d somehow found a way to be there every single day.

Without a single thought, I jumped out of the desk chair and rushed out of the house, still wearing my work clothes. And that leads us to now. I’m speeding down every street, gritting my teeth as I head to the studio.

My babies - my smart, cunning babies. As much as I admire their intelligence, I still can’t believe they would go behind my back like this.

And what makes matters worse is that Kadeem is involved. This is his studio, after all. There’s a strong possibility that he’s been around them for days without me knowing. That thought causes my foot to press harder on the gas.

Soon, I arrive at the studio, leading me to hop out of my car before I’m rushing right to the front doors. The receptionist gives me a questioning look as I walk by, but she seems to relent as she notices the gym’s logo on my shirt.

Navigating my way through the halls, I follow various signs until I assume I’ve found the door that leads into the right room. There, I press inside, already preparing to scream at Kadeem once I pass through the door.

Only, I hesitate as I notice the room is oddly quiet. There are dozens of people, but no one cares to glance back at me as they focus on the set ahead. Unable to get a proper look at what they’re staring at, I silently keep to the edge of the room as I try to find a better angle.

And once I find one, I freeze.

Silas, Milo, and Lottie - three of my babies lay in a bed illuminated by studio lights as they stare at the man standing over them. But not just any man.

They’re staying at Kadeem.

I swallow tightly as they nod at him, taking some sort of direction. My fingers twitch at my side, longing to grab hold of Kadeem’s collar and yank him backward as he takes a seat at the edge of the bed - only getting closer.

However, I don’t feed into my impulsive needs. Instead, I can’t seem to move as I study the calmness and ease in my baby’s eyes. And then I suck in a sharp breath as Milo reaches out to place his hand over Kadeem’s - like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

“Close your eyes,” I hear Kadeem murmur as he moves to squeeze Milo’s hand. “Pretend to be sleeping.”

The babies nod in reply, already shutting their eyes as they follow his request. I watch as Kadeem’s lips twitch, swearing a sense of pride appears in his eyes.

A prickle starts at the top of my head, trickling down my spine as I watch the scene. For years…the quintuplets' entire lives, I’ve done everything I could to protect them from Kadeem. But watching them now…

I quiet my thoughts immediately, slightly shaking my head as I look down to my shoes. However, I soon lift my gaze again - only for my eyes to swiftly widen.

Kadeem is brushing a hand through Silas’ hair, looking at him tentatively as his large hand reaches the ends of my son’s strands. But then Kadeem goes lower, his fingers landing on Silas’s shoulder before he pinches something between his fingers and lifts it to the air.

Hair. A piece of hair.

My blood runs cold, my face going pale.

There’s only one reason why Kadeem would steal a strand of hair.

To have it tested.

Panic officially overcomes me entirely, causing me to retreat as I slide my hand against the nearby wall. Finally, I make it to the door, quickly sliding out of it to make my exit.

I breathe as I stand in the hall, trying to get a hold of the situation. It occurs to me that I could have bolted toward the set and interrupted Kadeem, but then he would have known I was the babies’ mother.

Yes, sneaking away was for the best. I’m not sure how he’s been led to suspect he’s the babies’ father, but apparently the damage has been done. Of course, they share some of his same attributes, but plenty have dark hair, green eyes. Only Erbao nearly resembles him perfectly, but he’s not even here.

Unless…Kadeem has seen him before.

Groaning, I set that thought aside as the big issue still remains - how was I going to stop Kadeem from getting Silas’ hair tested?

Wracking my brain for options, I grow restless as my hands run through my hair. However, I eventually come to a stop.

Merrick - my old friend. He used to work at the lab, and I’m pretty sure he still does. He could stop this, give Kadeem the wrong test results. All I would have to do is call in the favor.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly find the webpage for the lab, locating their company phone number next. When I make the call, I ask the secretary to connect me to Merrick’ line, feeling my stomach somersault as she tells me to hold.

Music fills my ears, partnered with the sound of my own heart. I’m so close - so close to putting an end to this all.

But is that what’s best?

The question appears in my head suddenly, making my world spin. However, it doesn’t just hit and run, the question begins to settle in, filling me with doubt.

I can still see the way Kadeem looked at the babies - how they gazed back at him. The softness in all of their eyes makes my throat tight now, making me question everything I’m thinking and feeling.

Stopping Kadeem means keeping him out of their life yet again. And after seeing how he was with them…I can’t help but notice for the first time how the absence of a father is affecting them. Even if they don’t know it’s Kadeem, it’s clear that they wish it was.

Am I really going to take that away from them?

I swallow, gripping the phone tighter as the music still meets my ear. I could hang up at any second…put an end to this all at any second.

But then Kadeem would figure out the truth…and I know he wouldn’t leave me alone. He’d be right back in my life again. And who’s to say he wouldn’t just end up hurting me again…

But he could also hurt my babies.

“Hello,” Merrick’s familiar voice answers then, my lungs filling with a deep breath.

“Merrick,” I whisper. “It’s Ardal. I need a favor.”

I need to do what’s best.