Chapter 35

Ardal

“Hey, Chelsea,” the front desk attendant, Hunter, says as I pass through the front door of the gym. “You’re in early.”

I nod as I swipe my badge. “I’ve got a session with a client this morning,” I tell him with a shrug and smile. “I just wanted to come in and set up.”

Hunter smiles back, and it’s admittedly rather charming. He’s got nice teeth, cute dimples in his cheeks. If anything, it’s a smile that should send a girl to her knees, but mine remain strong beneath me.

Maybe in another life, I’d play into Hunter’s small advances and offer a flirt of my own. However, I know that messing around with Kadeem’s staff is the last thing I want to get tangled up in. So I offer a harmless wink as I continue forward to the main floor of the gym.

“Have a good day!” Hunter calls behind me as I head toward the women’s locker room.

Once my belongings are stored away, I head back out and realize just how empty the gym is this morning. Usually, we have a pretty committed morning crowd filling nearly every machine, but now there’s only a dozen or so.

However, I take it in stride as I get to work. I’m in a good mood today despite the events that have been plaguing my life lately, so I’m trying my best to hold onto it.

“Hey, Chelsea,” one of the other trainers, Maggie, says as I grab my clipboard to look over my notes for this morning’s session.

“Morning,” I reply, offering another smile. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” Maggie says, giving me a wide grin in return. Her cheeks pinch to a pink that compliments the red of her hair. “I hear it’s going to be a pretty exciting day.”

“Oh?” I reply, checking off something on my list. “And why is that?”

Maggie shrugs her shoulders. “Dunno yet,” she replies. “But I heard something about the boss having some sort of special announcement.”

That causes me to blink, my eyes raising to her. “Special announcement?” I begin. “About what?”

Again, Maggie shrugs. “Not sure yet. I guess we’ll find out.”

Still, she’s smiling and exuding pure excitement. Meanwhile, my features are blank, a strange sense of unease settling over me.

“Well,” she begins. “I should probably go set up for my own session. I’ll see you later!”

I give a nod as she practically skips off, trying to mumble out a response. But soon my brows pull together as I stare back down on my clipboard, not actually reading the words on the page.

Kadeem has an announcement…what could it possibly be about?

Just like Maggie - I have no idea. I can’t even begin to guess what he could have planned. The realization causes a few hairs on the back of my neck to stand.

Trying to shake the feeling and hold onto my positive mood, I release a sigh before I blink my vision clear. I focus my attention back on my work, addressing the machines that are part of my client’s workout plan for the day.

As I pass through the pathways between the equipment, I make a few notes, continuing to try and ignore the gray cloud trying to appear over my head, the knots my thoughts try to twist into. Again, I take calming breaths.

Once I’m done with the machines, I turn, planning to go grab a towel for the upcoming session. However, as I take a few steps, my eyes glance up at one of the television screens. I stop dead in my tracks as it suddenly cuts out of the show being played and jumps to another clip.

A clip that shows three of my babies' faces smiling right back at me.

The air feels like it’s knocked out of me, my eyes wide as I can’t stop watching. They perform beautifully, effortlessly as they show off the product placed in each scene. For a moment, I’m completely captivated.

The commercial ends within a minute and I can feel a sense of pride sliding underneath my skin, enveloping me with warmth. Only, that warmth soon turns to a cold chill as I then notice someone is standing below the screen. I know it’s him before I even drag my gaze down, but I still look anyway.

Kadeem is there. His arms are folded over his chest, his stare hard against my face. I can tell from the way he’s looking at me that he noticed my reaction to the commercial. He knew there was something different about the way I watched - my eyes shining and focused.

I wait, figuring he’s going to approach me at any second as he continues to stare. But I’m surprised as his eyes sharply clip away and air feels like it violently floods into my lungs. However, it quickly gets caught as I hear Kadeem’s voice.

“I hope you enjoyed the commercial,” he says, but he’s not just talking to me - he’s addressing the whole room. I glance around as I notice how others have stopped to watch the screen as well - Maggie among them. All of their heads are nodding and smiles spread across their lips to show their approval.

“Good,” Kadeem replies. “It was a delight to make. Those kids are really something…” He stops, pausing as he purposely meets my eye. “Special.”

My heart is racing, a sense of panic pounding in my head.

He knows. He knows, he knows, he knows.

“In fact,” he says, looking around again.

The announcement…this is the announcement.

“My team was so impressed by them that we’ve decided to do a second commercial,” he states firmly. “And we’ll be filming right here in this gym”

A silent gasp escapes my lips. Surely he can’t mean-

“I’d like you all to meet our adorable stars,” he interrupts my train of thought. And then the horror really starts to set in.

Time seems to move slowly as I watch my babies file in behind him. Silas, Milo, Lottie, and Erbao. Four out of my five.

They all gather around Kadeem, looking like little replicas of him as they stand at his feet. They smile up at him with adoration - only focused on him. Milo even reaches up to take Kadeem’s hand, giving him a squeeze as he offers a giggle.

Every motherly instinct in me is screaming to run across the room and snatch them up. To bolt out of the gym and never look back. But I’m frozen, my feet glued to the floor from panic.

That panic only becomes worse as I watch all my babies’ eyes scan the room, and then - simultaneously- they land on me. The shock that spreads across their faces likely matches my own.

They begin to blink with a mixture of continued surprise, but also uncertainty. I see Lottie take a step forward as she keeps looking at me, but I shake my head.

No. No, no, no, I try to tell her mentally. Don’t let them know.

Thankfully, she seems to receive my message. As do all the others as they slid their glances away, trying to appear more normal. Everyone else in the room is giving audible “aws” and fawning over them. I take that as my cue to slowly back away.

I need to get out of here. I can’t risk the babies or myself making another misstep and practically announcing I’m their mother. They can’t know.

Continuing to retreat, my breath is still heavy as I soon reach the corner, keeping my head down. I feel a tether from my chest longing to pull my back toward my children, to go and protect them, but I don’t. I try my best to wave it away and let it fade.

Finally, I feel my hand connect with the handle of a door behind me. It’s not the women’s locker room but rather a darkened, private training area. But it doesn’t matter - anything will do.

I turn the handle, causing the door to crack open enough for me to slide through. Once I’m on the other side, I close it and place my palms against the wood. I gulp down large breaths, almost feeling like I’m going to be sick.

I can’t believe Kadeem did this.

He knows. Or maybe he just had a suspicion. But now he knows.

I take in another gasp as I try to settle my breathing. But as I take in another rush of air, I suddenly catch a familiar scent filling my nose.

Ice begins to trickle up my spine as I slowly turn, praying that my imagination is only getting the best of me. But as I fully swivel around, my prayers go unanswered as my back flattens against the door.

Two arms land on either side of me, caging me in. I pant again as I blink, taking in the man before me.

Kadeem’s green eyes stare straight into mine. And he looks absolutely pissed.