Rome pushed open the heavy door of the police station, the metallic clang echoing in the dimly lit corridor. The reception area was bustling with officers going about their duties. Rome nodded to the desk sergeant before making his way to the interrogation room.
As he entered, his eyes scanned the room, landing on a woman seated on a metal chair against the far wall. She sat with her back straight, hands clasped tightly in her lap, her expression a mix of defiance and apprehension. Rome approached her with a calm demeanor, ready to delve into the questions that needed answers.
As Rome sighed deeply, he steeled himself to finally look at her face. Slowly, he walked towards her until he stood directly in front of her. He gazed at the face he had once longed to see, the face of the woman he had loved, now twisted into a smirk that filled him with disgust.
“Long time no see, husband,” she said, her voice laced with mockery as she smirked at him. Rome’s gaze hardened as he met her eyes, his heart heavy with a mixture of anger and betrayal.
He never imagined he would face Georgia like this, not as the woman he once loved, but as his adversary. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, shattering the last remnants of the life they had once shared together.
As he stood there, facing her across the cold, sterile room of the police station, Rome knew that things would never be the same between them. Their love had turned to ashes, replaced by bitterness and resentment, and he braced himself for the battle that lay ahead.
“What did you want to tell me?” His voice was cold, his tone devoid of any emotion as he stood a safe distance from her, unwilling to get too close.
Her smile widened, a hint of malice in her eyes as she leaned forward, placing her hands on the cold metal table between them.
“Well, I wanted to…” she paused, savoring the moment before continuing,
“I wanted to tell you that all of this is not true,” she said, her words dripping with deceit as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Rome’s nostrils flared with anger as he took a step closer to her, his hand reaching out to grasp her cheeks tightly, forcing her to look directly into his eyes.
“You think this is some kind of joke, huh?” His voice was barely above a whisper, laced with fury as he held her face in his grip.
“Kiss me, husband,” she taunted, her words muffled by his firm hold.
“You are sadistic,” Rome growled, releasing her cheeks and stepping back, his hands shaking with rage as he struggled to maintain his composure in the face of her twisted games.
“Awwwwn, You’re so cute,” she said, her voice dripping with insincerity as she pouted playfully. Rome’s expression remained stoic, his mind reeling with disbelief at the woman before him. How could she act so casually, as if their past meant nothing?
As Rome listened to her words, his heart grew heavier with each passing moment. He couldn’t comprehend why she would do all of this to him. All he had ever done was love her, trust her with his life, and yet she had betrayed him in the most unimaginable ways.
“Do you think you can actually go after my son and get away with it?” Rome’s voice was filled with a mixture of anger and sorrow as he confronted her.
“Our son,” Georgia corrected with a smirk, causing Rome to burst out laughing bitterly.
“You killed all of our children for your own selfish and stupid reasons. My son isn’t yours; he’s mine and Phoenix’s son,” Rome declared, his voice trembling with emotion.
Georgia’s expression shifted from amusement to confusion as she processed his words. “Wait, he actually died? Wow,” she said, her tone devoid of any remorse.
“Yes, you killed the last child we had together. Why didn’t you just tell me that you didn’t want kids and that you wanted to leave me, instead of doing all of this?” Rome’s voice cracked with pain as he confronted her.
“Well, your mama begged me not to tell you any of this. She said you would die knowing that I was with some other man, so pretending that I was dead would be better,” Georgia explained, her smile never faltering.
“And why the hell was I doing all of this if he’s not my son? Shit… Well, it’s done,” she added casually, as if discussing the weather.
Rome could only shake his head in disbelief, feeling the sting of betrayal from both his mother and the woman he had loved.
“Did you even like me at all?” Rome’s voice was barely a whisper, his heart breaking with each word.
“Uhmmm, yeah, I did not until we got married and you really wanted children. I didn’t actually want to tell you that I didn’t like children because you were rich, and I loved your money too,” Georgia admitted, her words like a dagger to Rome’s already wounded heart.
It surprised Rome even more to see the complete lack of remorse in Georgia’s demeanor as she spoke. He struggled to comprehend how she could be so callous about the pain she had caused him.
“And you’re proud of all of this, after everything I…” Rome’s voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through him.
“Actually, thank you for doing all of this. You actually brought me to my soul mate,” Rome said, his tone surprisingly calm as he looked at Georgia, who rolled her eyes in response.
“You think she would forgive you?” Georgia asked, her laughter filling the room.
“Fuck off,” Rome spat, his anger flaring once again as he stormed out of the interrogation room. But as he reached the door, a determination set in, and he turned back to face her.
“I will make sure you spend the rest of your life here, and I mean it,” Rome declared, his voice filled with resolve. But Georgia’s laughter only echoed in response, mocking his threat.
~~
?PHOENIX?
As I gazed down at my sleeping son, a wave of indescribable joy washed over me. It was a new feeling, knowing that I had a son who was truly mine, not the result of another woman’s deception.
When Doctor Phil revealed the truth about me being his mother upon my arrival at the hospital, and Georgia was apprehended, I couldn’t contain my surprise and happiness. I had loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him, even when we believed he was Georgia’s son. And now, knowing that he was truly mine only deepened my love for him.
I couldn’t help but smile as I kissed his sleeping head for what felt like the hundredth time. He bore no resemblance to me; every feature mirrored Rome’s. But that only served to remind me of the man I loved, every day of my life.
“Is he asleep?” Beatrix’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I nodded, a contented smile playing on my lips.
“Are you sure you’re his mother? He looks nothing like you,” Beatrix teased, taking a seat on the bed beside me. I laughed, showering my son’s forehead with more kisses.
“I’m sure he’s thinking, ‘Mama, that’s enough kisses for today,'” Beatrix mimicked, causing me to laugh even harder.
“You’ll wake him up if you keep making me laugh,” I said between giggles, enjoying this moment of shared joy with my dear friend.
“Both of you will be discharged from the hospital today, so… where are you going to stay?” Beatrix inquired, her tone filled with concern.
“Home, obviously,” I replied, running my fingers through my son’s soft hair.
“Do you think Rome will want you and your son living away from him?” Beatrix questioned, her brows furrowed in thought.
“He’ll have to get used to it. And when our son grows up, we can share the time he spends with both Rome and me,” I answered, determined to make this work for the sake of our family.
Beatrix nodded in understanding before turning her gaze to her nephew’s cute face.
“Do you think it’s best for your kid to have separated parents?” Beatrix asked, her eyes searching mine for an answer.
I remained silent, unable to find the words to express the turmoil in my heart. Instead, I looked at my son’s innocent face, knowing that I would forgive Rome for the sake of our child, but also knowing that I couldn’t go back to him. The trust between us had been shattered, and the pain of what had happened lingered like a shadow over my heart every day.
“He’ll have to get used to it,” I finally replied, the words catching in my throat as I spoke.
“Okay,” Beatrix said softly, sensing the pain behind my words.
Just then, the door opened, and Neo walked in, his smile lighting up the room as our eyes met.
“How’s my favorite person in the world doing?” Neo asked, his grin infectious.
“Fine, but sleeping,” I replied with a small smile, gesturing towards my son.
Neo nodded before leaning in to peck Beatrix on the cheek. “Wow, he looks so much like me,” Neo remarked, earning a scoff from Beatrix.
“Yeah, true,” I agreed, smiling at the playful banter between them.
“Keep on deceiving yourself,” Beatrix teased, and we all burst into laughter.
As the laughter subsided, the door opened once again, and Rome walked in. Immediately, our son began to cry, causing Neo to joke,
“Bro… see what you caused,” making Rome playfully roll his eyes in response.
Rome chuckled as he approached, his eyes softening as he reached out to comfort our crying son. “Sorry, little guy. Daddy’s here now,” he cooed, gently picking him up and rocking him in his arms.
“He’s been fussier than usual lately,” I remarked, watching Rome with a mixture of fondness and apprehension.
“Yeah, I think he’s picking up on the tension in the air,” Rome replied, his expression turning serious for a moment before he flashed me a reassuring smile.
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as I watched Rome with our son. Despite everything that had happened between us, he was still a loving father, and I knew he deserved to be a part of our son’s life.
TBC