Erica’s POV
“Dante, I…”
Ring! Ring! Ring !
I was stopped mid-sentence by my phone ringing loudly on the bedside table. I stretched over
and picked it up and saw that it was the land-line number from my house.
I gasped silently. My kids were calling me! I couldn’t believe that I had been so engrossed with
Dante that I forgot that I had left them home alone and given Clarissa an entire week off of work.
I looked at Dante skeptically and my mind was kicked into motion. I couldn’t let him know that my
kids were calling me. I couldn’t let him put two and two together and figure out that the triplets
were actually his children. I didn’t even want him to know that he had children.
I grabbed my phone and grabbed my shirt and held it against my chest.
“I need to take this call privately. It’s something important about work.”
I scurried into the bathroom and closed the door but I was careful to look through the keyhole to
make sure that Dante wasn’t eavesdropping on my conversation.
“Hello?”
“Mom!”
The sound of my three kids calling my name over the phone sent shivers down my spine. I was
delighted yet guilty. I was so happy to hear their voices, but instead of me being with them, I was
in the bed of a man that threw me away from his life six years ago.
“Mommy, where are you? We are getting hungry. Ethan wants to make pancakes but I told him
‘no’ because it doesn’t know how to make them,” Elsa said loudly, reporting her brother to me.
“Mom, Elsa is lying! She’s the one that wanted to make the pancakes but I told her ‘no’. And
besides, I actually can make pancakes. I’ve been watching you and Miss Clarissa make them.”
“No, no, no.”
I was stunned by their bickering.
“I do not want any of you near the stove. I am at a meeting and I will be back in thirty minutes. I
suggest that all of you have a shower and get changed. Once I get home, we can all go out
together as a family. It’s been a while since we hung out together.”
“Yay!”
They all cheered in excitement and the call ended almost immediately.
I sighed in relief and rested my back on the wall. How long was I going to be able to keep thid
secret? How long was I going to be able to keep my children away from their real father?
I went back into the room and Dante had not left his space on the bed. I didn’t go back to join
him and rather gathered my clothes and began to dress up.
“Where are you going, Erica? You can’t be leaving already? You didn’t even answer my question.”
Dante jumped out of bed and grabbed my hand but I slapped him away.
“My answer still remains the same, Dante. NO. You had your chance but you blew it and now I’m
with someone else. I would like you to respect that. I came here for business that concerns the
safety of our packs and not to dwell on the past that we had or the future that we could have had
if you hadn’t been so arrogant and cruel.”
He looked astonished and continued to watch me dress. I pulled my gown over my head, grabbed
my bag and stormed out of my room.
As soon as I left his room, I heard the door open and close violently behind me.
“Erica! Erica! Stop this! Stop lying to yourself! If you truly had feelings for Lorenzo, you wouldn’t
be here with me! I know you still care about me but I don’t know why you keep pushing me
away…”
“I am pushing you away because we’ve had our chance, Dante. I was in your life for so long but
you never treated me like your mate or even a human being! Its selfish of you to want what
another man already has. We are over, Dante and the only reason that you’re seeing me here
today is because of the security threat to our packs. It was a mistake for me to come here. From
now on, we hold all meetings that are necessary, in your office and I will never come to your
house. You do not get to invite me out to parties or dates and don’t call me unless it’s
important!”
Dante looked at me angrily. He was about to say something but my phone rang and interrupted
him. I took it out and saw Lorenzo’s name on my screen. My stomach churned in guilt and I was
compelled to answer his call.
“Hey sweetie!”
I tried to make my voice sound as high and cheery as possible. I couldn’t give away that I was with
Dante. I could only imagine how disappointed Lorenzo would be.
“Good evening, darling. I am so sorry for not calling you sooner and talking to you properly. I’ve
just been so swamped with work. I should have given you more of my time.”
A light blush spread over my cheeks and I began to wonder if I really deserved Lorenzo as a
husband. While he was out working, I was going behind his back and cheating on him with
another man. I was q disappointment to myself, him, my kids and my family.
“It’s okay. I…”
“No, it’s not okay. I have to make it up to you. Anyway, I’m almost done with work and I’ll go and
see your parents as soon as possible. I’m sure that your dad will bite my head off for not coming
sooner but it is a risk that I’m willing to take. I just wanted to make sure that you were okay and
tell you how much I love you.”
I stole a glance at Dante and his face was as read as a tomato. His gaze was full of poisonous
jealousy and I could see his fist trembling as he listened to our conversation.
“I love you too. I’m trying my best to get the negotiations finished as soon as possible. My father
will be so happy to have you around. Just take care of yourself for me.”
In an instant, Dante snatched the phone from my hand and placed it on his ear.
“Listen, Lorenzo! I am with Erica now and I want you to stay the fuck away from her!”
My face went pale with fright. What was he doing?
Fortunately for me, Lorenzo had already ended the call before Dante snatched my phone from
me. He hadn’t heard anything that Dante had said.
I snatched it back and looked at him acidly.
“What do you think you were trying to do?!”