The elevator ride downstairs was silent. My heart ached as I wrung my fingers nervously, staring at Max’s turned back. We hadn’t said a word to each other since he agreed to go on this coffee date, and contrary to what I expected, we’d grown an inch more apart. I was feeling so vulnerable and I craved his smile and touch so much, even with everything bad he’d been doing to me. I didn’t understand any of this. I wanted him to hold me again, with the love and affection he’d once for me. To fall on my knees and plead with him to accept Finn and me wholeheartedly. To be strong and reassure myself that this will pass.
But I’d never been that type of woman. I wasn’t desperate for his attention, money, or both. I’d been moving on just fine without him. My pride was my stronghold.
My phone beeped loudly as the elevator stopped and the door slid open. Max wasted no time in walking out and I followed suit, frowning when I unlocked my phone and saw that it was Jessy texting. It’d been days since we both spoke last.
Jess: Hey, Elaine. Sorry for texting so suddenly but I’m worried. I’d like to know what’s been happening at your end. Could you please meet me and Ryan up at Spatsburger? Please don’t let Max know about this. He’d tell Samson and I’ll get scolded.
I slapped a hand over my mouth, eyes widening in horror.
Oh, shit.
“Max,” I tapped his left shoulder lightly. He stopped and whirled around to face me, his eyes dim and tired. “So, um… something just came up and I’d like to know.. how long are we going to take before we get back?”
He sighed warily. “An hour or two will be good. What’s wrong?”
“So you’re saying we’d be back before noon?”
He nodded. “Yes. I must finish revising those manuscripts today, so we’ll be back at latest eleven thirty and you can go do whatever it is you want to.”
I suppressed a grin. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention.”
I hastily typed off a reply to Jess.
Sure. I’ll meet you at noon.
Her response came in a second later.
Jess: Great. See you later, then.
We strode between the neat rows of cars, towards his Aston Martini that was parked far back. My stomach churned at the sight of the little hollow by the side, caused by his involuntary kick yesterday. He scoffed at it, then unlocked the door, visibly annoyed.
I went over to the passenger’s side and pulled the door open, folding myself inside. “I’m so sorry about that, honestly. But I still don’t understand what made you do that.” I huffed as I put my seatbelt on and leaned back to revel in the cool AC.
He rolled his eyes, his jaw set in annoyance as we pulled out of the parking lot into the road. “Sometimes, I wonder if you do know me at all. It’s clear you have no idea how pissed off I was yesterday, seeing you in a club I strictly forbade you from going to. And you were so stubborn, leaving with that guy. I needed to take my anger off something.”
I cocked my head to the side. “And your car was the best victim to pay the price?”
He turned his eyes to me with a smirk. “Would you have preferred it if I disfigured that bartender’s face instead?”
I shuddered at that. Hell, that would have been chaos. “Fuck.”
We were approaching the traffic now. “I don’t enjoy any of this that’s been driving us apart, and I know you’re stressed as well. But there’s no decency in going to a club to find relief. I’m warning you for the last time, don’t go back to that place. Ever.”
“You don’t understand – ”
“There’s nothing to understand here. You’re simply irresponsible.”
“Is that so?” I groused, offended. “Well, let me tell you why I often go there. To feel good about me, Max. I’m the only one supporting our son and drowning in countless debts in order to keep us both afloat. The club is an outlet, to forget about my troubles for a while.”
“Well, I’m telling you, that outlet is going to ruin you. Don’t you get it?” he exploded, banging his fist on the steering wheel.
“You’re the reason I went there last week, and you know it.”
He furrowed his brows. “Excuse me?”
“Yes. You’ve been treating me like I don’t exist ever since I came clean about Finn, and I know I’m at fault, but I can’t deal with your hate, Max. I’m sorry for deceiving and keeping you in the dark for so long, but you don’t know half of what I’ve had to deal with. It’s unfair.”
“I don’t care about what you’ve been through,” he snapped. “My decision is final. You will stay off work and that goddamn club, and take good care of my son. That’s final.”
“Stop being a spoilt brat,” I scowled, my blood boiling. “You don’t have the right to tell me what to do. I’m a full-grown individual.”
“You call me a spoilt brat?” he laughed bitterly. “What kind of a mother goes to a club filled with men and sluts? That’s irresponsibility and you’re trying to sugarcoat it.”
I shook my head. “This is pointless. Please drop me right this minute. I’ve had enough of you. I don’t want to speak to you about this anymore.”
“You have no choice. We’re here already,” he shrugged, pulling up beside a fancy-looking cafe. I huffed, folding my arms over my chest. Ugh, how could a man be this annoying? He infuriated me to no end.
He took off his seatbelt. “Are you going to get down or what?”
I ignored him, staring straight ahead. He leaned over and unlocked the door, shoving me out. “Get down,” he growled.
I narrowed my eyes and straightened, slamming the door hard. He got out and stormed toward the door, halting to glance back at me. “You have no right to be this difficult, Elaine. Come on.”
I clenched my fists in a bid to calm myself down as I followed him in. He led me to an empty table by the farthest end and pushed me down, then sauntered over to the coffee to get us cappuccinos. He tossed mine over and sat opposite me, sipping from his cup, his jaw taut with anger. We both glared at each other shamelessly, not caring that there were people around probably watching.
“I have something for you,” he dipped a hand into his breast pocket and retrieved a piece of paper, sliding it across the table to me. “I got this prepared and printed it out this morning. I’ll need your signature on it.”
I gaped at the paper, my eyes zeroing in on the heading.
Births, Deaths, and Marriages application for a name change.
I frowned, looking up at him. “What the hell is this, Max?”
“You read it right,” he leaned back and folded his arms. “He’s my son so he’s meant to bear my name. Not yours.”
“Unbelievable,” I dragged a hand down my face. “You find out that you have a son and the only thing you’re worried about is changing his name? Are you that daft?” I pushed the paper away from me. “How about trying to know him? His personality, what he likes, what he dislikes… like a true father?”
“Yeah… about that,” he smiled, sipping from his cup, his eyes trained on me. “I’m thinking about taking him out tomorrow for a playdate at Samson’s place. He’ll have fun with Effie and Maxwell.”
“What?” I gasped in horror. “I’m sorry, but that’s not happening. You’re not taking him anywhere.”
“I’m not asking for your permission here. He’s my son and you can’t stop me from seeing him or taking him out.”
“You don’t understand… he’s nothing like those kids, Max. Maxwell and Effie have lived in wealth their whole lives, and they’ve been brought up to be strong-willed and domineering. Finn has an aversion to snobby kids. He’ll feel intimidated.”
He screwed up his face in disgust. “What do you mean by ‘snobby’?”
“Exactly what you think I mean, Max. They’re sweet kids but I don’t think they’ll treat him well on the first meeting. I don’t want a situation where he’d be uncomfortable.”
“You’re simply exaggerating the entire thing here. Finn will be fine.”
I banged the table aggressively. “No, he won’t. You know nothing about parenting.”
“And you know quite so much, yet you still go to clubs and all,” he rolled his eyes.
“Stop being so condescending,” I whisper-yelled, forcing a smile at the people seated at the tables around, staring at us now. “Sorry,” I apologized with a small wave.
“Now listen to me, and listen real good, Elaine Matthews,” he leaned in, his voice dropping dangerously low. “The minute you brought him into my life, he ceased to become just YOUR son. You’ve had him to yourself since the day he was born while you constantly lie to me about him so you’ll have no say in how I bring him up. Do you fucking understand?”