Ruby
The morning sun cast a warm glow as we approached the entrance of the academy. Walking alongside Alex, I offered a gentle reminder: “Remember what we discussed, son.” His response was simple:
“Yes, nanny,” accompanied by a slight nod.
“Good,” I replied as we entered the academy building. I playfully ruffled his hair, a small gesture to ease the tension that lingered in the air.
Truthfully, I was pretending to act calm, but I had been awake all night thinking of a way to escape all of this, but I couldn’t come up with one, so I had no choice but to stick to the original plan, which was to act like his nanny.
Together, with Alex by my side, we ventured further into the academy, ready to face the day’s uncertainties.
The hallway greeted us with its usual bustling energy: students preparing for another day of learning. In the distance, I noticed Sofia guiding a group of children towards the entrance of a class. Alex and I walked in her direction; her presence offered a sense of familiarity, a grounding force in the midst of the challenges that awaited me soon.
“Good morning, Ruby; good morning, Alex.” Sofia greeted us warmly.
“Good morning, Aunty Sofia,” Alex responded brightly.
“You must be here for the meeting with Damian, she said, giving me a sad smile, and I nodded my head, feeling choked up to talk, fearing that my facade, acting strong in front of my son, could slip once I open my mouth.
Sofia, in understanding, directed us towards a designated office with chairs. As Alex and I took our seats, a palpable sense of anticipation hung in the air. The minutes ticked by, and we patiently awaited Damian’s arrival, the weight of the impending conversation settling in the room.
“Isn’t he coming, mom?” Alex asked, fidgeting nervously, and I offered a reassuring smile, trying to ease his apprehension while contemplating the upcoming meeting with Damian and how I would go about making it believable.
I didn’t want Damian to come, and I could only pray to the moon goddess that he wouldn’t.
The office held an air of anticipation as we sat in silence. The room’s ambiance was subdued, with sunlight filtering through the curtains, casting a warm glow on the furniture. The hushed whispers of children passing by outside added to the tension in the room.
Five minutes later, I was about to explode out of impatience when the door opened. Damian entered the room looking undeniably hot as he wore a white sleeveless shirt, his expression registering a hint of surprise upon seeing me and Alex, while I tried so hard to keep a straight face as I adjusted my blue flowy dress.
“Ruby? What brings you here?” Damian questioned, his voice not hiding the hidden suspiciousness under it, while Alex and I stood up to bow diligently at him in greeting.
Raising my head up, our eyes met, and for a moment, an unspoken word passed between us-a recognition of the complexities that intertwined our lives, and the atmosphere became tense.
“I didn’t expect you to be here. What’s your connection with the little man? This is so unexpected,” he added mockingly, and Alex’s eyes met mine as I gave him a silent nod of reassurance to go ahead without fear and speak what we had practiced.
“She is my nanny,” Alex said, making Damian raise an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between me and Alex.
I felt a surge of pride for my son.
“If she isn’t your mother, then she has no reason to be here. I told you I needed to see your parents-your real parents, not your nanny. So, where are your parents?” He inquired, his subtle scrutiny evident in his eyes.
In response, I kept my eyes averted, unable to meet Damian’s gaze. The weight of his suspicion and the fear of what might unfold pressed down on me, and I clutched the edge of the table, trying to maintain composure.
“Or aren’t they bothered about you losing your admission?” The room seemed to shrink as I contemplated how to navigate the situation. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to stick to the rehearsed lies.
“They aren’t around; they’ve travelled far away. Very far away.”
Tension filled the air as Damian absorbed the information, his expression unreadable.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Alpha Damian,” I muttered, avoiding eye contact and keeping my composure under the weight of his scrutiny.
The room felt stifling, and a sense of unease settled within me, knowing that this fragile web of deception was being woven to protect the secret that lay hidden beneath the surface.
I was doing this for my son’s sake.
“Unbelievable. Your parents don’t care about your admission; instead, they would rather go on a trip than come to your school, even if the matter was life and death.” Damian’s voice boomed, echoing through the office.
The air crackled with tension as Damian’s anger intensified, sending chills down my spine.
“They care so much about him, but they had something really urgent to take care of; that’s why he was placed under my car,” I explained, but I could feel the weight of his disappointment, and my attempts to ease the situation seemed to fall on deaf ears. His eyes bore into mine, a storm brewing beneath the surface.
“That’s rubbish. Every parent should take their child’s wellbeing first into consideration before anything else. So stop lying to the child and tell him the truth. His parents don’t give two flying fucks about him; that’s why they hired you as a puppet to be with him and follow him around.” Damian’s smirk widened, enjoying the discomfort he stirred.
“Damian, stop spitting nonsense.”
Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his young face contorted with a mix of anger and defiance, and I could sense his anxiety.
“Nonsense? Can’t you see that his parents don’t love him, or else why won’t they be here?”
“I have told you already that they are bu-”
“That’s not true; my mother loved me,” Alex said, cutting me off as he glared at Damian, his small hands balled into a tight fist.
Damian’s eyes bore into mine, the storm of anger intensifying. He seemed unyielding, revelling in the power he held over the situation, while Alex’s gaze remained fixed on him, challenging the alpha with a determination that betrayed his young age.
I, on the other hand, stood frozen, feeling the air thicken with Alex’s words, and I struggled to find the right words to placate Alex’s mounting fury.
“Mum,” His small hand clutched my clothes, a desperate plea for reassurance amid the unravelling truth that pierced through my defences.
“Please tell him that you love me. Tell this cold man that you will never leave me.” His innocent words hung in the air, exposing the fragility of our charade.
I struggled to find words that could mend the growing rift between us.
Shit.
“Alex… I know you are sad right now, but don’t confuse me for your mother.”I stammered, avoiding Damian’s penetrating gaze. The guilt and fear entwined within me as the consequences of my deception became increasingly palpable. I was caught in a web of deception, and the consequences seemed inevitable, but it was too late to speak the truth.
I could feel Damian’s hard gaze of suspicion burning through my skin. It was as if he could see through the facade I was desperately trying to maintain.
“Mum!” Alex whimpered like he was in pain, but I had no choice but to push him away. I was doing this for his own good.
At this point, the room had become a battleground of emotions; Alex’s cries of vulnerability added fuel to the already intense atmosphere while I braced myself for whatever consequences it had.
I’m your nanny, Alex. Remember, your mom is far away, so I understand why you would mistake me for your mother,” I lied, attempting to maintain a reassuring smile despite the intensity of Damian’s gaze, dissecting my attempts to deny Alex as my son.
“Are you sure you are just his nanny?”
Tension hung in the air, and the weight of his question pressed on me like a suffocating cloak.
“Of course, Damian, why ask something silly?” I forced a laugh, nervously playing with the hem of my skirt, attempting to deflect his probing question.
“Drop the act, Ruby, and quit lying. I know he’s your son, so please stop denying him, as you are hurting the little man. It’s embarrassing.” Damian’s voice cut through the silence, leaving no room for escape.
Fear and desperation clawed at me as I tried to maintain composure.
“I’m not,” I stammered weakly, but Damian’s piercing gaze held a certainty that sent shivers down my spine.
“I know he is your son and maybe the dead son you had with Liam,” Damian stated matter-of-factly, and I staggered backward in shock, collapsing into my chair. How did he uncover this hidden truth?
“You are probably wondering how I knew, right? Well, one, I am not stupid, and two, he looks exactly like Liam, especially his steel grey eyes, and let’s not forget about the red mark just below his chin in the exact place you have. Or is this just a coincidence, and he called you mom in my presence, so… would you keep denying?” Damian’s words were a relentless unravelling of my secrets.
“What do you want?” I managed to utter the weight of my concealed past, now exposed. At this point, I was thankful the walls of the room were soundproofed.
“Does that mean I am telling the truth and he is Liam’s son?” Damian asked with a smug look that I was tempted to punch off.
“Who is Liam’s mother?” Alex asked for a moment. I had forgotten he was here.
Shit.
“He is no one’s son,” I muttered, shooting a glare at Damian, who responded by raising his hands in a mock gesture of surrender.
“Why are you doing this, Damian? I thought you were different.”
“I am different, which is why I want you as mine, and I will do the impossible for that to happen. Accept my proposal,” Damian declared, his tone firm and unwavering.
“Damian, please… we can find another way. I can’t accept your proposal.”
His eyes narrowed, and a sly smirk played on his lips. “You have a choice, Ruby. Accept my proposal, or I will reveal the truth to him. The clock is ticking.”
“Are you blackmailing me?” I scoffed in disbelief.
“Yes, I am Ruby, and I don’t have time to waste, so answer me.” He demanded impatiently. I felt my son’s confused gaze on me.
The room seemed to close in around us, and I was left grappling with an impossible decision: protect my secret or succumb to Damian’s ultimatum.
“Fine… but I need a week to myself before we move forward,” I murmured, my voice barely audible, feeling the room tensed as I reluctantly agreed to Damian’s ultimatum. I needed a week or more to prepare myself and my son for the impending change or find a way out of it.
“Fair enough,”
Just as the weight of my decision settled, the door swung open, revealing Liam’s entrance.
Fuck. Not now.
“Is the meeting over?” He asked, and his presence added another layer of complexity to the situation, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the unfolding scene.
“Yes, but why are you here? You weren’t invited.” Damian growled, blocking his path as he attempted to walk in.
“Sofia told me what happened and about the rumours going around, and as the owner of the school, my presence is needed.”
“Ruby, are you okay?” Liam asked, looking at me with those enchanting steel grey eyes I had once fallen in love with.
Of course, I’m not okay.