Chapter 3:

Devon:

The next day,

I keep glancing at my wrist-watch, feeling the irritation prickle out of my skin; I glance at Theo Duncan as I watch him give a brief overdraft about his work for the past few weeks. Theo Duncan heads the division headquarter in Europe, but since he got transferred back to New York, he has been making quipping comments about how the company should be operated and making rude remarks about the employees.

“Which is why I think that laying off some employees is the best idea to meet our budget. If we can successfully do that, we can acquire the company in India and turn it into one of our own, don’t you think, Devon?”

“Mr. Brookes,” I correct him, tapping my pen against the ebony wood. “We might be around the same age but we are in a work setting and I am of much higher position than you, don’t you think?”

His features harden and I watch as anger flashes in his eyes. “Mr. Brookes, my apologies, I certainly forgot. It’s as though it’s yesterday when you and I were getting our PhD in Oxford.” He stares around my office, “But, I guess. Some of us worked to where we are, we didn’t get our position handed to us from birth.” He lets out a croaky laughter.

In my thirty-two years, we both know I worked the shit to where I am today, and this will be the last time I ever will tolerate Theo making remarks like that.

“I get where you are going,” I take one last glance at my wrist-watch, “But, I would like to dismiss our meeting now, it’s way past closing hours, and we both know that I hate wasting time.” I stand up, as I grab my coat from my office chair, we shake hands, but I can see the rage fuelling in his eyes.

I step out of the room, only to be meted by Daphne.

“Are you calling it a day, sir?” She asks as I nod in return, we both know what today is, I am seeing my daughter for the first time, and I don’t want to make a bad decision, I already had Daphne order a box of chocolate.

She hands me the box of cookies and I breathe in relief.

“Thank you.” I say as I walk towards the elevator, she strides behind me so readily as she reads the tab for tomorrow’s schedule. I don’t normally close in the evenings, but today is the day I am seeing my daughter.

I have been keeping tabs on Arya secretly, and then it’s a surprise when I hear she has a daughter that just happened to look exactly like me, she confirmed it herself, and the anticipation to see my daughter is so bewildering. Arya never got back to me, too bad I know the location of her home.

Daphne tells me goodbye as I drive towards the busy street of New York, it takes me twenty minutes before I pull up in front of the penthouse. Getting out of the car, I stare at the penthouse. Why did she choose someplace like this to live?

My rings and I stare at the caller ID, my gaze darkening.

“Barbara?” I say smoothly.

I hear a sigh from the other end, “Please, stop treating me so cold, Devon. I am your mother,”

I clutch the phone harder in my hand, if she is here right now, I will say it over and over again. “Step-mother.” I say, reminding her of her place. Looks like I have been correcting people all throughout the day.

She sighs and then I hear the flushing of a coffee machine, looks like she’s busy making her signature espresso, it makes me sick to the stomach. “You have been working too much, and you aren’t home these days.”

“You know exactly why I don’t like coming home,” My voice thickens when I mention home, and I can imagine her cringing.

“Please, can you come for dinner? Your father is just back from Italy, you could come and we can eat and laugh, you know, like the old days.”

There’s something I detest, it’s when people try to put claim on things that aren’t even theirs to begin with.

“The good days never involved you.” I remind her coldly.

“Devon, please. Why don’t you want to accept me as your step-mother? I have done everything I can for you ever since your mother died and-”

“Let’s have this conversation another day, Barbara.” I click the end button and massage my forehead, staring at the huge building in front of me. I go in.

I stand in front of her door, my hand hovering on the doorbell. Fine, I am here unannounced, but I have equal rights to see my daughter, even if she doesn’t agree with me.

I have no idea who Arya Morris is after that night until suddenly, we are both parents. One night that I was hoping would relieve me of my stress ended up turning into a baby. This was the first thing in my life that came unplanned. I am a man of directions, I follow my plans, but there’s no way I am letting my daughter go.

Clutching the box of chocolate in one hand, I finally ring the door, tapping my feet impatiently as I wait. I can’t even begin to imagine the look on her face if she sees me here.

“Coming!” I hear a rushed female voice from behind the door which I can assume belongs to Arya, the clicks of slippers appear closer and closer as the door flushes open. We stare at each other, since she’s shorter. I look down on her, watching her gray-blue eyes flashes from recognition to surprise and shock and then to rage.

“You?!” She practically yells. “What are you doing here?”

I take a step closer, “I am here to see my daughter, Arya.”