Chapter 004

4.

Lucas POV

“It is you! It’s really you, Janette!” I exclaimed, shock written all over my face. I had seen her walking into the school premises whilst holding the hand of a little boy. I thought my eyes were deceiving me and had waited patiently for her to come outside. When she didn’t come out, I thought I was just hallucinating, but then she came out and… and, I can’t believe my eyes. Janette is right here in front of me, looking all different from the woman I knew six years ago. She had become even more beautiful than I remember.

Oh, Janette! I couldn’t help my joy at the sight of her.

Without thinking, I rushed into her arms, but she pushed me away.

“What do you think you are doing?” she snapped, wiping her body with her face scrunched up in disgust. “How dare you lay your filthy hands on me? Have you no respect?”

I gasped and couldn’t believe my ears. “Janette, it’s me, Lucas. You haven’t forgotten me, have you?” I asked, my voice laced with hurt.

I couldn’t believe she was treating me with so much contempt and acting like she has no idea who I am.

She scanned me from head to toes. “I don’t care who you are, but the next time you come that close to me again, I will make you regret it.” She tried to get into her car, but I held her hand.

“Janette,” I called, my heart aching. “I…” I trailed off. She yanked her hands away from me as if my touch repulsed her. “I saw you walk in there with a little boy. Who is he?”

“Why do you care to know? It’s none of your business.” she scoffed and made to get into the car again, but I held her.

“Please, Janette, who is he? He looks a lot like me.” I said, and she went quiet for a while without saying anything.

Suddenly, she burst out laughing and I creased my brows, wondering what was so funny.

“Looks like you? My son? Looks like you?” she scoffed and pointed her index finger at me. “I have no idea where you got your imagination from, but that child is my son and is in no way related to you. In case you don’t know, I have a fiancé, and we are getting married soon, so stop this gibberish you’re saying.” She huffed and I could feel my heart bleed.

“Fia… fia… fiancé? You’re getting married?” I asked and she flashed me a smile I could swear didn’t reach her eyes.

“Yes, Lucas, I am getting married. I’m single after all.” she said matter-of-factly and got into her car.

“Janette! Janette! Please, we have a lot to talk about. Please hear me out.” I clasped my hand together in a pleading manner.

“Hey, do I know you? I have no idea who you are so stop pestering me, okay?” she spat in disgust and turned the car on.

“Janette, please, please, Jane!” I called but she ignored me and drove out.

I ruffled my hair and clutched to my chest, my eyes watering. Janette just said she had no idea who I am. After searching for her for six years, she claims not to know me and now has a son and a fiancé?

“Fuck!” I exclaimed and looked around. I knew I deserved whatever she just did to me. Everything I did to her six years ago was still fresh in my head. Bella had tricked me into believing that Janette was sleeping out and had done numerous abortions, which is why she wasn’t able to get pregnant. Coupled with the pressure from my family about having a child was my anger and resentment towards her for cheating on me.

I thought I would feel better if I cheated on her as well with Bella. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was what I went along with, and I ended up hurting her and asking for a divorce.

After that, I thought I would be happy, but I was hurt instead. Bella soon became a thorn in my flesh when I refused to get married to her, and she left me, but not without mocking me about believing her lies and not trusting my wife.

After she left, I realized just how much I needed Janette and searched for her. I even went to her adopted family’s residence but was told they had passed away and Janette was nowhere to be found. I realized how much of an incompetent husband I was. I didn’t even know what was going on with my wife and left her all by herself to face her problems alone, and still she loved me and wanted to be with me, but I chased her away from my life.

Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Will you ever forgive me, Janette?” I muttered under my breath.

I walked into the school and made my way to the kindergarten. Since I was one of the school sponsors, I had the leverage to come in anytime I wanted, and so for today, I used that to my advantage and went into the kindergarten.

I stood by the door and used my eyes to search for the little boy Janette had brought to school. I found him, in no time, sitting while listening attentively to the story the teacher was reading to them. He looked like a mini me, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of this little boy being my son.

He suddenly turned and our eyes met. He held my gaze for a while, a look of curiosity in his eyes, before his face softened into a cute smile. My heart melted and I found myself smiling. I quickly broke eye contact and rushed out of the school.

I stopped in front of my car and massaged my temple. “Could it be that Janette was actually pregnant six years ago?” I asked myself and an idea struck me.

I know the only person that’ll have an answer to this question. And so, I got into the car and drove straight to the hospital I knew she frequented when we were still together. I was lucky enough to see Doctor Bree outside and rushed to her.

“Good morning, Doc. I really need to ask you a question. Would you kindly spare me like five minutes of your time?” I asked.

“Sure, Mr. Lucas. What’s going on?” She inquired and I sighed.

“I believe you know Mrs. Janette Wayne? She usually comes here for pregnancy tests six years ago.”

She smiled. “How can I forget Mrs. Wayne? She set a record—”

“Good,” I cut in. “How did her tests go?”

“The last time she visited the hospital, I can recall she was bleeding, but fortunately, we were able to stop it and she and her unborn baby survived.”

“So, she was pregnant?” I asked, and Doc. Bree nodded.

“Yes. Her baby should be five years old now. Are you her relative or something?” She asked and I nodded.

“Thanks for the information,” I rushed back to the car and rested my head on the wheel.

Janette was pregnant! She was actually freaking pregnant… for me and I divorced her. I could still recall the smile on her face when she rushed to me and gave me the test results. I didn’t believe her.

She told me she was bleeding, but I thought she was faking it and ignored her.

And then I realized, and my confusion cleared as tears rolled down my cheeks again.

That little boy….

That little boy is my son.

That little boy she said wasn’t related to me is my son… my heir!