Chapter 6: Getting her back.

Alexander paused, taken aback by Marianne’s words. Was she seriously asking him who he was? Although he knew he had wronged her, her pretense of not recognizing him felt like a crushing blow.

“Anne…” he murmured softly, hoping he had misheard. Jayson, watching from the sidelines, appeared confused by what was happening.

Sienna glanced at Jayson with a puzzled look. “Babe, who is he?” she inquired.

Hearing Sienna address Jayson as ‘babe’ was like a knife to Alexander’s heart. Had she remarried? But had she even been married to him in the first place? On their wedding night, she had made it clear that their marriage was invalid and had even discarded her wedding ring.

“I’ve always considered you quite arrogant, Alexander, but barging in here and disrupting my fiancée’s life—our life—is not something I’ll tolerate.” Jayson stated firmly.

But Alexander was not ready to back down. Without thinking, he reached for Sienna’s hand, desperate to make her acknowledge him, to remember what they once were. She remained still, refusing to budge. Little Emilio watched the scene unfold. Although he didn’t fully understand what was happening, he sensed his mother wasn't happy to see this man who claimed to resemble him.

“Can you stop bothering my mom?” Emilio interjected. “If it's because of the ice cream you gave me, I can give it back. My mom’s already upset.”

Alexander released Sienna’s hand and stared at the boy in shock. Marianne was his mother? This couldn’t be a coincidence. The resemblance between the child and himself was striking. Perhaps Jake was right—maybe he did have a son.

His voice, once so commanding, faltered as he tried to voice the question that was now consuming him. “Anne, is he…” The words trailed off, as he found himself unable to finish the sentence.

Sienna took out her phone and placed it to her ear. “Yes, hello? Is this the police? I’d like to report a disturbance. There’s a man here bothering my child and me. He’s also threatening my fiancé.” Sienna said, her gaze cold and devoid of emotion. Alexander stumbled backward, unable to grasp that she had become so indifferent.

Was this really happening? The woman he had searched for years was standing right in front of him, and instead of feeling joy, he was hurt by her coldness. Maybe he deserved this for all the pain he had caused her. This felt like karma, and he was ready to face it.

Without another word, Alexander left the office, forgetting that he had come to discuss a partnership with Jayson. After his departure, Sienna smiled at Jayson and placed the lunchbox in front of him.

“Your breakfast…” she said, still smiling. Jayson stood up and pulled her into a hug, patting her back soothingly. She tried to keep her composure as she swallowed hard.

Jayson then turned to Emilio and asked, “Emilio, could you give Mom and me some privacy for a bit?” Emilio nodded eagerly and quickly exited the office, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Once alone, Jayson gently held Sienna by the shoulders, his gaze searching hers for any sign of what she was feeling. “If you need anything, just tell me. If you want to leave this place, I’ll be with you wherever you go.”

It took her a moment to respond. She shook her head, forcing another smile as she replied, “There’s no need. I’m not Anne anymore. I’m Sienna.”

Jayson nodded in understanding and placed a tender kiss on the top of her head. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “If I hadn’t asked you to come here today, this wouldn’t have happened.”

She shook head with a smile, assuring him it was fine as she settled down on a seat, her smile disappearing soon after.

......

Outside, as Alexander was about to get into his car, he felt a small hand tugging at his sleeve. He turned to find Emilio standing behind him, his face set in a serious expression.

“Why did you hurt my mom?” Emilio asked, his brow furrowed. “Mom had tears in her eyes, so please don’t hurt her and stay away from her.”

Alexander took a deep breath and knelt to Emilio’s level, looking at the child thoughtfully before speaking.

“I’m really sorry about what happened earlier,” Alexander said. “Your mom... she just looks a lot like someone I’ve been searching for. That’s probably why I reacted the way I did. I didn't mean to upset her.”

He reached out to gently stroke Emilio’s hair, but the boy frowned and took a step back.

Relenting, Alexander asked, “Okay, what can I do to make it up to you for today?”

“Apologize to my mom and dad,” Emilio replied firmly.

Alexander's face fell at the mention of "dad," but he nodded nonetheless. If that was what the boy wanted, then perhaps it was time to face the consequences of his past actions, even if it meant apologizing to the man who now stood in his place.

As Alexander was about to tell Emilio he would make amends, the child sneezed.

“Caught a cold?” Alexander inquired. Emilio nodded.

“Would you like some ice cream?” Alexander asked.

Emilio frowned and gave him a sharp look. “I just said I caught a cold. Are you dumb?”

Alexander stifled a chuckle. He had asked the question deliberately, curious to see if Emilio was as prone to catching colds as he was.

“Your favorite ice cream flavor is mint, right? So, does that mean you can eat peanut ice cream too?” Alexander asked. Emilio shook his head.

“Mom doesn’t like it when I eat peanuts or walnuts. I’m allergic to them,” Emilio explained, making Alexander smile broadly. Before Alexander could respond, Emilio leaned closer and added in a conspiratorial tone, “But this is a secret, okay? Mom hates it when I tell people.”

Alexander nodded in understanding, his smile not fading. The child’s innocence and trust touched him deeply, sparking a warmth he hadn't expected to feel.

“I need to go comfort my mom now,” Emilio said suddenly, his face growing serious once more. “But please,” he continued, his eyes pleading, “let this be the last time you make her feel bad. I can be your friend, but stay away from my mom. I hate seeing her cry or worry.”

With that, Emilio turned and dashed back into the building, leaving Alexander standing by his car, lost in thought.

As he watched the boy disappear through the doors, Alexander took a deep breath, his gaze lifting to the imposing company building before him. He was undeniably relieved to have seen Marianne and confirmed that she was still alive. Now that he had found her, he silently vowed to never let her slip away again. Winning her back wouldn't be easy, but he was prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead. For the first time in years, hope stirred within him.

*******

Jayson drove Sienna home since she had been at the office all day after the morning incident. He glanced at her through the rearview mirror occasionally, checking if she was alright. He had also been the one to take Emilio to the hospital and wanted to make sure Sienna could rest after everything that had happened.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asked as he pulled up in front of their apartment.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied. Jayson got out of the car and carried the sleeping Emilio into the house, with Sienna following behind. He gently placed Emilio on the bed before turning to face Sienna.

“Thank you for today,” she said with a small smile, while Jayson observed her in silence, unable to discern her thoughts. Despite his curiosity, he chose not to pry.

“You should get some rest. If you can’t make it to the restaurant tomorrow, let me know. I’ll arrange for someone to cover for you,” Jayson offered.

“It’s fine. Besides, I need to make money, mister,” she replied with a faint smile. Jayson reached up and tenderly stroked her hair.

“It’ll be alright,” he assured her, and she nodded in agreement.

After wishing her goodnight, he left the house while Sienna followed him to the door. Although they didn’t live together, their homes were close by, and Jayson was also her landlord.

After Jayson left, Sienna sighed deeply and made her way to her son’s room, settling beside him on the bed. She lay there, lost in thought, as she gazed at his face, wondering why he resembled his father so closely. How could she prove that they weren’t father and son?

Her son caught colds easily, loved chocolate mint ice cream, was allergic to nuts, and was even a left-handed—traits that seemed to mirror those of the man she despised. Why did her son inherit all these traits from that disgusting man, with not a single feature of hers in him? Was this her punishment for past mistakes?

Sienna sighed again, trying to push these thoughts aside as she reassured herself that she was not the woman Alexander was searching for. Her name was Sienna, not Marianne.

She was done running. She believed that fleeing only implied she was admitting to being the Marianne he was searching for. She had to stand her ground, if not for herself, then for her son.

.......

Jake stared at Alexander, incredulous, as if trying to process the absurdity of what his friend had just told him. “Wait, you're saying you actually saw Marianne? The same Marianne you married five years ago?” he began, pausing to emphasize how ridiculous it sounded. “I mean, the same girl you drove away five years ago, and now, just because you met this kid who happens to be her son, you think he’s yours too?”

He shot Alexander a skeptical look, the disbelief practically etched on his face. It seemed ludicrous to Jake that Alexander would suddenly want to claim a child simply because he had once been married to the boy’s mother.

“How’s that even possible?” Jake pressed. “Did you… what, rape her before the wedding? Because last I heard, you two didn’t even spend the wedding night together.” He raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

Alexander sighed, stepping away from the window where he had been standing, his fingers absentmindedly loosening the knot in his tie. “I thought you believed he might be my son,” he said, trying to read Jake’s expression.

Jake gave him a doubtful look and shrugged. “Well, I was just teasing you…”

“But he really 'is' my son,” Alexander insisted, his voice more certain now, as if saying it aloud would make it all real.

“Right,” Jake replied with an exasperated sigh. “Even if you did see Marianne and the kid, what exactly do you plan on doing? She’s clearly moved on. She’s in love with another guy now, man! She’s even cooking for him—that’s something she only did for you back then. You missed your chance, Alexander. Just sit your ass down and move on.”

“I don’t care.” Alexander said, his tone firm. “I’m going to get her back,”

Jake blinked at him, stunned by the audacity of it all. “Are you nuts?” he asked, his voice rising with disbelief.

“I’m allergic to nuts,” Alexander replied, completely unbothered as he picked up his glass of wine and drained it in one swift gulp.

Jake shook his head, utterly baffled by his friend’s stubbornness. “You’re insane,” he muttered under his breath, watching as Alexander leaned back, as confident as ever, as if nothing could deter him from his mission to reclaim Marianne.