Chapter 5

“I always wanted a father.”

My heart clenched at his words. Somehow, I felt like a bad mother. Since they were born, I had always played the roles of a father and a mother.

It was hard, really hard no matter how much I tried. It was difficult trying to be both for three boys and I did my best, but I guess it was never enough.

Nathan’s words showed me how insufficient I was.

“Can we call you Papa?” Michael butted in, bubbling with excitement. I looked at Dante from the corner of my eye. His entire form was rigid.

“Our friends in Paris call their father Papa, can we?” Nathan added, sharing his brother’s excitement.

Dante’s grip on the cup tightened. I needed to get their attention fast.

“Michael, Nathan, do you want more waffles?”

“I guess he doesn’t want us to.” Michael sighed.

Both boys looked down at their plates. The happy smiles on their faces curled into sombre ones.

“You can call me Papa. If you want to.” Dante shrugged, acting nonchalant, and they perked up.

“Really?” Michael said, his former excitement building up.

“Really.”

“Really, really, really?” Nathan bounced in his seat.

“Really, really, really.” Dante replied, taking another sip of his coffee.

They grinned, literally buzzing with joy.

“Alright Papa.” Michael emphasised the Papa, and he and Nathan burst into fits of giggles.

Dante’s face remained stone cold, but the corner of his lips tipped to the tiniest of smiles.

My chest warmed, and I smiled a bit at their interaction. Dante’s making an effort to talk to them was unexpected but welcomed by me. Though I might hate Dante, I didn’t want my sons to hate him. He was their father too, despite my not wanting to admit it.

Michael and Nathan were already getting along with him, like they do with everybody. The only issue was… Leon.

He hadn’t said anything since Dante sat with us. Though he was the most introverted of the trio, he had never been this quiet, especially when his brothers were around.

But he just sat, taking small nibbles of his waffles and ignoring Dante’s existence.

I wondered if his view of Dante had changed since yesterday.

“Leon, aren’t you happy we have a Papa?” Nathan said, almost like he read my mind, and nudged his brother.

“I don’t like him,” Leon said, not bothering to look up.

I panicked as Dante’s small smile disappeared and the warm atmosphere around him froze over. I knew Leon still stood by what he thought last night, and I didn’t want to give Dante the impression that I was standing between him and his son.

“Leon, if this is about last night, I promise you I’m not afraid of your father. I might act a little jumpy, but that’s because I’m not yet use to know him and the environment.” I said in the sweetest of voices. Leon stared at me for a bit, then at Dante, and turned back to his food.

“I still don’t like him.”

“Le–“

*Ring Ring*

Dante’s ringtone broke the rising tension in the room, and he tapped his earbud.

“Yes?” He said, drumming his fingers on the dining table. After a few seconds, a nod or two, and an ‘I’m on my way’, he tapped his earbud, ending the call.

“I have a meeting to attend to, but don’t hesitate to ask for anything. My staff are here to cater to all your needs. Albert will give you a tour of the house, and you’re free to use any of the facilities.” He stood up and took a gulp of his coffee. I simply nodded, still wondering how I’m going to make my request about going home.

“If I ask for yogurth will they give me?” Nathan asked, wearing a small smile.

“Yes.” Dante said, pulling out his phone.

“And ice cream?” Michael added.

“Yes.” Dante replied as he typed something on the device.

“And bigggg chocolate fountain, and vanilla fountain and marshmallows and doughnuts and candy and milkshake.”

‘What?!’ I stared at Michael, alarmed at his request.

“Just ask, and it will be provided.” Dante shrugged and slipped his phone into his pocket.

Michael and Nathan squealed, and I held back a groan. Just one night, and they were already demanding heaven and earth. I was going to have to curb this behaviour before it got bigger than this.

“Mari Donna staff will arrive in the next hour with clothes and the like. Choose any amount of what you guys like from their collection.”

‘Oh my… Did he mean Mari Donna?! The Mari Donna?!’ I almost choked on air.

They were the biggest clothes store in LA. Everything they sold was designer, high-class, and expensive. Yet he said we should pick as much as we wanted, like it was common thrift.

“Is that ok with you, or do you have another clothes store in mind?”

“It’s fine, but isn’t it a bit too much? I mean…”

My sentence trailed off when he sent me a ‘are you serious look?’

“Look, yesterday you were a pleb; today, you are the baby mama of a billionaire. Your children are now the sons of a billionaire. So no, it is not too much. It would ruin my image if you are still dressing like church rats.”

The term ‘Baby Mama’ made me very uncomfortable, but I hid my discomfort and simply nodded.

“Do you have any more concerns?” Dante asked, looking down at me and I felt so small.

‘Just ask, Olly. He isn’t going to kill you for asking.'

“I want to go home.” I blurted.

His eyebrows corked up, and I wanted to slap myself for how weird that sounded.

“I mean, there are some important stuff I wanted to get from my house, so I was wondering when I could go get them.” I added quickly.

Dante stared at me like he was ruminating on what I said, and I wondered what was going on in his head.

Surely he wasn’t going to say no. He had no right to restrict my movement, I wasn’t his prisoner.

Worse-case scenario, we would get into a spat, and I was mentally prepared for that—at least I hoped I was.

The bottom line was that I had left too many precious things behind; I needed to get them, and I was ready to fight Dante Romero if he said no.

“Be ready by two, I’m taking you myself.” Dante said and strode out of the dining room.

‘Taking me himself! Why the heck would he do that?’