Episode 20

"What?" Maiston, damn it, I told you to wait because we were going to go together.

The dark-haired man said nothing. He just sat there, playing with a stress ball.

"It's no use now, I already went."

"If you had gone with me, everything would have been different."

"Yeah, sure, you would have just waltzed in and taken down that jerk Reich."

"Reich? Reich Valencia?" he asked.

He nodded, and Jim wasn't quite sure what to say to him about what was happening. He let out a sigh and just looked at him because he had a face that showed that he hadn't slept a wink.

"Maybe another time, Maiston, don't be hasty. It's normal for Prince to be on guard."

"What for? He made it very clear, the baby already has a father," he said and then ran his hands through his hair. "He couldn't even tell me her name. I... I saw her from a distance when her mom came out with her and she looked so beautiful."

"Listen..."

"I shouldn't have come back from that damn vacation. I should have just stayed there forever."

"You will see her, you just have to be careful and..."

"What damn caution, huh?! You should've seen it, Reich was there as if he owned the place. Who does he think he is?! She's my daughter."

"Of course she's your daughter, but if you show up yelling like that, and you talk that way, Prince will never give you a chance."

Maiston shook his head.

"A chance? What chance?" he asked bitterly. "He made it very clear. I can't see the baby, he doesn't want me around, that damn guy is living with him and they're going to get married."

Jim processed those words because if it was hard for him to believe, then for his friend it was a thousand times worse. He saw him get up and walk to the window to look outside.

He tried to think of a way to help him. He had talked to the Omega many times. It wasn't the first time he was caught between them, always undoubtedly helping his friend. He knew him more than well. Even Maiston didn't know himself that well. So he knew exactly how he was feeling. The dark-haired man saw him come over and place his hand on his shoulder.

He didn't say anything, it was just that gesture, and it was enough for him to feel a little better.

"Listen, we're going to take it slow and calm. Give it at least a week and we'll try to talk to him again."

"That guy's going to be there for sure."

"And you're going to have to show that you're better than him then. I know what you feel, so..."

Maiston moved, ignoring his words.

"I don't feel anything."

He left the office without hesitation to focus on other pending matters. He had a meeting with some men where Jim shouldn't be, so he went in to sit down and get started. His secretary entered, handing out a folder to everyone, then bringing some coffee, and Maiston didn't talk much because he spent all the time mostly listening.

He nodded, replied, commented, and clarified some things occasionally. He reviewed some papers and read other things in attempts to clear his head of everything that had happened earlier.

He didn't want to think, but it was impossible.

After a few seconds, he stared into space. He got lost in his mind, just reliving that moment when Cassi had appeared before his eyes. He had seen her from afar and his image of her was frozen in time.

He sighed and noticed the windows were closed. He wanted to breathe peacefully, and it wasn't going very well.

He knew he was in an important meeting, but he began to feel everything closing in. He almost saw the walls moving closer to him and looked around because it was only him who felt it that way. The others continued talking without any problem because they were oblivious to all that was happening in his head.

And they all saw him get up and run out. They didn't know what was happening to him, and neither did Maiston have a clear idea.

He went to the bathroom to drink some water and even splash his face to try to refresh himself. He closed his eyes tightly and stared at himself in the mirror.

He didn't know what really hurt him more. Whether it was knowing that he had a daughter after almost a year and a half, seeing Prince with someone else, seeing Reich in that position, or hearing that they were going to get married. He breathed with difficulty and looked down, feeling his chest completely tight. He hadn't looked at his phone all day, and when he grabbed it, he saw messages from Obelly, but he didn't look at them. He went to his contacts, looking at a number he had recorded and hadn't even edited the name for all that time that had passed.

Whenever he saw it, he convinced himself that he didn't have time to do it, and since Prince's pheromones smelled like roses, he had it recorded as:

My rose.

And it hurt to think that the "my" was superfluous because it was no longer his. And it stopped being his solely because of his fault.

Before he knew it, he was dialing the number and listened to the ringing. He wanted to convince himself that he was going to answer just like always, that he was going to say he loved him, missed him, wanted him, desired him, but it didn't happen because the call was never answered. He tried calling again, to hear it go to voicemail immediately. He tried once, twice, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten times where he just heard what the operator had told him.

Prince had blocked his calls, and he was amazed at how easily and immediately he had done it. But it wasn't like that because it was also hard for Prince. And he never thought that blocking a call was going to take so much effort and he knew that if he didn't do it right away, then he would never do it and would fall into what he didn't want.

"Everything okay?" Reich asked.

"Yes, everything's fine."

He gave him a smile because he was good and helping him with many things. Not just giving him peace but also support. He knew he always had his mom and Taylor, but having someone else by his side was more than good.

He saw him sit down in front of him because they had gone out to eat. They both had some time and didn't want to waste it. He thought that if the media talked, it was best they did it right.

There were many people around, but he just focused on the blonde.

"You can order whatever you want, Prince."

"Thanks, but you know I like to pay for my food."

Reich smiled because he had realized, in the months they had been dating, that it was going to be completely impossible for him to pay for anything for him.

"I'll do it next month. I hope it goes well."

"It's sure to be fine, your fashion shows are always very entertaining, and with that kids' line, you're going to surprise everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing it all."

"Thank you, I'm glad you want to see it."

When the waiter brought their food, they both ate in silence for a few seconds. Prince looked out the window, seeing people passing by on the sidewalk. They were in the same restaurant where he had met Maiston, and it made him nervous that he might come in again, knowing it would all become uncomfortable.

He didn't know why he had been calling, but a part of him had wanted to answer the call with all his might.

And the day went by fast.

When he arrived at the apartment, he opened the door to see his mom with Cassi in her arms. He approached to greet her because it had been a long day, but everything got better when he could hold her in his arms. And he thought about going out for a walk. After all, it didn't matter if someone saw them because everyone knew.

His mother nodded when he heard him and they both left to walk through the park before it started to rain again. Prince was pushing the stroller as they went. He wore an oversized hoodie with a hood that covered his hair and part of his face to avoid any hassles.

"Prince, I think you should let him see her," his mother opined.

"What for? For him to come close, make her think she has a dad, and then leave her alone?"

He stopped for a few seconds and sat down on a bench. It was a bit damp from the rain, but he didn't care too much because he wanted to rest a bit.

"I don't think you're doing the right thing. You can't forbid him from seeing her. Maiston knows powerful people and I wouldn't be surprised if he hires a good lawyer and actually takes her away from you."

Prince looked at her with annoyance.

"Are you on his side now?"

"I'm on no one's side," she replied calmly.

"It seems like you're on his side. I remind you that I'm the one who has suffered all this time."

"And you are also the one who still has feelings for him."

"You know what? Better go home, I prefer to be alone."

He pushed the stroller to move away from her and didn't look back. She didn't follow him either because she knew it was pointless. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but he sat down on a bench again, checking that Cassi was well covered. He let out a sigh and hugged himself. He didn't want to go home, all he wanted was to go away.

He sighed and took out his phone seeing that last call.

It was getting dark, and the lights of the park and the whole city were turning on, so he took it as a sign that it was time to go home after touching the baby's cheeks and feeling them cold. The last thing he wanted was for her to get sick again.

He stood up to sort out some things when he heard voices approaching.

"Ah, but look, if it's a rich boy."

"Since when do rich boys parade around at these hours and in these parts of the park?"

He looked at the boys and swallowed hard. He knew he had walked a lot to a part of the park that was no good at all. He wanted to move to the other side quickly when he saw two more. He thought of nothing else than to take the baby in his arms.

"I don't have money on me right now," he murmured.

The guys looked at him as they continued talking and laughing among themselves.

"Give us the necklace you have and what the little brat has on her wrist."

"Wait, I..."

"Quick! Or things will get ugly," warned one showing a knife.

He wanted to move, but he was paralyzed by fear and was not able to react much. He heard someone yell again and wanted to back off in terror.

"Hey!" someone shouted.

Everyone looked, except Prince, at the person approaching.

"Get out of here if you don't want to spend a night in jail."

They hesitated for a few seconds but then Prince heard them leave. He was afraid to open his eyes, so he did it slowly to see someone standing there without any concern while keeping his hands in his pockets.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, Jim, I'm okay," he murmured.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the apartment."

He didn't think much and just nodded to put the baby back in the stroller again.

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