Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Grayson
I was sitting at my desk when my phone rang, and it was Julius.
“Hey, Julius. What’s up?”
“Grayson, she’s going to figure it out if she hasn’t already,” he spoke in a panicked tone.
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“Harper. She just saw me at the cryobank.”
“What?!” I stood up. “Did you talk to her?”
“No. I had just stepped into the elevator, and I went to push the button, and there she was, standing there. The doors shut before either one of us could say anything. Grayson, my name is at the top of the directory right where she was standing.”
“FUCK!” I have to go.”
I immediately dialed her, and it rang and then went to voicemail. So, I kept trying as I ran out of the building. Goddamn it! Where was she? I called her apartment building and talked to Sammy.
“Sammy, it’s Grayson Rhodes. Have you by any chance seen Harper?”
“Yes, Mr. Rhodes. She was here a while ago and then left. She was in quite a hurry.”
“How long ago?”
“About a half hour.”
“Thank you.”
I ended the call and dialed my building.
“Charlie, It’s Grayson Rhodes. Have you seen Harper by any chance?”
“Yes. Mr. Rhodes. She’s upstairs now.”
“Whatever you do. Do not let her leave that building. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. She’s not stupid and it wouldn’t take her long to figure everything out.
Harper
Julius must have told him that he saw me and that I saw him. He’s scared now, and he’ll be heading here. I placed my hand on my belly, took a deep breath, and waited for Grayson to show up. About fifteen minutes later, the elevator doors opened, and the sickness I already felt intensified.
“Harper, I’ve been trying to call you,” he calmly spoke as he walked over to me.
“STOP!” I shouted as I held up my hand from behind. “I have one question for you, and you better tell me the truth. Are you Donor 137665?”
Silence momentarily filled the air.
“Yes. I am. Let me explain. Please, sweetheart.” He took a step closer, and I jumped up from the stool.
“Don’t you ever call me that!” I shouted as I faced him and pointed my finger at him. “You knew all this time that this is your baby, and you never told me?” What kind of fucking game are you playing?”
“First, you need to calm down for the baby’s sake.”
“YOU DON’T GET TO TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!”
“Harper, you’re a smart woman, and you know you need to calm down.”
“I want the truth, Grayson. The whole fucking truth. NOW!” I screamed.
“I’ll tell you everything, but please just go sit down on the couch.”
As I walked into the living room, I inhaled a deep breath, and he followed behind. I took a seat while he paced back and forth across the room.
“It all started with a stupid bet between Julius and me. If I lost, I had to donate my sperm, which I did lose. He promised me nothing would come of it and that he just got pleasure from making me suffer. He told me it would be buried where no one would ever see it for one month and that I had nothing to worry about. Then he and Yasmin left for vacation, and somehow my donor information got sent to you. When Julius told me that a woman had purchased my sperm and was pregnant, I flew off the handle. He told me to forget about it and that I made some woman very happy. Then my grandfather called me to dinner one night and gave me an ultimatum. He didn’t agree with how I was living my life and told me I had one year to find someone and fall in love or he would sign the company over to Alfie instead of me.”
“So you used me?” I narrowed my eye at him.
“Just listen to me, please.” He took a few steps towards me.
“Don’t you dare take another step towards me. I swear to God, Grayson.”
“You have no idea how sorry I am for all of this.”
“Really? You used me so you could get your grandfather’s company, Grayson?”
He took in a sharp breath.
“Let me guess. You had Julius look up the woman who bought your sperm.”
“Yes, and I’m totallyashamed. It wasn’t his fault. I made him do it.I felt like he owed me for my goddamn sperm getting out therein the first place.”
“So what were you going to do once you got your company? Dump me?” Tears started to stream down my face.
“Harper, please. That was the plan, but then I fell in love with you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
I wiped the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
“So you knew all this time you’re this baby’s father, and you were going to dump both of us like we’re nothing? Like we’re trash to you?”
“Don’t say it like that. I wanted to tell you so many times.”
“Then why didn’t you?” I shouted as I stood up from the couch.
“Because I couldn’t. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you or the baby. You have to believe me. I love you and that baby so much that it hurts. You changed me, Harper. You’ve made me a better man. A man who is finally capable of love.”
“Bullshit, Grayson! You lied to me every single day we were together. Charlotte was right.”
“Right about what?”
“About you. That’s why we got into that argument. She never trusted you from day one.” I paused for a moment as something hit me. “Oh, my God! Julius was the one who delivered the flowers from the center that day. Starbucks wasn’t a coincidence, was it? You followed me there.”
He looked down as he placed his hands in his pant pockets.
“The job. The apartment. All this time, I was nothing but a pawn in your sick little fucking game!”
“That’s not true. I love you. It may have started out that way, but I had feelings for you right from the start. The more time we spent together, the more I fell in love with you. You have to believe me.”
“I will never believe another word you say again. You are an arrogant piece of shit who doesn’t deserve to love or be loved by anyone. You are nothing but a cold and calculating man without any regard for other people’s feelings. You hurt me in the worst possible way, and I will never forgive you for that.” I swallowed hard. “This game is over, Grayson, and you better believe I fucking won it. I hope you rot in Hell.”
I grabbed my purse and laptop and pushed the button to the elevator.
“Harper, please.” He grabbed hold of my arm and fell to his knees. “Don’t leave me. I need you and our daughter. I love you so much.”
“This baby is mine and only mine. You signed away your parental rights to this child. I don’t ever want my little girl to know what kind of man her father really is.”
I yanked myself out of his grip as soon as the doors opened and stepped inside.