CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cole
I was so fucking exhausted.
I barely got any sleep, with Elena crying all night, waking up every few hours, and needing to be fed. Elsa didn't lift a damn finger to help. Go figure.
I had to admit, my respect for mothers who juggled a baby and work had reached a whole new level, because I couldn't even function. I was exhausted, barely able to think straight.
I'd been staying at Elsa's, taking one of the spare rooms upstairs while Nancy took the other. Elena stayed with me in my room. Every night, I locked my door. No way was I letting Elsa sneak in and pull any shit I didn't want. She stayed in her bedroom downstairs.
She was furious, accusing me of intruding in her house.
I snapped back, reminding her that this was my house. She was the intruder here.
When would this nightmare end? When would I finally have Elena all to myself?
Nancy had been a godsend—firm, authoritative, and completely in control. She had no problem barking orders at Elsa, keeping everything in check. Her presence was the only thing that put me at ease when I had to go to the office.
Elsa had been nervous from the moment she saw Nancy, realizing I was no longer bound and could go whenever I pleased.
Well, too bad.
But it wasn't just the lack of sleep that drained me.
Going to the office every day was its own kind of torture, knowing Sara was there, so close, yet completely out of reach.
Every morning, when I arrived at the office, I waited for Sara from afar.
I missed her. Aching, longing just to see her.
So, I lingered in the background, hiding just to steal a glimpse. Same at lunch. Same at night before she left. And every time, I watched her, drowning in my guilt all over again.
How could I have done this to her?
I looked at her—so fucking beautiful.
She was the love I should have cherished, a precious soul I should have protected.
Why didn't I see the gift I had before it slipped through my fingers?
I knew it was wrong, yet I did it anyway.
Again. And again.
Until the weight of my sins crushed any chance of turning back.
What the hell made me think I was invincible?
That I could weave lies and never get caught in their threads?
Worst of all—what the fuck possessed me, driving me to surrender to the temptation of a devious woman who meant nothing at all?
I shivered, remembering how I had knowingly allowed myself to be trapped. How I played along just to keep the lie buried. I was greedy. I wanted Sara and my child.
And almost every day, Archie was there, either in the morning or picking Sara up after work.
Archie was always with her.
I was angry, but I had no right to be.
I was jealous, but I had no one to blame but myself.
I missed Sara, but I couldn't even talk to her. I refused to hurt her any more than I already had.
The divorce was already in motion, and it took everything in me to lift my hand and sign the settlement that day. Because it felt like I had just signed my death warrant. Like I had agreed to let go of half of myself. My heart. My soul.
Maria was surprised by how easily I accepted everything.
"This is no fun," she scoffed, disappointed that I didn't put up a fight.
But even that wasn't enough to make up for all the pain I had caused her.
At the same time, my custody battle was underway. Too much was happening at once, and I wasn't sure I had the strength to keep up. On Steve's recommendation, I had hired Fred Milles to represent me. He had already filed to establish my paternity, but the court was still in the review and scheduling phase for the DNA test.
Elsa hadn't taken the news well. When Fred explained the legal process, she completely lost it. The moment we stepped into her home, she was screaming and throwing things, shattering half the plates in her kitchen. She was determined to fight me at every step, contesting paternity just to stall the case and maintain control over me.
And somehow, she had gotten a damn good lawyer.
The real question was—where the hell did she get the money? Elsa wasn't exactly swimming in cash, and I knew for a fact she couldn't afford someone that high-profile.
Had she found a benefactor? Or was she playing her usual games, using whatever leverage she had? Either way, she wasn't making this easy for me.
I was walking out of the office, heading to the meeting room where one of my clients was waiting when Bobby suddenly rushed up to me.
"There's a man at reception asking for you," she said, a little out of breath.
I frowned, adjusting my suit. "Who?"
"He said his name is Leo Young."
I shook my head as I pulled out my phone, buzzing in my pocket. "Never heard of him."
"But he—"
I held up a hand to stop her mid-sentence. A message from Nancy had just popped up on my screen.
"I think we're in your office building. I didn't know she would come here. We're on the 15th floor."
I felt as if someone had poured ice-cold water over me, freezing my chest for a second.
"Sorry, Bobby, I have to go. Take over my meeting for me."
I turned on my heel and ran for the elevator, ignoring Bobby calling after me.
"Where are you going? What happened?"
I jabbed the button repeatedly, my heart pounding.
"Please, please, please," I muttered under my breath. "Let nothing happen to Sara. Don't let Elsa mess things up again."
The moment the elevator doors slid open, I rushed inside. Bobby nearly caught up, her expression filled with confusion.
"Cole?" she called out just as the doors started to close.
"I'm going to Sara. Elsa took Elena there," I managed to say before the doors shut completely.
The elevator ride felt like the longest of my life. I stared at the numbers counting down, my fingers tapping anxiously against the door as if I could make it descend faster.
I kept repeating in my head, please, please, don't let her cause a scene there .
When I reached the lobby, I sprinted to the next row of elevators and frantically jabbed the button. Luckily, the doors slid open immediately.
Showing up at Sara's office just to flaunt Elena was the cruelest thing anyone could do. It would devastate Sara and it would degrade Elena, parading her around as a weapon of destruction.
But when I finally stepped out of the elevator, the scene before me was nothing like I had expected.
Through the glass doors, I saw something surprising.
Sara's team—every single one of them—watched Elsa from a distance. Some didn't even bother to leave their desks; they just sat there, staring. Elsa stood in the middle of the room, holding Elena in her arms, slowly swiveling around, looking utterly confused.
Because no one approached her.
They just glared at her with disgust.
I walked toward the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside just in time to hear her say, "Come, see Elena. Isn't she adorable? Her eyes and hair are just like mine, but the rest looks like Cole, don't they?"
No one responded. But the glares remained.
"Angie!" Elsa called and approached her, but she halted instantly when Angie said, "I'll see the baby, but only if you're not the one holding her."
Elsa looked dumbstruck.
At that moment, someone gasped, just noticing me. Then, all the attention shifted my way.
And those glares—every single one of them—instantly turned on me.
I guess being their boss meant nothing to them. Their glares didn't waver, their loyalty to Sara standing far above any sense of hierarchy. They weren't afraid of me, nor did they care about my authority.
But then, I was glad.
Because it meant Sara had people who stood by her and defended her without hesitation. She wasn't alone in this. Her team supported her, witnessed her pain, and refused to ignore it.
"Cole," I heard a familiar voice next to me. Nancy.
"Take Elena with you," I told her.
She may have nodded—or maybe she didn't—but she didn't waste time. She marched over to a still-stunned Elsa and took Elena from her arms. I watched as Nancy gently placed Elena back in her stroller, handling her with care. Then she turned to me.
"I'll be in the lobby. I saw a café right by it."
I gave Nancy a nod.
Elsa was still reeling from the sheer animosity directed at her, too caught up in her own shock to notice me right away.
But the moment she did, her face lit up instantly. She practically skipped toward me.
Her wide smile fucking grated on my nerves like nails screeching against a chalkboard.
"Cole!" she shrieked excitedly. "You're here!"
I stepped back, disgust twisting in my gut as I wondered—once again—what the fuck I had ever seen in this woman.
"Don't come fucking near me," I hissed.
She stopped instantly, her expression stunned. I couldn't help myself, I had to add, "You fucking bitch."
"Cole..." Elsa gasped, looking hurt.
I didn't understand how she could act so surprised when this was exactly how I had been treating her lately. I never touched her again. I never let her touch me, either. I turned and walked away every time she approached. I barely spoke to her. So, my coldness and harshness shouldn't have surprised her. She should have been used to it by now.
Somebody needed to drag this woman to a mental hospital.
I turned away from her and asked the nearest person—I couldn't even remember her name—"Where's Sara?"
"In her office," she answered.
I nodded. Good. At least Sara didn't have to lower herself by coming out here for Elsa.
Breezing past Elsa, I snarled at her, "Get the fuck out of here, NOW!"
She grabbed my arm. "But Cole, I just arrived. I thought I might have a chat with Sara."
For fuck's sake!
I yanked my arm free from her grip and stepped closer, leaning down until I was right in her face. My voice was as low as I could manage so they didn't hear, barely holding back the rage clawing its way to the surface.
"Listen to me now, Elsa. This is Sara's office. You don't get to come here without permission. In fact, you don't get to come to my office either. Or Bobby's. Any office with my name on it is off-limits to you."
I took a deep, shaky breath, feeling the tremor in my hands. And suddenly, I realized, I didn't fucking care who heard me anymore. Let them.
"You don't get to talk to Sara. And you sure as hell don't get to talk to me. The only reason I put up with you is because of Elena. But the moment I gain full custody, I will make damn sure I never see your fucking face again. And mark my words, Elsa. If you ever, ever bother Sara, I will make your life a living hell. You hear me?"
Elsa gaped at me, completely at a loss for words. Her face turned red, her eyes welling up as if she were on the verge of crying.
Ask me if I fucking care.
And then I heard her voice from behind me.
"I've already called security. They're on their way."
Sara.
Oh, fuck.
I was afraid to turn around. Afraid of what I'd see. Afraid of how I'd feel.
It had been a month. A whole fucking month of only seeing her from a distance.
I miss her.
Missed her so fucking much.
Pinching my eyes shut, I prayed for strength that I wouldn't break down in front of these people, wouldn't run to my wife, and kneel at her feet, begging for mercy. For forgiveness. For her to take me back.
Slowly, I turned, my gaze falling to the ground first—her feet.
Those black pumps with the red soles she loved so much.
Then, there was her dress. It was baby blue today. Soft and delicate, it looked lovely on her. I always loved that dress.
And then, finally, her face.
My breath caught in my throat.
A wave of emotion crashed over me. So overwhelming I could barely stand.
And just like that, I was reminded of my stupidity all over again.
I lost her.
I lost someone like her when I should have worshipped her, cherished her, taken care of her.
God, I wasn't ready for this.
I wasn't ready to see her face-to-face like this.
Sara walked towards me, so calm and controlled.
And me?
I was falling apart right in front of her.
"Cole." She gave me a nod.
I still couldn't speak. Couldn't even move.
Then her gaze landed on Elsa, sharp as a blade. "I see you brought your trash with you."
Elsa seemed to have finally collected herself because she snapped, "I am not trash! I'm—"
"Oh, you are trash," someone muttered from the background.
Elsa's head whipped around frantically, her eyes darting from face to face, desperate to find the source.
"Someone get her the hell out of here," I barked.
Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief as if she couldn't process what I'd just said.
"There's security!" Dona shouted, pointing toward the entrance. Without hesitation, she took charge, speaking to the two approaching guards. They didn't waste a second, heading straight for Elsa.
She let out an angry huff, lifted her chin high, and spun around with unnecessary drama before stomping toward the door. The security guards trailed behind her, making sure she left.
But Elsa was crying. I could tell from the way her shoulders trembled, the way she struggled to keep herself together. She didn't even manage a single word.
Right before Elsa could cross the threshold, Sara's voice sliced through the room—cold, sharp, and commanding.
"Wait."
Elsa froze, then turned around slowly, confusion flickering across her face.
I watched as Sara walked toward her, still so calm and controlled, while Elsa, for the first time, looked truly uncertain.
Sara extended her hand. "Return your ID card." She didn't ask—she demanded. "You are no longer my employee, and you are not welcome here."
Then, without sparing Elsa another glance, she turned to the guards. "Put her on the watchlist. She is not allowed to step foot in this building again."
Elsa's face was crimson as if she'd been scalded with boiling water. She yanked her lanyard from her purse and flung it to the floor before storming out the door without another word.
Sara walked back to me, and just like that, my emotions were in turmoil again. My gaze softened, and my expression faltered. I couldn't help it.
"You should go too, Cole," she murmured. "I'm sure you have plenty of work waiting for you."
"Can we talk? Please?" The words slipped out before I could stop them, my voice quieter than I intended.
Sara shook her head. "Maybe some other time. I'm busy."
My shoulders slumped as I forced a small smile. "Alright. Some other time, then." I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. "I'm sorry about this... I didn't know she'd show up here."
She didn't reply, just nodded at me before turning around and heading back to her office.
I walked out with my head hanging between my shoulders, no longer able to mask my emotions in front of everyone.
As I reached the lobby, I headed straight to the café and found Nancy sitting alone while Elena was sleeping in her stroller.
Elsa was nowhere in sight.
I knew she had bolted the moment she stepped outside.
I asked Nancy to come up to my office with Elena so I could finish some work before heading back with them.
When I arrived, Bobby practically jumped on me. "Everything okay? What happened?"
Her eyes flicked to Elena in the stroller, and she immediately cooed, "Hey, pretty girl, I miss—"
"She's asleep," Nancy cut in, her tone sharp and authoritative. "Don't bother her."
Bobby narrowed her eyes at Nancy but didn't press the issue. Instead, she turned back to me, matching my pace. "The meeting I took over for you went well. I'll update you later. Also, just a reminder, your guest is still waiting."
"My guest?" I frowned, confused.
"Yes, Leo Young. He's been waiting in meeting room two. The small one."
I stopped dead in my tracks. "I don't know him."
But the look on Bobby's face made something uneasy settle in my gut.
"I think you'll want to hear what he has to say."
I studied Bobby's face. She was being deliberately cryptic—something that wasn't like her.
Turning on my heel, I made my way toward reception, heading straight for meeting room two. Bobby trailed behind me.
"Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.
"No," I replied without hesitation.
"Thank fuck," she muttered under her breath.
I pushed open the door and found a man, maybe a couple of years younger than me, dressed in black jeans and a dark blue button-up. A baseball cap sat low on his head. He was clean-shaven, but a long scar ran from beneath his left eye to his ear, giving him a rough, almost intimidating appearance. Yet, his eyes were calm. Steady.
He stood as I entered.
"Leo Young?" I asked, extending my hand.
"Yes," he said, offering a small smile as he shook my hand. "Sorry for showing up unannounced. I wasn't sure you'd agree to meet me if I called first."
"Take a seat," I said, lowering myself into the chair across from him. "What can I do for you?"
Leo exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, his sudden nervousness setting me on edge.
"This is... awkward," he admitted. "But I think it's something you need to know."
I arched a brow. "About?"
He hesitated for only a second before saying, "There's a real possibility that your child is biologically mine."