Page 35 of Cinderella's One-Night Baby

‘We talk now.’ Gabrielle had delivered her bombshell news four hours ago. In the intervening hours he’d likely destroyed the Japanese buyout, a setback to his Asia expansion plans that should not be underestimated, and likely destroyed the flooring of his apartment with all his pacing as he’d put his runaway thoughts into order. The thought of waiting one more minute was intolerable.

‘He’s a really light sleeper, and this isn’t something he should overhear.’

Andrés leaned forwards and pitched his voice as low as it would go, enunciating every word so there could be no misunderstanding. ‘If you don’t let me in right now, I will file a report with the authorities that you are passing someone else’s child off as your own.’

CHAPTER TEN

BLACKSPOTSFILLEDGabrielle’s vision.

Hot, rabid blood filled her head.

A deep voice that brooked no argument echoed in her ears. ‘Last chance, Gabrielle. Let me in.’

The world was swimming around her.

Only the image of her son, tucked up in his bed, enabled her feet to move.

Andrés knew from Gabrielle’s ashen face that he’d put the pieces of the jigsaw together correctly, all the thoughts that had raced through his mind as he’d paced his apartment, impressions of their night together coalescing and solidifying into the only possible explanation.

He stepped into a narrow entrance hall with a bicycle hung on the wall and closed the door behind him. One glance in the open-plan living space was all it took to take in the small kitchen area and the small dining table that separated it from the living area, which consisted of a small sofa, an armchair, a television, a high book case crammed with well-thumbed paperbacks, and a large box crammed with toys. The whole living area could fit in his main Monte Cleure bathroom. Like the building the apartment was homed in, everything was old but clean and well looked after, little touches lifting it into something cosy and inviting. It reminded him of his childhood apartment.

All this he processed without conscious thought, his attention fully taken with the woman pregnant with his child, who was now standing against a freestanding fridge looking like she was about to collapse.

‘Why don’t you sit down?’ he suggested curtly.

‘Who’s that man, Mummy?’

A small, tousle-haired child in too-short superhero pyjamas had appeared from the corridor to the side of the living area.

It was the waking version of the sleeping child he’d seen on the screen of Gabrielle’s phone at the party.

The boy’s appearance brought Gabrielle to life. She dove to him quicker than a sprinter at the sound of a starting gun and scooped him into her arms.

‘You should be asleep,’ she scolded, holding him tightly and smothering his cheek with kisses.

He wriggled and looked over her shoulder at Andrés. ‘A noise woke me. Who is he, Mummy?’

‘I’m Andrés,’ he said in French with a wave, doing his best to appear non-threatening to the child who was clearly unsettled at the strange man in his apartment. He had to think of the correct French to add, ‘I’m a friend of your mother’s.’

Dark brown eyes narrowed with suspicion at Andrés before he put a palm to Gabrielle’s cheek. ‘Why is he here?’

‘To see me,’ she answered, shifting his weight to her hip.

‘Why?’

‘Because he’s a friend, and friends sometimes like to visit each other. Your friends from nursery come to play with you, don’t they?’

He considered this. ‘Are you going to play a game with him?’

‘No. He’ll be leaving in a few minutes. Come on, let’s get you back to bed.’

As she started walking, the boy put his face on Gabrielle’s shoulder then lifted it again to look at Andrés. ‘Goodnight,’ he said before his thumb disappeared into his mouth.

Andrés would have thought he was too choked to smile but he managed to raise one for this little boy. ‘Goodnight, Lucas. It was nice to meet you.’

Gabrielle tucked Lucas under his duvet and kissed his forehead. ‘Goodnight, my sweet.’

His big trusting eyes held hers. ‘Mummy, is that man my daddy?’

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