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Ivy hoped that her demeanour did not betray her and that her face remained neutral. It was imperative that she heard what Jasmine Journee had to say. All of it. Especially since this shit wasn’t adding up. Later, she would process the information given to her.

“So, after you met at the bar?” Ivy prompted.

“We spoke for a while. When he found out I was staying at the Lancaster, he walked me to the elevator.” Jasmine paused. She seemed to listen for something. “Sorry, I thought I heard my little guy moving. Where was I? Oh, so that was the first night we met.” She looked away sheepishly. “The next night, I ran into him again. We shared a drink, and he invited me back to his room.”

“Do you mean a suite? Including a living space,” Ivy probed. It was a detail that she needed to verify.

“No, it was a regular Queen-sized room,” Jasmine answered. Great, something else which didn’t add up. Manny had a weird quirk when travelling.

They were silent as Jasmine regarded her oddly.

“Um. So, was it just the one night?”

Surprise registered in the other woman's eyes before she dropped her gaze. Her voice was sombre as she answered, “no. It was five days.”

“He visited you five times?” Ivy’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

Jasmine Journee shook her head and looked up at her through her lashes. Her expression was a mix of shame and pity. “No, we’ve only met once. We spent five days together.”

Oh. Oh. No. Wait. That shit wasn’t possible. Manny wasn’t missing for five days, especially not while he was going through his cancer scare.Ivy would check the calendar when she left, but was certain that this encounter could have never happened.

“Did you two keep in touch?”

“A few texts and phone calls here and there.”

“I see. Did you tell him you were pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?”

“He said it was his responsibility and he would pay child support, but fatherhood wasn’t his thing.”

The fuck?

“I hoped he would change his mind. Maybe want to meet Tommaso. He’s never been interested.” Sadness blanketed her features. Jasmine Journee shook her head as if trying to dispel the thought.

When she continued, her voice sounded strained, as if she was trying to keep tears at bay. “For over a year, he was true to his word and paid child support. Then I didn’t receive any payments for three months. I didn’t want to ask for it, but my family insisted it was the least he could do. When I asked him about the child support. He said he wouldn’t give me another dime.”

“Is that when you decided to sue him?”

“No, not right away. I accepted it for a while. I’m not hurting for money. But every time I looked at Tommy’s little face, I became angry with him. I know it was my decision that caused him to have a father…” The way she said the word, as if it crushed her.

Under different circumstances, Ivy’s heart would break for her.

“My little guy deserves better than someone who won’t even acknowledge him. I reached back out to him, and he said. You should be happy I gave you a year’s worth of support. I don’t even know if the child is mine. Then he told me if I wanted the support to resume. I should go ahead and sue him for it.”

“Wait! Emmanuel told you to sue him?”

“Yes. Actually, when I didn’t do it right away, he messaged and asked me what I was waiting for?”

Ivy shook her head in disbelief. Emmanuel was genuinely surprised when he was served. There was no way he goaded this woman into suing and forcing him into a responsibility that he wouldn’t have run from.

Jasmine Journee pushed from the table, walked over to the counter, and retrieved a cell phone. After searching for a moment, she slid it across to Ivy.

Leo: Jas, have you filed for the paternity test?

I thought you wanted support.

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