Chapter 4

It's been a week since my stay in Asher's penthouse, a big mistake that will never repeat itself, and he has called me a little over fifty times since then. I know that because an unknown number had been blowing up my phone all week. The contract had been signed, so there was no point in engaging in pointless things like calling each other, it would only lead to more complications… with what went down last week. It is obvious that I should stay away from him as much as possible. Besides, if he has something of the utmost importance to tell me, he can relay it to me through my assistant.

I've been telling this to myself all week since he started calling. I'm sure it's because I left his penthouse bright and early without saying goodbye. no doubt he is pissed off about it. Things are better off this way. At least I had things to keep me busy for the day. I had to shoot a campaign for the upcoming brand collaboration release between Canary and MIX. I got his first text.

Unknown: I've been calling you all week. This is Asher

I groaned inwardly as I walked over to my next activity for the day was an interview with Bloomberg Originals and immediately after that, I saw the next range of texts.

Unknown: I didn't see you in the morning

Unknown: we need to talk. I need to know what happened between us.

“The new models are waiting in the lobby, Miss Norman,” Anna says as she scrolls through her iPad.

“Bring them up to the conference room for the model selection”

“yes Miss”

Unknown: when can I see you?

I should never have agreed to meet up in his penthouse, I should never have slept over. I honestly could have just slept in my car. Sure, it wouldn't have been comfortable, but it would have prevented the events of that night. The most annoying part was the fact that after all these years, the effects he has on me are still obvious, and he knows that, after what happened obviously, he does. I need to be stronger. I have to be stronger. I won't be made a fool of again.

Today's modeling selection was good, but honestly, I just couldn't wait to have Melody in my arms again. It's Friday, and she'd be back from her ballet class early so that we could go to see the Encanto play that she is so obsessed with. My phone rings and I pick it up as the third ring.

“Hey Mom, I’m in the office. Yeah... you can just send her up, she knows the way. Bye mom”

I got up and packed my bags since I wouldn't be coming back to the office till next week. The door opens revealing my beautiful melody, her jet-black waves bouncing on her shoulders, and she skips into the room wearing her pink leotard.

“Hi mummy” Melody giggled as she jumped into my arms. I swung her around and the sound she made was just music to my ears.

“So, how was ballet class today?”

“Oh my gosh mummy, t’was soooooo much fun” Her green and gray heterochromia eyes gleamed with excitement.

“Okay, tell me about it.”

“So today we were tryin’ a new dance routine and during the splits Charlie farted, and it stunk… like, really stunk, but everyone started laughing sooo hard and… huh”

The door opened, Melody looked past me to look at the person at the door. I didn't turn back to look like I thought it was Anna, until Melody said.

“Oh… it’s the man from the pictures.”

I turned around confused to meet the wide eyes of Asher staring intently at Melody like he had just seen a ghost.

Oh shit… oh shit… oh shit

“Mom? I’m scared”

“It… it’s okay a baby” What am I going to do? I’m not ready for this. With the way he is staring at her, he is confused as to why this little girl looks exactly like him. I stare at him, but he keeps his eyes trained on Melody, causing her to hide behind me.

“Asher, you need to stop. Let’s go talk outside”

He shakes his head, his eyes finally finding mine. Hurt is all they are filled with.

“I’m just seeing things, right?”

I look away, tears threatening to spill out. We can’t do this here, not in front of Melody, so I turned to her.

“Hey baby, can you go to the kid's section for me? I’ll come to pick you up when I'm ready”

“Okay mummy,” she said and quickly left the room.

“Is she mine?” His voice shook.

“Asher…”

“Dammit! Just answer this one thing at least.”

“Yes… she is” I sobbed.

“Game night?” He asks and I nod

“What is her name?”

“Melody” I replied,

“For how long did you intend on keeping her a secret? Were you going to deny me a relationship with her? I’ve missed so much. How could you? What did I do that was so wrong? Why are you doing this to me?!” He yelled in a whisper, his eyes filled with confusion and anger.

Asher sat down on the sofa, head in his hands… devastated. For the first time in six years, I felt horrible. All this time, all I thought about was the hurt I felt that night after everything his father did, and I thought he never cared but seeing him here crying because of Melody. Maybe I had it all wrong.

“She doesn’t even know I’m her father,” he scoffed.

“I’m sor…”

“Don’t even think about it, because at this point I don’t believe you” he snapped, stood up, and walked to the door to leave. I run after and try to touch him, but he recoils.

“This isn’t my fault!” I yelled, feeling hurt as well.

“Whose is it? Because as far as I remember, the last time I saw you we kissed so passionately and were telling each other how much we didn’t want to say goodbye, and then you disappeared without a trace, so that isn’t my fault either. I came here to try to talk to you, but it looks like you are far from interested.”

I could do nothing but watch him leave as I sobbed uncontrollably. Now he knew. What am I going to do? How am I going to tell Melody that the man in the photo is her daddy? What am I going to do when Asher decides he wants to speak to her?

The way he looked at me, he’d never looked at me like that before. Not even when we’d met on the road or when I had introduced myself as Kimberly… he looked so hurt and betrayed, that was what hurt the most.

There was a knock and the door opened. I sprang up thinking Asher had come back, but instead, it was my worst nightmare staring right at me with his signature smirk that haunted me six years ago and still haunts me till this day.

“What the f*ck are you doing here?” my stomach churned from anxiety.

“No need to be hostile. It’s been a while, Gonzalez” Mr. Stone replied.