Contract Marriage with my ex

Chapter 3-A daughter

/Amelia’s POV/

It’d be weird if he wasn’t mad at me I mean, I left him after all, but it was all I could do at the time.

I forced him a sour smile as I scrutinised his face.

He’s grown out his beard. I smiled, recalling the boyish look he used to have; even without his perfectly trimmed beard, he still looked scary.

Grayson had a boyish bad boy charm to him back then, a delinquent with hooded chestnut brown eyes that grew darker when he’s mad.

Grayson's square-faced eyes, chiselled jawline, and ever-stern face made him appear unapproachable; it’s even worse since he literally always has at least a bandage on his face.

He gets into fights often and scares literally everyone around me. Which was why I chose him in the first place.

He was in the physical education department, and I was studying economics, which was just a side major since I already graduated from science school before I went there.

I met Gray when I was busy self-loathing and hating my parents for hiding me away in the name of protecting me.

He was the only good thing that happened to me while living my life as Addison Laurent.

Gray was probably very freaked out when he picked himself from the chair and tried to leave but I was more freaked out because the kid I’d left at home was right at the doorstep of the Chinese restaurant where meeting Gray.

“How did you get here!? What about Rani? How did you leave the house? Did anyone see you come here?” I totally lost control the moment I laid my eyes on her.

She wasn’t supposed to be here. How on earth did she get here? My heart started racing and I felt my brain overheat from the fear that seized me.

What if she was followed? I mean, I tried to keep my destination a secret but the paparazzis could still have followed me? What if they get her picture and suddenly she’s on the news the second day? My fear rushed at me all at once and I couldn’t help but take it out on her as I squeezed her arms while interrogating her fiercely.

“What the f**k!? Stop it, you’re scaring her!” Gray peeled me off Chloe, standing protectively in front of her. “What the f**k is wrong with you? She’s a kid, and isn’t she supposed to be your daughter? The hell-

“You don’t understand.” I gritted, feeling my entire lungs constrict for air. I tried to reach for Chloe again but Grayson wouldn’t let me. “Let go; I need to talk to her.”

“I’m not sure what’s going on right now but you need to calm down. You look like…Addy!” Gray raised his voice, reaching for me as I started hyperventilating.

“Chloe…” I called weakly as my vision slowly darkened and before I knew it, I was falling. I woke up to Gray’s mumbling. I can’t help but faint any time I can’t get my emotions under wraps, but why the f**k is this happening right now?

“I must be out of my mind. Why the hell did I bring them to my house? I mean, what on earth was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just leave them there. What on earth is going on? The profile of Amelia Verde doesn’t state that she has a daughter. Oh God.

What is he rambling on about? I thought, rising from the huge sofa, I was laid.

"Wait, Chloe...where’s Chloe?” My heart started racing again. The fear for her safety had me trembling uncontrollably.

“She’s fine,” Gray cut in sharply. Moving out of the way for me to see Chloe sleeping on the opposite sofa. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

Just how the hell did she find me? I need to contact Rani. “My phone...where’s my purse?” I demanded and Gray’s eyes turned towards the glass table right in front of me, where my designer black purse was gently placed, and my gaze followed his.

I reached for my purse and immediately retrieved my phone. I had 45 missed calls from Rani and I found a newly profound rage filled my guts.

"Hello.” Her voice sounded from the other end of the phone the moment she picked up.

"Rani, where’s Chloe right now?” I demanded.

“About that? I think... um, I’m so sorry. I was distracted for a second and all of a sudden she was gone" I could no longer listen to her pathetic excuse.

“You’re fired, Rani.” I ended the call immediately afterwards. I can’t believe she would let Chloe wander off on her own.

I sighed and glanced over at Chloe, who was sleeping so peacefully on Grayson’s sofa. Chloe’s bruise had been cleaned and dressed; I’m guessing Grayson did that.

“So you have a kid?” I was instantly distracted by Gray’s voice as it disrupted my creeping thought.

“Yeah-

“That wasn’t in the information you submitted to our company since we’re supposed to know if the clients have any siblings or kids. I’m guessing the kid’s father is not in the picture but not like it matters anyway. You can take your kid and leave; I don’t think I can entertain seeing your face for a second longer,” Gray declared, turning to leave.

“She’s your kid too, y'know.” I felt him freeze in his tracks.

“What?” He turned sharply in my direction with one of his bushy brows raised at me in question.

“I didn’t want to tell you this way. I wanted to meet you and talk about it but things spiralled out of control. I still don’t know how Chloe got out there; it’s driving me crazy just thinking about what could have happened to her-

“Wait wait…wait…back up a second? What did you say?” He furrowed deeply, his deep brown eyes going completely dark.

“This is why I wanted to talk. Can you just spare me a few minutes?” Gray looked pressured and honestly, I get it.

I wasn’t planning to tell him about Chloe so soon; I was going to do that after I proposed the deal but since it didn’t go well in my favour, I guess I can lay all of my cards on the table.

“I’m sorry I left like that... I mean, five years ago, there was so much going on at the time. I didn’t have time to-

“Why don’t we skip this conversation to the child part?” His face remained the same. Indifferent and cold.

“I was pregnant... I didn’t even know until the fourth month-

“So, let’s rewind real quick. You slept over at my apartment, left me a note that I shouldn’t look for you, that you were leaving and disappeared while carrying my kid but that’s not all; you’re not Addison Laurent, my girlfriend but Amelia Verde-

“I know! It’s complicated and a little difficult to explain everything. If you just give me a second to-

“I don’t believe you,” Gray interrupted me again, his face relaxing at once.

“If you could lie about your own name, why the f**k should I believe we have a child together, That’s bullshit. Besides, you were always on the pill.” I know that tone. He really doesn’t believe me.

“But I’m not lying, Gray. Even if this come as a shock to you, Chloe is our baby. I know it came a little late but it’s the truth-

“Oh, like your name. Why am I even listening to you? Please leave Addy; I don’t want to listen to this for another second Oh, it’s Amelia now, right!?” I can’t just throw away this chance to talk to Grayson.

I barely managed to get him to sit, and now that he already knows who I am, he wouldn’t want to talk to me.

If the conversation is already going in this direction from the beginning, how the f**k am I supposed to get him to marry me? I need to think of something because if there’s one thing I’m scared of, it’s an angry Grayson.

“Can’t you hear me, I said get out!” He bellowed, startling me a bit and then comes Chloe’s cries but I guess that was enough to calm Gray down. He was panting now. I sighed softly and walked over to Chloe.

“Hey, it’s okay. Mommy’s here now. Did we scare you? Mommy’s just talking to Daddy for a second.” I smiled, watching as Gray’s face grow even paler.

“Daddy?” Chloe asked and I nodded watching her turn to look at Grayson, who seemed shocked out of his mind.

"Chloe.” I lifted Chloe into my arms while we stood right in front of a starstruck Grayson. This wasn’t the strategy I was going for, but this will work too, because I have absolutely no intention to let him go.

I know I’m being selfish right now but I don’t have a choice. I’d do anything to protect Chloe and the company, even if it means making you hate me, Gray I thought to myself.

“Bringing you here was a terrible mistake; I should have known better,” Gray managed to say.

“Mommy, is Daddy mad because I followed you?”

“Right about that, how did you find me, Chloe?” I finally got the chance to ask.

“But he said you wanted me to come-

“What?” My face automatically squeezed up because I definitely did not send anyone to bring Chloe.

“He said mommy asked me to follow her and we’ll go out together.” My heart sank to her words. “I’m glad I did... because you brought me to Daddy, but is mommy mad I followed the man?”

“I-” I couldn’t bring myself to answer her. Her words left me speechless.

This is probably uncle’s way of telling me he could reach Chloe at anytime. This is a warning. To think they’d follow me to the restaurant, he knew where I was.

Just how much did he know about my movement? My thoughts were distracted when I heard a loud bang from the front door.

Gray literally vanished while I was lost in my thoughts. This won’t be easy. I thought to myself, staring blankly at the now-empty room.

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