The Billionaire's Second Chance

Chapter 5

“Ridgedale Heights, how can I help you?” someone spoke on the phone.

“Hello, my name is Hannah Bence. I live in apartment 34 C and I have been out of town and lost my phone. I have been trying to get a hold of my boyfriend. Can you send me up there please?” I asked, trying to be as calm as possible.

“Oh I’m sorry Miss Bence. But Mr. Nicholson moved out about a month ago. He told us that you needed to go home for some family obligations and had us sublease it to another couple.” The color in my face drained. He left. I couldn’t believe he left. He moved out and left, but what did I expect? I did the same thing. I couldn’t expect him to stay in the apartment that I abandoned, right?

“I see. Did he send a forwarding address?”

“No, he didn’t. He said he didn’t have a place lined up but he did say that if we needed to get a hold of him, to contact him through Nicholson Marketing.”

“Thank you. Have a wonderful day.” I let out a sigh and fought back even more tears. At least we had something to go by at this point. Nicholson Marketing. The doctor soon came back with the portable ultrasound machine and did the scan and some measurements to make sure the baby was okay.

“So, Hannah, would you like to know what you’re having? You are about 16 weeks.” I looked over at Bella and we both nodded our heads yes. After placing the cool gel on my belly, I heard the heartbeat of my baby for the first time, “Okay...well, congratulations, you are having a baby boy!” Tears welled in my eyes as I heard the heartbeat of my son on the machine. The doctor printed off some copies of the ultrasound and soon, I was discharged. I knew at that moment, hearing his heartbeat, I would do anything for him. It was him and I against the world and nothing would change that.

We made it back to our home and Bella immediately started to take care of me, making sure I was comfortable and getting the prenatal medication the doctor prescribed. As soon as we both relaxed and got some food in us, me and Bella started to look up Nicholson Marketing for any signs of Austin working there or how to possibly get a hold of him. Because no matter how we left our relationship, or for the lack of better words, how I left the relationship, Austin needed to know he was going to be a father.

“I can’t find anything about Austin.” Bella stated in frustration.

“Neither can I. It’s like he doesn’t exist there. I don’t get it. His dad owns the company. Why would he not have some sort of executive position by now?” Bella shrugged. I was getting frustrated. We found Nicholson Marketing and saw that his dad is the CEO, but there was nothing about Austin Nicholson. Nothing about his personal life.

“Your guess is as good as mine. But we can email his dad and let him know to have Austin call you and give them your new phone number. At least that’s something, right?”

“Yeah, let's do that.” While I was typing up the email to Mr. Nicholson, a phone call from the advertising company, Offbeat Inc. came through.

“Hello?” I spoke into the phone, pausing the email I was trying to figure out how to send.

“Hello Miss Bence. This is Angela with Offbeat Inc. I wanted to reach out and say congratulations on receiving the human resource position with the company. We are still currently organizing everything else, but we are prepared to open within the next month. Until then, we will send you an advance on your salary that does not need to be paid to help secure your position with the company.”

“That’s amazing, Angela! Thank you!” I finally felt like things were coming in order. I found out why I had been sick for the past month, secured a very well-paying job and was about to reach out to Austin and let him know everything.

“No, thank you Hannah. We will email you all the necessary paperwork and just send it back when you complete it, but it needs to be completed within a week. We will talk soon.” And with that the conversation ended. Bella and I hugged in excitement that things were finally starting to look up. All I needed was for Austin to accept the baby as his and have Bella be with me at Offbeat.

Now that the excitement had calmed down, I went back to the email I was going to send Austin’s father.

Hello Mr. Nicholson,

I am sorry to be sending this in an email. However, I have no other way to get a hold of Austin. My name is Hannah Bence and I have been with Austin for the past four years. I really need to reach him and I have no other way to besides this due to other circumstances. I am asking you for a favor, as a parent, to please have Austin give me a call at 783-555-1124. I need to let him know that I am 4 months pregnant with his son.

I do realize this is not the way to tell you or him the news. I am not asking for anything except for help to let him know he is about to be a father.

Thank you, Hannah Bence

I hit send with a sense of relief washing over me. A couple of hours later, after Bella and I started to look at stuff for the baby and make the necessary plans for the possibility of moving to wherever Austin was, so we could try to be a family. I wanted to be a family. A pang of excitement filled me, thinking of being with Austin again brought me a sense of happiness that only he could fill. I missed him, there was no doubt about that, but how will he react when he finds out that he is about to be a father? Soon, an email from Mr. Nicholson came through, and we couldn’t believe our eyes to his response.

Miss Bence,

I am sorry to hear about your current condition. However, Austin will not be participating in the life of this baby. He is set to where he is about to have his own life and family here and does not wish to have any distractions and does not wish to have any further contact with you in regards to any matter from here henceforth. I am willing to pay you any amount of money for you to no longer contact my son in regard to this or any other situation you may find yourself in.

Best of luck

Mr. Nicholson

CEO Nicholson Marketing

I showed Bella the email and grew furious, tears brimming my eyes. What kind of man responds like this, especially to someone that has been in their son’s life for so long? And for him to say that Austin didn’t want anything to do with the baby was flabbergasting. “Who the hell does he and Austin think they are?” Bella screamed. “Did Austin tell him to write that? That could be the only logical explanation.”

“I thought he loved me. He said he loved me and now he is having his father buy me out so we don’t have contact in the future? What kind of man does that!” That pang of happiness I had quickly turned into pain. I hoped for a second chance with the man who held the strings to my heart, but this was something indescribable, this pain, was something beyond measure. All the imagines I had of us living together, raising our son together, being a family, in love, all disappeared.

“A coward. Take the money from them. They have enough of it considering Nicholson Marketing is a multi-billion dollar corporation.” I shook my head no. I didn’t want any part of their money, because to me, taking the money means a future tie to Austin and if something were to happen and Austin changed his mind, me taking the money is something he could hold over my head and I didn’t want that. I didn’t want that tie to him. It was now or never and he chose never. I did not want his money in the past, present or the future. I didn’t want this decision to hurt me in the end.

Mr. Nicholson,

I do not want nor need your money. Tell Austin it is not necessary to buy me out from contact regarding his child. You will not hear from me regarding anything. Enjoy your future.

Hannah

With that last email sent, I swore off the Nicholson’s and promised myself to do whatever I needed to do for my son. I was determined to move on and build the future that I knew me and my son deserved and I would do anything possible to make that happen. I had a job lined up, the support of my best friend and myself and, for me, that is all I would need to be successful.