Chapter 96
the woman in the elevator. I still had a firm grip on Hana, but it had gone from needy to protective
“Hi. Is this Mi Gaudner?” Amber asked, looking around in the elevator
“Oh, good. So, chim, I don’t know if you know who I am,” she started.
“I do know.” I interrupted her..
“oh, tight, pool, so, I was sendering if I could talk with you for a moment?” she asked. I frowned. I didn’t want to speak with her, especially not with Hana here. I knew she was most probably carrying my grandchild, but I dido 1 have it in me to feel the land between me and the child. Maybe it was because I didn’t see myself as a grandparent, or maybe my relationship with Simoni was creating a space I didn’t know how to close. I was about to tell her to go away when Hana put her hand on top of mine and muted us.
ay yes,” she told me.
“Why? I have no interest in what she wants to
Did you forget what she did to you?” I asked her.
“I haven’t. But she might have something important to say. You should hear her out, and if it’s not something important, just ask her to leave. I can head upstairs if you want,” she told me. I hated that she was making sense. Maybe Amber had something that we could use during the trial, maybe it would make the weight on Hanna’s shoulders less.
“Hello” Amber called out.
“Fine,” I conceded. “But if you feel okay with it, I would like you to be there,” I added. Hana smiled at me and nodded. I unmuted us.
“Fine. Come on up.” I told Amber, pressed the button to allow her access to my floor and then shut off the communications. “Come on, we have a “guest” to talk to,” I told Hana, and held out my hand.
“Where are we heading?” s
she asked.
“I’m not letting her into my apartment. If she wants to talk, then Eine. But we will do it here,” I said as we walked out into the hallway outside the apartment.
“Okay,” she said, nodding. I may have been a bit paranoid, but there was always a chance for Amber to introduce a listening device into my home. I didn’t know how involved she was with my son, or with the Russians, for that matter. And on a more illogical level, I didn’t want her presence to taint what Hana and I had created. So we waited for her outside the front door and when the elevator opened Amber stepped out. She looked at me and I could see she was wary of me. Then she noticed Hana and genuine surprise showed on her face.
“You?” she asked
“Hello,” Hana simply said. I wanted to smile, but I kept my work face in place.
“You wanted to talk to me?” I asked Amber.
“Yes. You are
are Simon’s father, right?” she asked
“I am.”
you know about my situation as well?” she asked.
“You said you know who I am,” she started, and glanced at Hana. “I guess you k
“I do. You claim you are carrying Simon’s child.”
“Yes. It is his child, I have tried to reach out to him, and his mother, but I don’t get a reply.”
“Now that isn’t entirely true, is it?” I asked her before she could continue
“I’m sorry)”
“I know for a fact that you have been running errands for my son. I know that the three men you were with when you tried to trick Hana to let you into her apartment are working for my son. So you must have had some contact with him,” I told her. Her eyes grew bigger. Did she think Hana wouldn’t tell me? Or was she surprised that I knew about the men?
Chapter 96
“1-1 didn’t want to do that. But Simon said he wouldn’t talk to me about the baby if I didn’t,” she told me, I had no problem believing her. It sounded like something that Simon would do. But it also meant she was unreliable. Amber was desperate and she would do anything to get Simon’s attention apparently.
“I understand. But it doesn’t change the fact that you tried to harm Hana. Just so we are clear, I won’t do anything that will put Hana in harm’s way.” Amber looked between Hana and me.
“I get that, I won’t do anything like that. I promise. I just don’t have anyone else to turn to. I lost my job when the police shut down the club and it’s hard to find a new one while I’m pregnant. I’m living with my friend. She says I can stay, but I don’t want to live there when the baby comes,” Amber told us.
“I’m sorry to hear it. I’m not in contact with my son. But I will let his mother know and she will tell him,” I said.
“I don’t know if that will help. I was hoping you might help me
me out.”
“You seriously want me to give you money? After you helped men
in to almost kidnap my girlfriend? Which you haven’t even apologised to her for,” I asked. I was getting upset, and Hana knew it. She let her free hand stroke my arm
“I–I’m sorry. I know what I did was wrong. Could you talk to your boyfriend on my behalf?” Amber asked Hana. Hana sighed.
“I understand why you did it, and 1 accept your apology. But it doesn’t make us trust you. I won’t tell Hunter what to do. He is a grown man and can make this decision on his own. I will stand by it no matter what he decides,” she told Amber. I let my tough attitude go for a moment and placed a kiss on Hana’s temple.
“Thank you, sweetness. As for you, Amber. I won’t give you money. There is no need for you to come back. I will make sure my son knows about your situation. I have realised that he isn’t a good man, so I can’t promise that he will act as he should. But at least I can give him a chance to do the right thing. Thank you for coming, but it’s time for you to leave,” I said. Amber hesitated, but I was done with the conversation. I turned around and pulled Hina with me as we walked back indo the apartment. I turned on the screen just in time for the surveillance camera to show me Amber walking back into the elevator. I would rewatch our interaction later, to make sure she didn’t leave something behind. But that could wait. 1 turned off the monitor when I knew the elevator was heading down with Amber in it. “Are you okay?” I asked Hana. She smiled at me and gave me a sweet kiss.
*I am. How about you?”
“Yeah, I’m fine as well. It was an unwelcome interruption to the evening. But now it’s over and we can continue,” I said. She nodded.
“I do feel for her,” Hanna said. “It won’t be easy for her to be a single mother,” she continued as I pulled her into my arms.
The late nights, early mornings, feedings and diapers that makes you wonder how a small thing like a baby can produce something like it. It had its good parts as well. But I’m happy I’ll never have to do it again,” I told her. I felt Hana go from relaxed in my arms to tense. “What’s wrong?” Lasked,
“When you say that you never will be doing it again, what do you
she asked. I frowned, I didn’t think I had been unclear.
“That I won’t have any more babies. That part of my life is over,” I told her. I expected her to nod, happy with my explanation, and then cuddle closer to me so we could pick up where we left off. Instead, she detangled from my embrace and took a step back
“You don’t want any more children?” she asked.
“Ofcourse not,” I told her, thinking it was obvious. But the pain in Hana’s eyes told me it wasn’t
Chapter Comments
Leshawndra Dejohnette
Ohh, we found it. The thing that could make or break a relationship, let’s see what happens
and here it comes the
he other shoe
