What Connor Wants... (BWWM)

CHAPTER NINETEEN : PAPARAZZI

Aubrey walked into the Buford building with a scarf concealing her face, only leaving room for her nose to breathe. Her oversized brown sunglasses did the job because no one noticed her when she walked into the building.

"Aubrey!" Someone called out to her, and Aubrey rolled her eyes; She did not know who it was but was in no mood to speak to anyone.

Well, Aubrey, it looks like you spoke too soon. Aubrey thought to herself.

She turned around to see who called out to her, and funny enough, it was none other than Casey. She had one hand on her hip while the other played with her long blonde hair.

"You know, it's quite obvious that it was you. But that's beside the point, Aubrey; we need to talk," Casey informed Aubrey.

"Well, Casey, let's talk then; what do you want to tell me?" Aubrey asked her, wanting to get over and done with this conversation as soon as possible.

"Okay then, I'll have to just say it out front. I personally think that you are a low life. I mean, you not only stole my boyfriend, but on top of that, you took that bastard son of yours and framed it on my poor Connor" Casey's words only angered Aubrey the more; calling her son a bastard was one thing that Aubrey would never accept from anyone, not even from Casey.

"Casey, you, for one, should know that you are annoying. But, above all else, don't ever call my son a bastard because the day you do, you will live to regret it," Aubrey warned her, but it seemed as though nothing she said got through to Casey.

Casey removed her hands from her hips and stepped towards Aubrey, staring at her straight in the eyes as if daring Aubrey to do something to her.

"Aubrey, I'll repeat myself again. Your son is a bastard," Casey spelled it aloud for Aubrey. Hearing Casey say such vile things about her son set Aubrey off; she did not have to think about her action because her hands reached for Casey's hair and pulled it. Every disrespectful name Casey had called her son replayed in Aubrey's head as she beat Casey in full view of everyone. Aubrey had lost her mind, and not even Casey's scream for help could stop Aubrey from exacting her revenge.

Both women stood in the manager's office being reprimanded by the manager; the fight felt like ages ago when it had happened less than ten minutes ago. The security guards had stopped at the fight, and luckily for Aubrey, Casey did not have a chance to throw one punch.

"I am so disappointed in both of you. You both are grown women, and what you have done could have brought the name of this great company into the ground! Mrs. Casey, you are suspended for three days. You may now leave my office" The manager dismissed Casey, and the shock on Casey's face was priceless.

Aubrey watched as Casey left the office with a big frown, indicating her displeasure and hatred for Aubrey.

"And you, Mrs. Peterson, I'm sorry, but you may come to fetch your final paycheck tomorrow. We wanted to rehire you, but after this, I am afraid we cannot."

"But sir, I have a son to raise" Aubrey tried to protest in the hopes of making him change his mind but to no avail; the manager was in no mood to change his mind about anything.

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before making a scene!" Her manager informed her he was not evil, and Aubrey understood that his decision was based on what was good for business. Nevertheless, Aubrey stared at him, horrified by what he had said.

"Wait, sir, you're saying you would watch someone call your son a bastard and let it go? You know what, it's okay, I will leave, no need to waste your time with people like me. Goodbye, Sir" Aubrey walked out of his office and slowly shut the door behind her.

Aubrey took the elevator down, and while in the elevator, tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let those tears fall.

What would you do now that you do not have a job? Will you ask Connor for help?

-No, never. Aubrey fought the urge to ask Connor for help, even if it was for the sake of their son.

When she exited the elevator, Aubrey went to the locker room. She arrived and immediately packed all her belongings out of her locker when another cleaner, Marilyn, walked into the locker room.

"Hey Aubrey, I heard what happened. I'm sorry, but I thought I should thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Aubrey asked Marilyn.

"Because you did something none of us dared to do: standing up to Casey. You know it is so difficult waking up early hours of the morning to go to work, just that you can provide for your family. What hurts the most is that you get people like Casey who come every morning and look down on you because, unlike her, you're not educated" As simple as those words were, to Aubrey, they meant everything.

After speaking to Marilyn, both women said their goodbyes, and Aubrey walked out of the Buford building, knowing deep down that she might never step her feet back there again.

**

Ring!

Ring!

Connor's phone rang for the millionth time. He exited the shower while still half-naked and wearing his towel around his waist. Connor picked up his phone and saw who it was on the caller ID, and it was none other than his father.

Father, what is it that you want now? He sighed one more time and picked up his phone.

"Hello, Dad, I was just—" Connor tried to speak to his father, but his father cut it off.

"What is this nonsense that I'm hearing about you parading around South Africa with some maid or what's so ever!" His father yelled at him through the phone.

"Father, you don't even know her like that" Connor tried to make his father understand, but it seemed there was no use; his father had made up his mind.

"I'm not interested in knowing her. But, Connor, when will you finally get tired of being in the tabloids? Just get rid of her."

Just hearing his father speak so low of Aubrey sent a fire burning in Connor's face, and he could feel his muscles twitch.

"Father, I can't get rid of her," Connor told his father firmly as he gripped his phone.

"And why not?" His father asked him.

"Because she has my son, your grandson," Connor confessed

Connor's father said nothing for a while, and there was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Connor, I want you home by tomorrow," His father ordered him like always.

"But father, I just cannot leave" Connor tried to argue with his father, but it was no use; his father had always won when it came to such matters.

"I want you here by tomorrow," Connor's father told him and then ended the call. Connor stood frozen on the spot; he had no idea what he would do now. On the one hand, his father wanted him to return to New York; on the other hand, he needed to stay here with Aubrey and his son.

The thought of something terrible happening to either of them scared Connor, and he would instead not think about anything negative happening to Aubrey or CJ.