It wasn't until the following morning when I was awoken by the sound of banging in my bedroom. I bolted up from my spot, noting that Callie was now cuddling one of the pillows into her chest and the duvet was thrown haphazardly over her body, but the thing which struck me was that it half past three in the morning and someone was going through my luggage.
If they thought that they were going to find something good in there, then they were going to be disappointed when all they found were my clothes and toiletries, and the toys which I had packed for Callie. There was nothing of value in there, since I sold most of the things Matt gave to me when I found out I was pregnant with Callie, and neither was there anything which constituted a threat.
"Can I help you?" My morning voice had to be the least sexy thing in the world, so it was a good job that I wasn't waking up next a man, otherwise I would have scared them off by now.
"Ah. Miss Peterson. Correct?"
"Yes. Now, why at half three in the morning, are you going through my case?"
"It is my job, Miss Peterson. I am Alexander Porter and I am the Head of Security here for Mr Matthew Barnes." He continued to search through my case as though I wasn't awake and I wasn't in the room, and if Matthew thought that this was acceptable at this time of the morning, then he was in for a shock. Especially when Matthew knew just how much I hated it when people invaded my privacy and touched my things.
And, if I was going to kill Matt, then I wouldn't do it in his own house. I know how tight his security is, even without my luggage being searched for dangerous weapons, so I would plan it better than hoping for the best. I would, if I was going to do anything, do it in the open and I would murder him in a place where there were lots of people, just because the blame can never solely be on one person.
But, even with Alexander's meticulous search of, not only my belongings, but also Callie's, it still took him another forty-five minutes before he deemed that I was not a threat to Matt's life. With a brisk nod of the head, and a lame attempt at an apology, Alexander left the room and I was left with nothing other than a snoring child and my unwanted thoughts.
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It was half seven in the morning when I finally accepted defeat and realized that I wouldn't be getting back to sleep. When I pulled myself from the warmth of the bed, Callie was quick to move into the middle, still hugging her pillow to her chest, though she was now barely visible beneath the covers she had thrown over herself as she moved around.
I could have woken her, forced her to start the day at the same time I did, but I didn't want to deal with her tantrums later when she complained that she was tired. Part of her routine at home was to have her lunch at half one and then she would have a nap at two, before I woke her up at half three, and we would spend an hour watching TV together; usually before Evva came around and I went to work for the evening.
I was, as any mother would be, worried about the impact which this trip would have on her routine and I was even more concerned about how she would adapt herself for the next three weeks. But, as I kissed the top of her head and moved the covers so that she didn't get too hot, I knew that all I could really do was hope for the best and pray that Callie adapted as well as she could do.
"Mummy loves you, princess. Mummy loves you so much," I whispered with another kiss on her head before I walked out of the bedroom and made my way towards the living room.
I could hear people in the kitchen, and I am sure one of those people was my mother, but I preferred the thought of being alone rather than in the company of people I didn't really know. They may have been here to celebrate Matt's renewed happiness, but I was only here to satisfy my need to see him, and there was a small part of me which wanted him to acknowledge Callie as his daughter.
Though, I was mainly here for selfish reasons. I wanted, or perhaps needed is a more appropriate word, to see if he ever cared about me at all or if I was just the person he picked to fill the gap in his heart when his wife was off living her life. I needed to know whether he ever, truly, loved me or whether it was all just a game to him.
"Sooo—" someone breathed in my ear, making me jump slightly at the shock of being snuck up on,"—you're a mother now?"
"I've been a mother for three years, which means I have been a mother during each of our encounters," I shrugged, knowing that it was Markus who had taken the opportunity to ruin the peace which I had been looking for. "Your point?"
"Is it safe to assume that Matt is her father, and she is my niece?" I had never asked how he found out what happened between his brother and I, because I had learned that there were times where it was simply best not ask and to accept that Markus had his ways of obtaining information.
"Callie, Markus. Her name is Callie. And, yes, she is your niece." I knew that it was pointless to lie to Markus, mostly because he already knew the truth, but also because I knew that he wouldn't tell his brother anything. For all his faults and all the things I disliked about him, if there was one positive thing I can say about Markus, it's that he's honest and he will never reveal a secret which isn't his to tell. "And, before you ask, Matthew doesn't know that Callie is his daughter."
"Speaking of my brother. He has been looking for you since you arrived yesterday."
"Well, until you interrupted, I was having some alone time." The annoying thing about Markus, if you can even call it annoying, is that he had the potential to be rather attractive, if only he wasn't as much of a twat.
He had an appearance about him which was mature, though it's a shame that his personality didn't match, because perhaps he may find it easier to attract suitable members of the female population. He had a slight five o'clock shadow and he was wearing a shirt which only defined the muscles I knew he had.
"You know, it's good to see you again, Soph," Markus smirked, and it was the kind of smirk which just needed to be knocked off his face.
"Wish I would say the same about you, Markus, and I've told you not to call me that. My name is Sophie." I retorted as I stood to leave the room, wanting to grab some breakfast for Callie and myself, but I was stopped by Markus grabbing hold of my wrist and pulling me round so that I was looking at him. There was so little space between the two of us now that he could have easily kissed me if he wanted to and there would have been nothing I could do to stop him, other than punching him in the face with my free hand.
"Still as attractive as you were last month. You've even lost all that baby weight too." I didn't miss the devious look in his eye as he thought about what he could say next to me.
"Still as much of a player as you were last month?" I didn't find him, or his comments, funny and I wished that someone would walk now, just to save me from this nightmare I was trapped in.
"Trust me, Soph, by the end of these three weeks, you'll come to understand what I'm such a player."
"Oh? Why is that then?"
"Guess you'll just have to wait and see. I'll see you, and Callie, around." Markus was still smirking when he released my wrist and walked out of the room with a confident strut, and there was a small, tiny, unmentionable part of me which looked forward to the next time I saw Markus around.
At least there was, until I followed him out of the room and the urge to be sick came back with a vengeance as I walked into a group of people who were mid-conversation with Matt. They were discussing what his plans were for the renewal of his vows, and it was only when I coughed a little that his green eyes found mine.
There was an element of shock to his expression, as though he had convinced himself I wasn't going to turn up. And he had this look in his eye which showed he had probably spent the last few nights lying in bed, wide awake, questioning whether I was going to accept the invite and turn up for the full three weeks I had been asked to join them for.
But seeing him was a little more overwhelming than I initially thought it would be.
Everything I felt for him came back to me in one massive wave of emotion, and everything he had ever made me feel was hitting me right where it hurt; it was attacking my fragile heart. It was all too much for me to handle and I had to hide the tears which were threatening to fall.
I couldn't have people asking what was wrong with, especially not Matthew. Because, regardless of the pain he had caused me, I couldn't bear the thought of telling him that the tears were his fault; that the tears were for him and the love which I continue to feel for him.
"Sophie?" That was the only word he managed to say, and that was all it took for me to turn my back on him, and run.
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