Depths of Deceit Read online

  Elias was welcomed by the familiar jitters in his gut. “I’m the father, Daisy. I deserve to go. Why won’t you let me?”

  “I don’t know,” she mumbled, playing with a loose thread on her cardigan. “I can’t put a reason to it. It’s just something I want to do on my own. There’ll be lots more scans to go to. Okay?”

  “Is it because it won’t be the first time I’ve attended a scan?” Elias probed. “Does this have to do with Ava?”

  Daisy shook her head, causing her loose curls to bounce. “Stop making accusations. Your affair has damaged me, Elias. It’s something I cannot brush underneath the rug. I need time to heal. Of course I’m bitter about the fact you’ve already been to a scan to see your bastard child.” Daisy shot her hand up when he tried to object. “The scan on Wednesday should’ve been your first time.” She stood up and gazed down at him, her eyes watery with tears. “Elias, you must accept that I will forgive you in time. But how can I when you’ll have a child with another woman?” She turned and headed towards the bedroom. “Dinner is ready on the stove. I’m not hungry tonight, so please dish out yourself.”

  ~ ~ ~

  On the morning of the baby shower, Elias drove out of the city to visit his mother. He couldn’t bear being around Daisy after their argument. The more she belittled his past actions, the more he drifted away from her in mind and body, detaching himself from his responsibilities. He needed familiarity and support from someone other than Daisy’s closest circle. He didn’t have friends nearby so he reasoned a coffee with his mother was long overdue.

  He parked the car outside a rustic, vegan café and walked in to find Karen nose deep in a newspaper. He squinted his eyes to determine if his face was on the front page or not. She glanced up, saw him standing opposite her and tossed the paper aside. “Oh, my beautiful boy. You’re here.” Karen pulled him into a lung crushing hug. “Look at you. You’re still so handsome.”

  “Hi, Mum.”

  “Can I get you something? A soy chai latte perhaps?”

  He nodded as the waiter approached their table. “Sounds good.” He gave his order and pulled out a chair, observing the potted cacti adorning the table. “I didn’t know you were vegan, Mum.”

  “I’m not,” she said, “but I’ve heard fabulous things about this place.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “Did you see the dairy- and egg-free cheesecake out the front? It’s to die for, apparently.”

  “We can share a slice.”

  Karen picked up the table water and poured two glasses. “So how’s the wedding jitters going? You’re a week away from being a Mr. and a Mrs.”

  Elias bit at his bottom lip. He’d always respected his relationship with his mother. He could tell her anything. “I’m having second thoughts about it, actually.”

  “What? How come?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “I can’t define it, Mum. Daisy isn’t the same woman I fell in love with. She’s bitter and hardened. She doesn’t even want me to go to the scan with her next week. I’m living with a stranger.”

  “Honey, she’s been through a trauma. While I don’t condone what you did with that other woman, you have to see from Daisy’s perspective. She’s probably anxious and concerned about the future. There aren’t a lot of women out there who would take back a cheating partner. I must give her credit for it. She must really love you.”

  “At first I thought her attitude was due to the pregnancy hormones. But I don’t think it is. It runs deeper than that.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Mum, do you know that Ava is pregnant too?”

  “Of course I do. It was hard to ignore her face splashed across every newspaper and trash magazine. I understand that you were close to her. Did she ever disclose who fathered her baby? It’s a big mystery.” A spark of mischief lit up her eyes. “Was it her ex-husband, Liam?”

  Elias inhaled slowly, letting his lungs fill up with air. He couldn’t predict how his mum would react about her first grandchild born out of wedlock. She was his last support beam. Without her, everything would crumble on top of him. “Mum, I’m the father of Ava’s baby. She never disclosed my name to the press. She destroyed her reputation in order to save mine.”

  Karen’s cheeks drained of colour and she brushed her hand across her face. “Oh, right. How long have you been sleeping with this woman?”

  “It was a one-night stand. It was a mistake.”

  “You’re damn right, Elias. I didn’t think you were the serial monogamist type.”

  Elias let out a long-winded sigh. “How many times do I have to spell it out? I never intended to cheat on Daisy. I had a moment of weakness. Now, I’m being punished for it by you and her.” He inhaled sharply. “In all honesty, I never thought Ava would get pregnant.”

  “I didn’t raise you to be ignorant, son. Women can fall pregnant at any time. You had no right to cheat on Daisy. She’s been good to you.” Karen’s face was creased into lines of motherly disapproval. Elias had never seen her look so disappointed before. After a beat, she added, “Was Ava on the pill?”

  “Yes,” Elias replied.

  “Does Daisy know about the baby?”

  “Yes, she does. I don’t know what to do. At the moment, I see no way out.”

  Karen reached across the table and squeezed his hands. “There’s always a way out if you truly want it. You must make a decision and you must make it very soon. If you’re having doubts about this wedding, then you should listen to your gut. It never lies.” She sighed. “Elias, I wished you had come to me earlier. We could’ve worked out what to do. When is Ava due?”

  “Same week as the wedding.”

  “Have you spoken to her recently?”

  “We speak once a week. I have to be vigilant so Daisy doesn’t catch me. Last time she called, she told me the baby’s in position so her doctor thinks she’ll go any time. I don’t want to miss the birth, Mum.”

  Pity filled Karen’s eyes with tears and she cupped his face in her hands. “Listen to your heart, Elias. Once you’ve signed the dotted line, you’ll be committed to Daisy and her child. Besides, how can you be sure Ava wants to be with you? The last thing I want you to do is make the wrong mistake and miss out on a good future.”

  “Mum, I’m being punished for my mistake every day. I feel like I’m being torn down the middle by both women. I don’t want to disappoint either of them. I can’t leave Daisy at the altar wondering what happened.”

  “Honey, I wish I had the answers for you. This is a decision you must make on your own. If you believe you’ll have a bright and happy future with Daisy, then I suggest you bury your past with Ava and move on. You have so much to lose if you don’t.”

  His mother didn’t give the answer he was hoping for, but Elias knew she was right. When Daisy returned home on Wednesday with the scan of their child, it would make everything real, determined. They would be a family. In the back recess of his mind, shadows of doubt started to grow and he prayed he was making the right choice.

  Chapter 26

  Ava needed a crane to get out of her chair. The massive boulder around her middle was making it hard to do simple, daily tasks. Every morning was a battle to roll out of bed and get to work without knocking her baby bump into things. She was lucky to have empathetic co-workers who helped with lifting and running errands she couldn’t do. Even her secretary had gotten into the habit of leaving a peppermint tea on her desk before she waddled in of a morning. But Ava hated feeling vulnerable, having people run personal errands for her. She never instilled the practice as a CEO, and reminded her staff that things would change when she came back from leave. If she did at all . . .

  Her pregnancy had altered her thinking, changed her inner wiring. She wanted the best upbringing for her child, to grow up in a safe and loving environment. She never planned to be a single parent but accepted her fate. As
much as it hurt not to have Elias by her side, it was placating to hear his voice on the end of her phone every week.

  A knock sounded at her door and Ava’s secretary Sherry poked her head in. “Can I get you anything, Miss Wolfe? A tea or a Danish perhaps?”

  Ava glimpsed from her computer. “No, it’s fine. Alfred has delivered my sandwich already.”

  The brunette smiled and tentatively entered her office. “Please forgive my intrusiveness, but you must be pretty excited about the birth. How much longer do you have?”

  “I’m thirty-eight weeks now, so my doctor said I can go at any time. And yes, I’m very excited. Terrified at the same time too.”

  “I’m a mum of three boys,” Sherry explained. “It’s normal to be scared, Miss Wolfe. But after all the pain and pushing, you’ll have a beautiful new baby to hold in your arms. That outweighs everything else. Will your mother be with you?”

  “Of course. Veronica is my sole support system. She’s been with me to every scan and doctor’s appointment. I wouldn’t have ever done it without her.”

  “Mothers are wonderful like that.” Sherry retreated for the door, wrapping her fingers around the knob. “If you need anything else, please buzz me, Miss Wolfe.”

  “Thank you, Sherry.” Ava waited until the secretary had closed the door before returning to her work. She was half way through writing a report when the baby kicked abruptly, startling her. She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her hand across her belly, watching the skin expand as her daughter attempted somersaults inside her.

  “You’re active today, little one,” Ava cooed. Feeling parched, she pushed her chair back and wandered across the office to her mini bar. As she leaned down to open the door, an immense build-up of pressure almost winded her, causing Ava to collapse onto the cabinet lining the wall.

  “Oh!”

  She exhaled through narrowed lips, resting her forehead on her arm, allowing another wave of Braxton Hicks to pass. This one was more intense than the prodromal labour contractions she experienced during the week. Keeping her breathing shallowed, Ava straightened slowly, stabilising herself against the cabinet.

  A warm liquid rushed down her inner thigh, creating a pool between her feet. “Oh shit. No! Not now.” Panic interlaced with fear as Ava remained rooted to the spot, unsure whether to move to get her phone. Instead, she screamed. “Sherry!”

  Her office door swung open and Sherry bolted inside. Upon seeing Ava bent over the cabinet, moaning in pain, she cursed under her breath and ran to the phone on Ava’s desk. “Don’t worry, Miss Wolfe. We’ll get you to the hospital in time. Hold on for me, honey.”

  Ava responded with a panicked scream, uncaring if half the office heard her. “Get me an ambulance now!”

  ~ ~ ~

  Most people would be excited on their wedding day. Not Elias. All he could think about was Ava and their baby. He picked up his suit jacket from the bed and slipped it on, studying his reflection in the mirror. He was a man divided between two halves of his heart. One was captained by loyalty and the other, passion. His heart would never be whole until he chose the right woman.

  He fingered the silky soft petals of the rose pinned to his lapel. There were days he felt just as delicate, easy to bruise and tear. So why did he think marrying Daisy was the worst decision to make? A part of him didn’t want to break her heart, but she hurt him too, selling her photographs to the press. They were both tainted and damaged souls.

  His mobile phone buzzed, and he crossed the room to answer it. It was Ava’s number. He answered it without hesitation. “Ava, are you okay?”

  “It’s Veronica, Ava’s mother.”

  “Is Ava all right?”

  Veronica’s voice was partially muffled by a woman moaning in the background. “Ava’s in labour right now. She’s ten centimetres dilated and ready to push. If you want to be here for the birth, I highly suggest you get your ass over here right now.”

  Elias’s shoulders slumped with defeat and he collapsed onto the bed. “Veronica, I can’t. It’s my wedding day. I’m about to walk into the church.”

  “I don’t know what to say, honey. The baby could arrive at any time. You’re more than welcome to visit after your daughter is born.” Her end went silent for a moment and Elias gripped the phone so hard his fingers ached. “Elias, I have to go,” Veronica said at last. “Call me back on this number when you can.”

  Elias remained seated on the bed, his spine razor straight, his phone still attached to his ear. Ava needed him. Their daughter needed him. This was the sign he’d been praying for. He glanced at his watch. The ceremony was starting in fifteen minutes. He didn’t have time to sneak away for the birth and come back. The decision he made now would change his life forever.

  Someone knocked on his bedroom door and Karen poked her head in. “Honey, are you ready? I got a call from Olivia. They’re ten minutes away. It’s time to head to the church.” When he remained speechless, Karen entered the room, concern splashed across her face. “Elias, what’s wrong?”

  “Ava’s in labour right now.”

  “Oh, what do you want to do?” She sat down next to him.

  The pressure of tears built behind his eyes and he curled his fingernails into his palms to divert the pain. “I don’t know, Mum. I’ve never been so unsure of anything in my life.” He rested his head on her shoulder, craving her reassurance and empathy. “I love Ava. I should be there with her for the birth of our baby.”

  “Honey, if you are certain of your feelings, you must listen to your heart.”

  “What about Daisy?”

  Karen took his face in her hands and stared deep into his eyes. “Do you really want to go through with this wedding?”

  Without an iota of repentance, Elias replied, “No.”

  Karen dropped her hands into her lap. “There’s your answer.” She patted his thigh. “You better tell Daisy before you leave. Allow her some dignity. This is the biggest day of her life. She doesn’t need to be humiliated in front of everyone.”

  Elias kissed his mother’s cheek and bounded out of the room. He ran down the hallway searching for Daisy. Knowing his fiancée, she would stop for a touch up before walking down the aisle. He caught a wisp of a white gown entering a room down the hallway and he dashed towards it.

  He barged into the room before the door closed, startling Daisy and her three bridesmaids.

  “Elias, what are you doing here?” Daisy shrieked, leaping out of sight. “You can’t see me before the wedding.”

  “I need to speak with you urgently.”

  A flicker of fear flashed across her face before she waved her hand in the air. “Fine. It’s okay, girls. I’ll meet you at the church.”

  Her bridesmaids begrudgingly left the room. Elias waited until the door shut behind them before pulling Daisy out of her hiding spot. She looked like a princess in her white strapless wedding gown. Her golden hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Her makeup was effortless and clean. Her beauty stung him.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “Do you have cold feet?”

  He dropped his gaze to the carpet, unable to look her in the eye. “I can’t do this.”

  Daisy’s eyebrows snapped together. “Excuse me. You can’t do what?”

  He motioned the air between them. “Us. I can’t marry you.”

  Daisy’s face crumpled in distress, her perfectly painted lips pulled downwards. “It’s Ava, isn’t it?”

  Elias swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Daisy. I really am.”

  Fresh tears streamed down her face, creating white streaks on her cheeks. “Is that all you can say to me? We have history, Elias. What do you have with this woman? Nothing!” She rubbed her hand across her eyes, ruining her makeup. “Even on my wedding day, this f
ucking woman has power over you. Why did you decide today is the day to break up with me?”

  “Ava’s in labour,” Elias said carefully. “She’s having my baby, Daisy. I need to be there for her.”

  “So you’re choosing her over me again. Why am I not surprised? We are getting married today! Can’t you see that? You inexplicably promised me a future when you proposed to me.” She turned her back on him and ripped her engagement ring off her finger. “You’ve broken my heart, Elias.” She shook her head with disbelief. “It’s my fault.”

  “Daisy, it was never your fault. It’s just—” He reached for her and she ripped her arm away.

  “Don’t you fucking touch me!” Daisy whirled back around and tossed the ring at him. It bounced off his chest and rolled underneath the bed. “It’s my fault because I existed, Elias. Maybe I was too possessive over you. Maybe I cared too little. But this whole ordeal has showed me what type of man you really are.” She cracked a sneer. “I hope you make her happy.” She sauntered into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

  Elias pressed his ear against the door and listened to hollow echo of her cries. “Daisy, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”

  “You’re abandoning your family to be with another,” Daisy cried out inside the bathroom. “I’m pregnant, Elias. Are you going to deny this child?”

  “Of course not. I want to be a part of our baby’s life.”

  “Once you walk out that door, I will rebuke all your parental rights. This child deserves more than what you’re giving me. What kind of man walks out on his pregnant partner, anyway?”

  As much as he hated to admit it, Daisy was right. He turned from the door and retrieved the ring from underneath the bed. He placed it gently on the bedside table, alongside his rose boutonnière. He made an inward promise to be a good father to both children, even if his relationships with their mothers were unstable. He wanted Ava from the first moment he saw her, a desire that scared and liberated him. It was simple and animalistic, an electricity he didn’t share with Daisy. Loyalty had betrayed his heart, but passion would keep it beating. He closed the bedroom door behind him and left his life with Daisy behind.