Gregory sat on the couch, lazily scrolling through his phone, when Mira stepped into the apartment.
"Hey, baby" she greeted, walking towards him.
Two years ago, she had met Gregory at a club and after an intimate affair between the both of them.
Gregory had asked her out and she had decided to date him. All she wanted was a father figure for Eli, a man who could protect little Eli and fill the space which Thane had broken.
But it seemed as though she was never lucky when it comes to love affairs.
Gregory was emotionally and physically distant from Eli, making the little boy detest him so much in return.
He barely looked up. "Hey."
Mira frowned. The typical Gregory had a habit of acting nonchalant when he was preoccupied, but tonight, it irked her more than usual. She took a deep breath, pushing down the irritation bubbling in her chest.
"I got a new project today," she said, sitting beside him.
"Mm-hmm," he murmured, still glued to his phone.
Mira exhaled sharply. "It's a multi-million dollar deal. A luxury resort in Las Vegas."
That got his attention, sort of. Gregory glanced up briefly, offering a half-smile before returning to his phone. "Sounds good. Congrats."
Her jaw tightened. Congrats? That was it?
She had just told him about one of the biggest opportunities of her career, and all she got was a halfhearted response?
"You know," she continued, folding her arms, "This could change everything for me, for us."
"For you," he corrected, tossing his phone onto the couch. "Let's not pretend I have any stake in this, Mira."
His words stung.
"Gregory, we're building a life together," she reminded him, struggling to keep her tone even. "Or at least, I thought we were."
Gregory sighed, rubbing his temples as if the conversation was exhausting him. "Look, I'm happy for you, alright? But I've got my own stuff to deal with."
Mira's patience thinned. "Your own stuff? What is that supposed to mean?"
Gregory stretched, grabbing his drink from the table before casually announcing, "I'm flying out to Vegas tonight. Business meeting came up at the last minute."
Mira stiffened. "What?"
"Yeah, some urgent deal. I just found out this afternoon."
The casual way he said it made her blood boil. He had not had an initial discussion concerning this.
No heads-up. Just him making decisions without considering her, or Eli.
"You're telling me now? Because I said I have a major project there?"
Gregory shrugged.
"Does it really matter?"
" You haven't even accepted the job yet."
Mira inhaled deeply, willing herself to stay calm.
"Then you can at least wait so we can travel together."
"Why?" He raised a brow.
"You have Eli to think about, right? I'll be in and out before you even make up your mind." He added.
That was the last straw.
Mira stood abruptly. "That's exactly the problem, Gregory. You never think about Eli."
His expression darkened. "Oh, here we go again."
"I didn't sign up to be a father, Mira." He scoffed.
Her heart clenched. The words landed like a slap.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "No, you didn't. But you signed up to be with me. And Eli is a part of that package."
For a moment, silence stretched between them that only their heartbeat could be heard.
Gregory leaned back, running a hand through his hair.
"Look, I'm not trying to be the bad guy here. I just don't think we want the same things." He said as he walked away.
Mira stood there, feeling the weight of disappointment settle deep in her bones. She had spent years trying to build something stable, trying to believe that Gregory could be the man she and Eli needed but tonight, it was clearer than ever; he never would be.
And for the first time in a long time, Mira realized something.
She was done waiting for people to care.
She was done fighting for love. She would channel all her energy and make sure she puts a constant smile on Eli's face.
*Las Vegas International Airport*
Eli swung his legs as he sat on the airport bench, watching people rush past.
He had never been to Las Vegas before, and everything here felt big—the lights, the people, even the airplanes.
Mira was only a few feet away, speaking with the airline attendant about their luggage. But Eli, being a hyperactive child, was already bored. His mama always told him to sit still, but sitting still was so hard not when there was an entire world to explore.
His gaze landed on a man sitting a few seats away, dressed in a sharp navy-blue suit. The man looked important, like the kind of guy who owned fancy cars and ate steak for breakfast. Eli studied him for a moment before scooting closer.
"Hi," he said brightly.
The man glanced up from his phone, surprised. His deep green eyes flickered with amusement as he took in the little boy grinning up at him. "Hey there."
Eli swung his legs. "What's your name?"
The man arched his brow.
"You're awfully friendly, aren't you?"
Eli shrugged. "Mama says talking to strangers is bad, but you don't look like a bad guy."
The man chuckled. "Good to know. My name is Thane. What's yours?"
"Eli!" He beamed. "I'm four. Almost five. My birthday's in two months, but Mama says I still act like a baby sometimes."
The stranger smirked.
"Well, I think almost-five is a pretty good age."
Eli nodded seriously. "Yeah. But Mama still won't let me drink coffee."
"That's probably for the best. I don't think the world is ready for a caffeinated Eli." the man scoffed.
Eli grinned, clearly liking this man already. His gaze dropped to his watch, it was a sleek, expensive-looking thing.
"You're rich, huh?"
The stranger tilted his head. "What makes you say that?"
"You dress like the guys on Mama's laptop when she's working. And you have that watch. Only rich people wear golden watches."
The stranger chuckled, clearly impressed by the kid's observation skills. "You got me. I am rich."
Eli nodded, satisfied with that answer. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.
"Are you my daddy?"
"W-What?" The man blinked, trying to process what was happening. He glanced around, half-expecting a hidden camera to pop out. But no, the kid was completely serious.
"You look like the kind of guy who could be a daddy," Eli said seriously. "And I don't have one. So maybe you're him!"
"Uh…" the man rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think that's how it works, kid."
Eli frowned. "Why not?"
Ethan sighed. "Because… you don't just find a dad at an airport."
"Why not?"
"Because…" the man struggled.
"Because dads don't work like lost luggage."
Eli tapped his chin, considering this. "I did lose my stuffed bunny once, and Mama found it at the lost and found. Maybe they have a lost and found for dads?"
The stranger burst out laughing. "Kid, you're something else."
Eli beamed. "I know!"
Just then, a frantic voice rang through the terminal.
"Eli!" Mira yelled from behind, her eyes wide with panic as she searched for him through the crowd.
Eli abandoned the man as he heard his name, striding towards the direction of Mira's voice.
When she spotted Eli, relief crashed over her face.
"There you are!" She dropped to her knees, grabbing Eli's shoulders. "Baby, you cannot wander off like that!"
"But I wasn't lost!" Eli protested. "I found my daddy!"
Mira's breath caught. "You what?"
"You don't have a daddy, son!" She yelled at him, grabbing his hands and leading him away.