Chapter 13.5

Famous Five

Please text me back.

I'm worried about you.

Christian, where are you?

I stare down at my phone. Ana has been texting and calling me since I left the conference room. I haven't responded cause I need some time to myself. I can't believe my own best friend ran a background check on me. I shut my eyes. My head hurts from all this thinking.

He's right about Ana deserving to know my secret. The thing is that Jackson doesn't even know the whole truth.

My phone starts buzzing again and I look down to see the picture she took of us staring up at me. I reached for it and answer.

"Oh thank god, Christian, where are you?" her relief at me answering brings a smile to my face.

"I'm in the enclosed pool area."

"Okay, I won't come unless you want me to. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'll be up in a bit. I just need a moment."

"Okay."

I hang up and slide my phone back into my jacket pocket. I can't hide this from her. She's the one good thing in my life that I can't lose. She needs to know the whole truth. I get up from the patio chair and make my way back up to our room. The elevator ride up to the suite was long and nerve racking.

I slide my key card and the door pops open. She meets me immediately as I walk into the room. She runs to me and engulfs me in a hug. "Hey," I whisper into her hair.

"I thought something happened to you or that maybe you left. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about earlier."

"I have no idea what's going on between you and Jackson and you don't have to tell me."

"No, I do want to tell you. You deserve to know." She nods and I grab her hand in mine before walking us to the couch. We both take a seat and I take a moment.

She sits quietly as I gather my thoughts. My right hand clasps over our joined hands on my lap. I keep my eyes down as I can't stand to look at Ana while I let out my secret.

"About two years I ago, I met this girl, Leila, at one of the charity events. One thing led to another and we went back to my place. You know what happens next. I kept her around for awhile because I was at low point at the time. Then I found out she was going back to Chicago. She was only her for a short time. About two months later, I received a phone call from her. She claimed she was pregnant and the child was mine. I freaked out, I wasn't ready to be a father. I told Jackson about it and he convinced me that I had to take action. I can't be a dead beat father. So I flew out to Chicago and went had a paternity test to make sure it was mine. The test was positive. For the next three months, at least once a month, I took a trip to Chicago to check up on Leila.

When she was six months pregnant, she claimed to have some sort of abdominal pain and went to get it checked out. The baby had separated from the placenta and lost its oxygen supply. The doctor had to perform surgery to remove the baby. By the time I got to the hospital, she was already in the surgery room. We lost him. She yelled and screamed at me; blaming me for the loss of our child. She was in the hospital for at least two weeks before she could go home. Three days later, the policed called me and told me that Leila had tried to cut herself. So I had her admitted to a therapist. I feel so guilty driving her crazy enough to the point of suicide. I pay for her therapy sessions and caretaker. She hasn't been her old self since."

Ana stayed quiet and I close my eyes in fear of her reaction. Her hands slip from mine and my heart starts hammering against my chest. I keep my eyes shut. This is it. She's going to leave me. I can't bare to stand the sight of her leaving.

Suddenly I feel her hands over mine again. I open my eyes to find her kneeling before me. Tears are in her eyes and she gives me a sympathetic look. She leans up and wrap her arms around me. My body hums from the warmth of her embrace.

"I'm sorry Christian." She cries into my shoulder and I relish in the feel of her arms.

"Please don't leave me." I mutter and she shakes her head.

"Never."

AN: I wrote this simply to ease all your mind and rid of your concerns. It's short, I know.