Chapter 32

Anotha one xxx

The next morning, Vanessa woke early. The house was quiet, save for the soft hum of the city outside and Kai's gentle breathing from the other room. She padded into the kitchen, made herself a coffee she barely touched, and sat on the edge of the couch with her phone in her lap.

There were more messages from Stella and Laura—questions and concern wrapped in emojis and half-formed thoughts.

Stella: You okay? You haven't said anything since yesterday.

Laura: Is that the girl from the recent Maxim shoot? Do you know her?

Vanessa stared at the messages for a moment, her chest tightening. She didn't have the capacity to unpack any of it—not with them, not yet.

Vanessa: Hey guys. Sorry, I had an early night last night because of the flight this morning. It's… complicated. But don't worry. We're fine. Just not talking much right now.

It wasn't a lie, not really. Just enough to satisfy them. Or get them off her back.

More dots appeared—another reply coming in—but she muted the conversation and turned the phone face-down on the table. She couldn't deal with anyone else's opinions, or sympathy, or rage. Not today. She had to hold it together for Kai. And for herself.

She moved on autopilot, folding tiny clothes and zipping up suitcases, checking flight details, packing snacks and games for the long flight ahead. Every task gave her a little bit of structure. Something to lean on.

By the time Kai was up and dressed, bright-eyed and excited to get on the plane, Vanessa managed a smile. A real one, even if it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Ready, little man? We're going to see Dada."

Kai nodded, hugging his stuffed sloth tight. "Zac too?"

Vanessa froze, just for a moment, before crouching to zip up his backpack.

"Not today, sweet pea. But he'll catch up when he can."

Another soft lie. Or maybe a hope.

They headed out to the car, her phone buzzing again and again in her bag. She didn't need to check it to know who it was.

Zac.

She hadn't answered yesterday. She wasn't ready to answer today either.

Not yet.

The airport was chaos.

Vanessa had done her best to prepare—hood up, sunglasses on, Kai tucked close to her side—but it wasn't enough. The second they stepped out of the car, the flashing lights hit them like a wave.

"Vanessa, over here!"

"Where's Zac now—does he know you're flying solo?"

"Is it true he's with the model from Milan?"

"Are you two done for good?"

"Is Kai his kid?!"

Her grip on Kai's hand tightened. His little face crumpled as the shouts grew louder, the cameras closing in. He didn't understand what they were saying, but he understood the energy. The noise. The frenzy.

"Mommy!" he whimpered, burying his face in her coat.

Vanessa bent down, scooping him into her arms and shielding his face with her shoulder. Her voice was low and calm, even though her heart was slamming against her ribs.

"It's okay, baby. I've got you. Just hold on tight."

She didn't look at them. Didn't respond. She just moved forward—one hand wheeling the suitcase, the other wrapped around her son—as security finally stepped in to clear a path through the crowd.

Behind her, phones kept clicking. The questions didn't stop. But she did her best not to flinch.

Her phone buzzed again in her pocket. A call. Zac.

She didn't answer.

Not here. Not like this.

Not when Kai was trembling in her arms.

As they made it past security and into the quieter part of the terminal, she finally sat down in a corner near their gate, rocking Kai gently on her lap. Her jaw was tight, but her eyes stung with tears she refused to let fall.

She stared at her phone.

Ten missed calls. Three texts. All from him.

Zac: Please answer the phone, baby.

Zac: I love you. Please.

Zac: Baby, please talk to me. I swear it's not what it looks like.

Vanessa turned the screen off, pressing her lips to the top of Kai's head.

Meanwhile, Zac was unraveling.

He'd been calling all morning, pacing like a storm trapped indoors. The missed calls, the unread messages—it all clawed at his chest. He hadn't slept. His phone was practically glued to his hand, waiting for any sign that Vanessa had seen his texts.

While Ryan had to head into work, Sian, his partner, stayed when she saw the state Zac was in.

He barely acknowledged her at first, sitting on the edge of the couch, hunched over, running a hand through his already-mussed hair.

"She's not answering," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "She's probably seen the photos. I don't know what to do. I didn't even do anything."

Sian sat beside him, not saying anything at first. She watched him for a beat, then reached out and gently took the phone from his hand.

"Zac," she said softly. "You need to breathe."

"I can't," he said, his voice fraying. "I messed this up so badly, Sian. And the worst part? I didn't even do anything wrong. But now there are headlines, and photographers, and she won't answer, and I just know—"

"Zac."

He finally looked at her, eyes rimmed with exhaustion and panic.

Sian leaned in, grounding her voice with calm authority. "I get that you didn't invite this. But Vanessa's not just protecting herself—she's protecting Kai. That boy means everything to her. If she's not picking up, it's not to punish you—it's because she's shielding him. And right now? You're part of the storm."

Zac dropped his head into his hands. "She was at the airport this morning with him. Paparazzi were everywhere. He was crying. I just saw a video someone tagged me in on Instagram. I didn't even know they were flying out today."

Sian's expression softened. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

"What do I do?" he asked, desperate for someone to guide him.

Sian looked at him, her gaze softening. She could see the pain in his eyes—the kind that only came when you were on the verge of losing something that mattered more than anything.

"Okay," she said, settling beside him. "Let me try."

Zac blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'll text her," Sian said calmly, pulling out her phone. "I might not completely understand the extent of her situation but I have been in similar shoes. Raising a kid alone, navigating a new relationship while juggling everything else—it's a lot. And with the media on top of it? That's a whole other beast. I can't pretend to understand that but I can be a friend if she needs one. Someone away from all the chaos."

Zac swallowed hard, staring at her in silence for a moment. He hadn't considered it that way—Sian had been through so much herself. If anyone could understand how hard this was, it was her.

"I'm not trying to overstep," Sian continued, tapping away on her phone. "But I know how isolating it can feel when everything's falling apart. If she needs me, I'll be there."

Zac nodded, his hands trembling slightly. "Thank you. It'll help. Please. Just… I don't want to screw this up anymore."

Sian typed quickly, her words precise but gentle, reading it aloud as she finished: Hey V, I know things are complicated right now for you both, and I'm not trying to overstep. As someone who's been there, I just thought you could use a friend right now. I'm here to chat whenever you want to. No pressure to respond. I just wanted to give you that option. Take care, love.

She looked at Zac. "How's that?"

Zac's eyes glistened as he exhaled, the weight of it all crashing down on him again. "It's perfect."

Sian hit send, and they both stared at their phones, the room heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Then Sian put her hand on Zac's shoulder. "Now, come on. You want to help me set the table? The kids will be back soon, and I know they wanted to play more videogames with you, so we might as well have an early dinner."

"Okay," said Zac as he followed her, feeling grateful for her support.