He''s staring at me. Intensely.
+20 Bonus
I almost tell him to stop staring, but I don''t-because there''s something in his gaze that gives me pause. Something soft and
tender, simr to the look on his face when he was gazing at that painting earlier. Something that reminds me of the man I once
loved.
It makes me wonder if that man is still inside of him, somewhere, somehow. And maybe he''s just trapped, trapped by this
strange, picture-perfect shell of an Alpha President, and he''s trying to get out.
But that''s ridiculous. Arthur was like this before he officially became the President of Ordan. He was just biding his time, using me for physicalfort while he campaigned, and now he''s only doing this to get that physicalfort back-as well as his heir.
We spend the remainder of the afternoon enjoying the park, and I put on a smile for Miles'' sake. By midday, Miles is exhausted enough to fall asleep in Arthur''s arms, his head lolling against Arthur''s shoulder.
The sight makes my chest ache all over again.
As we make our way back to the car, Arthur turns to me with that look in his eyes.
I know where this is about to go before he even
says it.
"I hope today changed your mind," he says, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Miles. "Let me buy you and our son a bl
big
house. We''ll spend plenty of days just like this."
The thought of more days acting like a happy little family makes my heart flutter, but it also fills me with a sense of dread. Yeah, sure, plenty more days wearing disguises because he can''t bring himself to have a human mate.
"I already said no, Arthur," I reiterate, crossing my arms. "I''m financially stable on my own, and I like our new apartment. And
besides, Miles is my son, not yours."
Arthur''s jaw clenches, and he looks like he''s about to say something else. But just then, his phone buzzes in his pocket, and he
pulls it out to nce at the caller ID.
"Selina," he answers the phone, and just the sound of her name on his lips makes my blood pressure spike. "Yeah, I''ll be there. I
just need to finish wrapping something up. See you soon."
Wrapping something up. Like Miles and I are an errand.
He hangs up the phone and turns to me, opening his mouth as if to make some excuse, but I hold my hand up. "Your fiancee needs you. And I need to get Miles home."
again, 1
Arthur stares at me for a moment, but then nods and carefully buckles the still- sleeping Miles into his car seat. Once a can''t help but wonder if Arthur and Selina are nning on having a child, and that''s why he just so happens to have a car seat and
a child-sized hat, but I quickly push the thoughts away.
+20 Bonus
It''s not long before we''re pulling up in front of the apartment again. I get Miles out myself, cradling him against my chest as I
hesitate on the sidewalk.
"Thanks,” I say, chewing my lip. "For today. I''m sure Miles appreciates it."
Arthur nces at the sleeping boy in my arms, then at me, and for the briefest of moments, there''s that tender look in his eyes
again. But it''s gone just as quickly as it came, and with no more than a curt nod and a gruff, "Goodbye, Iris," he gets back in his
car and pulls away.
I don''t wait for him to be out of sight before I head inside. But only once I''m alone, Miles still out cold in my arms, do I finally let
out the shuddering breath I''ve been holding. When I blink, and the mirror on the entryway wall materializes before me, I realize
that my vision clouded with tears at some point.
And staring back at me is my reflection, still wearing that stupid baseball hat.
If only today could have been real. If only we could have gone
away from us.
Then it might have been perfect.
out, a happy little family, no disguises, no Selina pulling Arthur
But that''s not the case. None of it was real, and I know that Arthur only did any of
this to get what he wants, nothing more. He
can''t even be his true self with us his face must be a perfect mask.
Wearing the same smile he carefully crafted for the cover of that magazine.
Perfect, poised, and hollow.