Chapter 25 - Jealousy

Troy's POV

"Yes. I will arrive in twenty minutes." I informed Kate while walking down the stairs.

I planned to talk to Kate about our relationship. I couldn't continue it anymore; especially now.

I stopped my step as I noticed Liam in the living room drawing something in his sketchbook. He looked so concentrated that he hadn't noticed my presence. I approached him quietly, resting my hand in my pocket.

"Who is this mysterious girl of yours?" I asked, grinning, and looked at his sketchbook.

He instantly closed it and mumbled nervously. "No one."

I looked at him, confused while rubbing my chin. Why did he hide it? He hadn't hidden his drawings before. Liam never minded when we looked at them; he often showed his drawings to us himself.

Maybe, she is someone I know. Who was she? Could she be...Rose? I gritted my teeth angrily.

No, get a grip, Troy! There isn't anything between them.... I hope so.

I breathed deeply, trying to calm down, and asked nonchalantly, trying to control my voice. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat as he stood up, holding his sketchbook in his hand. "I have to go. I have a photoshoot." He said and left quickly without letting me say anything.

***

I was sipping my coffee while waiting for Kate, lost in my thoughts.

"Hey, Troy." Kate greeted me, interrupting my thoughts, and planted a chaste kiss on my lips, catching me off guard.

"Hi." I gave her a lazy smile.

After the waitress had brought her order, she left, leaving us alone.

"How is Alec?" I asked as I took a sip from my coffee.

"Fine. Rose took him to the park." She replied, giving me a warm smile.

I nodded, smiling, and cleared my throat. "Umm... Yesterday, Rose looked upset. Is everything okay?" I asked, trying to control my voice.

She sighed and took a sip from her latte. "She had a fight with Dad because of Alec." She replied, shaking her head.

"Alec? What did he do to make your father angry? But he isn't a naughty child." I asked in curiosity.

"More correctly, his father." She replied as she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Rose doesn't tell who his father is. Dad is angry because of it, and because Alec was born out of wedlock."

"Umm...Don't you know who Alec's father is?" I asked nervously and bit my lower lip.

"No, she didn't tell me anything about him either when I asked. Rose told me she didn't want to talk about him." She replied, shrugged her shoulders.

I nodded and rubbed my neck, thinking. I remembered what Alec told me about his father. If the baby daddy wasn't someone who Steven knew, why should keep his identity a secret?! All of these were making me sure of my suspicion. But maybe, she didn't want Steven to go after him and do something bad to him. I sighed, running my hand through my hair.

"That is enough talking about Rose. Tell me what you wanted to talk about. I suppose it wasn't related to my sister and her son. Your voice sounded serious." She said, worried as she grabbed my hand resting on the table and squeezed it slightly.

"Yes..." I took a deep breath, pulling my hand away, and rubbed my neck nervously. "I want to talk about something else." I entwined my hands together and cleared my throat. "Kate, I...."

Suddenly, her phone rang, interrupting me.

Fuck! I cursed with my inner voice and gritted my teeth.

She grabbed her phone and looked at the screen.

"Excuse me, I have to pick up. It is my father." She informed, giving me an apologetic look. I nodded, forcing a smile.

After hanging up her phone, she said, "Troy, I have to leave urgently. Our important client has some problem which needs my intervention." She stood up, grabbing her bag and phone. "I am sorry. Could we talk later?" She asked, giving me an apologetic look.

"Sure." I mumbled as I stood up. After paying the bill, we left the cafe.

***

I was working in my office when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and my mother walked in, giving me a warm smile.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" I asked, smiling at her as I stood up and approached her.

"Aspen and I are going to have lunch. I wanted to see you before we leave." She replied and kissed my cheek.

"Would you like to drink something?" I asked as I suggested that she sat down.

"No, thank you." She refused as she sat down on a vacant seat beside my desk. "This morning, I had a meeting with Rose. She looked strange... Timid. Do you know what happened?" She asked, concerned.

"Umm..." I mumbled and cleared my throat, rubbing my neck. "No. Maybe, some problem at work." I replied, but I couldn't stop myself from getting worried.

"She looked sad yesterday when she and Alec left suddenly." My mother commented. "And I felt some tension between Steven and her. He was even cold towards Alec." She added, thinking.

"Umm... Kate told me that there is some problem between them." I confirmed and sighed, running my hand through my hair.

"Yes, I guessed. But why did he act cold towards the poor child? Alec is his own grandson." My mother stated in disapproval.

I nodded and bit my lower lip, thinking. "Kate said he didn't approve of Rose giving birth to him out of wedlock." I said and shook my head in disbelief.

"But it isn't that boy's fault that his father isn't in the picture." My mother commented angrily. "Rose told me that she isn't in touch with Alec's father. She didn't talk about him much. I hate men who don't take responsibilities. She has to raise her son alone while that prick probably spends his days with different women." She added in frustration.

I cleared my throat in uneasiness and rubbed my neck. "Maybe, he doesn't know." I mumbled and bit my lower lip.

"Or he preferred to run away from his responsibilities." My mother resumed bitterly. "But I think she still has feelings towards that man." She added and sighed, shaking her head.

"Umm... Are you sure?" I asked in curiosity and bit my lower lip nervously.

I didn't know if I should be happy or not; of course, it depended on who was Alec's father. As much as I had a lot of proof that he was mine, I couldn't be sure before she told me.

I sighed, depressed. I needed to find out about it as soon as possible.

"Yes. I saw it in her eyes. But he broke her heart badly. Poor girl!" My mother replied sadly and shook her head. I looked away without saying anything, lost in my thoughts as I clenched my fist.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and opened it. It was my father.

"Sunshine, I am ready. We can leave." My father informed my mother without walking in.

"Great. Let's go." My mother said softly as she stood up, grabbing her bag, and approached me. I smiled as I stood up and kissed her cheek, giving her a hug. "See you later, my boy." She added, giving me a warm smile as she pulled back.

"See you." I gave her a warm smile.

She approached my father with a tender smile on her face; he rested his hand on her lower back as he waved at me and led her out.

***

When I went to the mansion to talk to my father about what Mr. Carter suggested to me in the meeting, I heard Liam talking on the phone in the living room. He looked worried, and he was almost begging someone while his back was towards me.

"Please. No one will know... Yes, but I miss you... Don't do it to us... No...Yes... Please, just listen to me... I can't avoid you.... We need to talk especially after what happened in Paris." He pleaded and rubbed his neck nervously. "Great... I will send you the information after I book the room in the hotel.... It will be better if we stay away from curious eyes. You told me you don't want anyone to see us... Fine. See you soon." He said, excited and hung up the phone.

I instantly walked away from the living room, lost in my thoughts. It couldn't be Rose. No, there couldn't be anything between them. But Paris... And they were so close. No! No! I clenched my fist angrily while gritting my teeth.

Suddenly, I heard the door closing. I took a deep breath and left.

I have to know! And if I see Liam with my Rose, no one can save him from my hands.