The Secret Billionaire

Chapter 45

ERIS

I was making breakfast when I heard the little footsteps running into the kitchen.
"Eris!" Elijah hugged my leg, and I smiled.
"Elijah! What are you doing up so early?" I looked down at him. "And why are you not wearing a diaper?"
"That's because he ran away before I could put it on him," Alana came walking in with a diaper in her hand. Elijah giggled and ran away from her again.
"I swear he is getting faster every day, and I am tired of running after him," She stood next to me with a hand on her hip as she watched him run in circles.
"You could just leave him like that, but you're going to clean up after him," Her eyes widened, and she ran after him. She caught him, and his laughter filled the room. She put on the diaper and put him down. I turned off the stove and put the last of the eggs in a bowl.
"Breakfast is ready," I set up the table, and she sat him down in his chair.
"Is Emma still asleep?" She nodded and served herself some breakfast.
"I think I want to move. Hearing you and Nathan go at it is not fun," She laughed. "Does that mean he won't kill Mathew?"
"I told him not to. I hope he listens,"
She took a few bites of her food and looked up at me.
"Was what you said true?"
"What part of it?" I asked without looking up.
"The kiss, was it a mistake? Is that how you really feel about it?"
"Mathew made it clear it was an accident," I muttered, playing around with the food on my plate.
"But, is that how you feel about it?"
Mathew undoubtedly sparked something inside me. I don't. All my feelings were complicated right now.
"I don't know," I sighed.
"Do you think it's Nathan's fault we are in this dangerous situation?" I finally met her eyes and shook my head.
"I was angry. He wasn't being fair to Mathew. The things I said were brutal."
"But true. He knew Crystal wasn't a good employee. His mistakes are coming up to haunt him,"
I wonder what deal he made for someone to hold a grudge for that long. Elijah threw a piece of bacon at Alana, and she gasped.
"Elijah! We don't play with the food," He giggled and threw some at me.
"Oh no, you did not just do that!" I laughed and threw a small piece of eggs at him.
"Eris! You're teaching him th-" I interrupted Alana's discipline toward me as I threw a piece of bacon that smacked her face.
"That's not funny!" She threw a pancake at my face and laughed. "Now that's funny!"
Elijah scattered his food everywhere, and I shook my head. He threw his eggs up, which landed all over his high chair.
"Such a shame for good food to go to waste,"
Elijah stopped laughing and stuffed some of the eggs in his mouth. My stomach dropped when I heard his voice. I turned around and saw Nathan and Mathew standing by the doorway.
"You're home early," Lana laughed nervously. "You left an hour ago,"
"We weren't going to be out for long," Nathan walked over to me and kissed my cheek. "Strawberry syrup," He licked his lips. "Delicious,"
A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered yesterday's events. Mathew avoided eye contact with me and headed toward the fridge.
"I'll clean up," Alana stood up.
"I can help you," I picked up Elijah, and he started laughing again.
"You got us in trouble," I tickled him as I took him to the restroom to get cleaned up.

~

The nice thing about this place is that it has a spacious backyard. It was all fenced up, but it had a nice place to sit and relax. I shivered as another breeze hit me and groaned. I should've brought something thicker than the sweater out here. I heard the back door open, and I didn't bother to turn around. I felt a nice fluffy blanket wrap around my shoulders, and I sighed.
"Thank you," I looked up to see Mathew standing there with his hands in his pockets.
"Can I?" He motioned at the spot next to me, and I nodded.
"Did Nathan leave?" I didn't look at him.
"He is watching us like a hawk. He was about to bring you the blanket when I asked if I could do it instead,"
"How come?"
He shivered, and I looked at him. He was looking at the sky.
"Are you okay?" He asked, closing his eyes, and I cleared my throat.
"I'm fine," I wrapped the blanket tighter around me to block out the wind.
"I'm sorry" He looked down at me, and I looked away.
"What do you have to be sorry about?"
"For throwing out my feelings about you the way I did. I confused you,"
"You weren't the only one who expressed their feelings," I finally turned to look at him. His eyes looked lighter outside. Almost hazelnut in color. He glanced over his shoulder and chuckled.
"Did you mean it, though?" He smirked."When you said it didn't mean anything?"
"Did you? When you said it was a mistake?"
He shook his head.
"I'll get over it. I'll find myself, someone to love one day just like you two love each other,"
The tone in his voice was different from usual. I didn't recognize the look in his eye.
"I hope whoever it is, understands how lucky she is," My voice was shaky. My eyes got watery, and I blinked them away.
"Eris," He said. I shook my head and stood up.
"It's freezing. I'm heading inside, and I think you should too. I don't want you to get sick,"
I walked away, and I heard him following close behind. I noticed Nathan standing by the back door, and he opened it as soon as I got close enough.
"I'll be in the room. Warming up," I shivered, and he nodded. I heard their distinct voices talking behind me as I went to our room.