The Runaway Mom

Chapter 10

Pops always insists on morning travel, a habit I've inherited. He never arranges flights for the afternoon or plans to explore a new country in the evening. He needs to be there at sunrise, and so do I. That's why we left Desenzano del Garda at four in the morning aboard our jet, Valor. As we approached the shores of Aquilonia's capital city, Harborview, around six o'clock, the soft glow of dawn bathed the landscape. Throughout the flight, my mind kept drifting back to what Para had told me the night before.

There are plenty of blue-eyed Englishmen all across Europe, with ocean-blue eyes to be specific. I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but Pierre Jarvis Pembroke plays sports, his physique matches the description from sperm donor Mr. 1882, and he studied at St. Andrews with a 17.5 GPA, just like him. Any genius could achieve that, so it's not unusual. Yet, when I first met Pierre's gaze, something inside me stirred. It wasn't the same as my attraction to Caspian; it wasn't about liking or love either. Again, that's totally bullshit. There was a deeper, unexplainable connection my instincts recognized, even if my mind didn't.

I'm not interested in Pierre or anyone else besides Caspian himself. Even if he does or doesn't have Maude, I wouldn't feel the same fondness I have for Caspian. That's why it feels strange to have such a strong connection with someone I've only just met. It's also not that I care too much about who the father of my next planned baby after Caspian is. But imagine how awkward it would be if something were to happen and both Caspian and Maude were to find out that the baby's DNA matches Pierre's. Since I want to keep the use of the fertility clinic and the implantation private, they might mistakenly think adultery is involved.

It will be a lengthy process, and there's a chance Caspian could discover everything and potentially seek legal action, including asserting parental rights or custody over our firstborn. Deliberately falsifying DNA evidence or deceiving legal authorities could lead to serious charges such as fraud, perjury, or obstruction of justice, tarnishing the reputation I've worked so hard to build. Depending on the severity and circumstances of the deception in the judge's eyes, there may be civil penalties such as fines or compensation orders, as well as criminal charges that could result in imprisonment.

Courts will prioritize the best interests of the child in custody and visitation decisions, which could be influenced by input from various professionals such as legal counsel, guardians ad litem representing the child's interests, mediators facilitating agreements, social workers conducting assessments, and experts providing evaluations. The deception could significantly impact these decisions, potentially affecting custody arrangements based on the credibility and trustworthiness of the parties involved. I cannot afford to see everything I've built crumble due to a mistake that could portray me in a negative light, making me appear unworthy and jeopardizing all the sacrifices I've made.

Caspian pinches my palm as we step out of the jet, which had just landed in the hangar at Pops' newly purchased house in Harborview. "You are overthinking again, Poppy." We decided to stop here first to get a car before heading to the vineyard later.

"How did you know I am?" I lift my brow.

"I have a sister and a niece, Para, remember?" Caspian remarks, his gaze fixed on her as she walks ahead, matching Pops' pace. "Well, you keep sighing deeply, your muscles are tense, and you're fidgeting with whatever you can find even on the jet earlier. Your facial expressions are tight and worried, and you seem disengaged from the conversation. You've been playing with your pendant," he points out, causing me to quickly withdraw my fingers from my tiny gemstone pendant. It's an eighteen carat green amethyst, a tribute to my birth month as a February baby, something I've had since I was a toddler—Mom gave it to me. Para also has one; hers is a sky blue quartz, symbolizing her as a December Sagittarius. Piper's is an aqua chalcedony, representing her as a March Aries.