Umbrella

1|PI

"That was amazing Michael" A naked model whispered into his ears.
"My pleasure" he mummbled.

This was the usual scenario. Wake up, find a hot model, and then screw them.

Michael loved not being held down and the freedom he gained after divorcing his wife four years back. He was now able to do whatever, whenever.

But he did regret everything. He loved that woman more than the moon loves the sun. He promised to never hurt her and to always be there for her.

That was obviously not the case. Four years back, that woman found the naughty messages Michael was sending to others and the sextapes.

Michael never knew the reason for an empty closet and divorce papers the morning after but he figured that was the case. He was devastated and turned to alcohol for support.

Years later, he became a major player appearing on almost every magazine with his latest scandals.

What Michael doesn't know is that, that woman had his child months later, a little girl named Lauren that she has been raising with her new lover.

That woman's name is Marissa. She was the most heartbroken of the two after witnessing what her husband did when she was not home. What hurt her the most was the fact that she was about to reveal her pregnancy.

A baby was something Marissa believed she would never have. She was clinically infertile and knew she would never be able to give her husband a child. That was until she volunteered for a clinical trial that gave her fertility. She did it all for her husband.

"It's negative" Marissa said looking down at the stick on her hands.

It's been almost a year and still no baby.

"It's not the end of the world Mari. We can keep trying" Michael reassured her before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Marissa cried herself to sleep that night. She always dreamt of feeling a baby kick inside of her, she wanted to see their first steps, hear their first words. She wanted to be a mother.

Most of all, she wanted Michael to father her babies.

"Michael?" Marissa whispered as they laid in bed.
"Yes?" He responded.
"What if we can't have a baby?"
"I can live with that" He begin. "I just can't live without you"

--

"Cancel all my interviews for today" Michael told his assistant over the phone.

Today, he had bigger issues. A while back, Michael hired a PI to find Marissa's location. Ever since she left, all Michael wanted was to get her back.

Today, the PI finally came through and gave Michael the exact coordinates.

"She's not alone sir" The PI spoke. "She's with a man and a child"

Michael's heart sank.

"Send me a picture" Michael said.

After a few seconds, his phone pinged.

The picture showed Marissa smiling at the man next to her, Lincoln, as he holds Lauren on his hips.

"The kid looks just like her" Michael unconsciously said out loud.
"Mirror-image sir" The PI responded.

Michael's eyes searched the surroundings of the picture before he settled on Marissa. Her curves were even more defined and wider than before and she looked genuinely happy with the man next to her.

But most of all, she was even more beautiful than before. As if that was even possible. Her hair was shorter but fuller and her face became more defined.

It was as if she was getting more beautiful by the day.

"Thank you" Michael said to the PI before hanging up.

There was no doubt in Michael's mind that the child belong to Marissa. What he wasn't sure about was who the father was.

Common sense pointed to Lincoln but he felt like something was off.

Michael texted his PI and commanded a background check on the girl. He wasn't sure why he wanted to know so much about a random child but deep down he wished that somehow the girl was his.

-- 

"I managed to pull up the child's birth certificate sir" The PI began.
"Carry on" Michael said.
"Her birth name was Lauren Costello but later changed to Lauren Monroe when a man named Lincoln adopted her. She's four, born March 3, 2013 in the afternoon. The biological father is not listed" He finished.

Michael sighed.

His questions have yet to be answered and he was growing impatient.