Baby Maker

Chapter 18

The next morning proved that the night before's sweet moment with Jax was just the calm before the next storm, and it stormed a lot since I met Jax. All hell broke loose while I was sleeping apparently. Jax couldn't leave the house because of reporters swamping the front gates of his home and the Signa building. News of the engagement suddenly not being announced spread overnight, and in the morning, everyone seemed to be in a frenzy. When I came downstairs, Jax was busy on a phone call and his laptop. It looked like he didn't even sleep. Esther made sure to catch me up on the situation as soon as I woke up.

"Have you eaten yet?" I asked Jax as he ended the call. He sighed before pulling at his hair.

"I've been too busy," he answered quickly before answering his ringing phone. I went to the kitchen and fixed a plate for him before setting it on the coffee table in front of him. He gave me a small smile before turning his attention back to his call.

"I'll handle all of that when I'm able to make it back to the office. For now, tighten the security on the office and my home. I want these reporters out of my yard. I have to go for now. I'm turning off my phone so email me only if it's urgent," Jax said before hanging up. He pat the seat next to me before picking up the plate. I sat on the couch as he took a bite of his food.

"I'm only shutting my phone off because I know you'll fuss at me if I don't eat. People have been fussing at me since early this morning, but at lease with your fussing, I don't mind," he said in between bites. The moment felt bittersweet. His words were easy and carefree, but we were still in the middle of a huge mess.

"How are you going to handle this?" I asked out of curiosity.

"My father unexpectedly fell ill and I received the news right before we were about to make the announcement. Until my father gets better, the engagement announcement is on hold," he recited with a sigh.

"Is he in the hospital... really?" I asked. Jax nodded before swallowing his food.

"He's sitting in the VIP ward as we speak but nothing is wrong with him. It was all his idea after all. It's all a cover up to save face while they try to figure out the situation. We have to go to the hospital to talk to him this evening. But of course, because of all the eyes on us right now, he wants to be sure we'll come separately. Me going first to have the eyes on me so you can leave the house without suspicion," he explained. He set his plate down before he sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"I know this is hard on you, too," I said as I put my hand over his hesitantly. He stared at my hand for a moment before he turned it over to lace his fingers with mine.

"Min, this is one of the many reasons I love you," he smiled lightly.

"You shouldn't say such things so lightly," I said, trying to hide my blush. I moved to pull my hand away but he stopped me.

"I'm not saying it lightly. I mean it. I think I have an idea that will protect you both, but it needs time. For now, we lay low and play along," he tried to assure me. I sighed myself before pulling my hand out of his.

"It's hard enough already, Jax, and if by some miracle you figure out a way to protect us both, have you thought about the aftermath? Suddenly going from an heiress to... well, me, your business will most likely suffer the consequences. Your parents have made it very clear that they couldn't care less about love. They would never accept me into your family. Holidays, birthdays, events, and parties... all of them would be tense if I even attended. I don't fit into your world at all. I don't attend galas and spend thousands of dollars on clothes and accessories. I wouldn't know how to survive. I'd most likely end up just like this: stuck here, at the house, locked away from the rest of society. Only, it would probably be by my own preference," I tried to paint the picture I could see so clearly.

"You're overthinking it. My plan will get my parents to warm up to you as well. As for everything else, my business may drop a few points for a while but it won't be enough to bankrupt us. Parties, I rarely attend them myself. For every obstacle, I will think of one hundred solutions," he responded. Jax has an answer for everything. That alone backed me into a corner where I had no option but to face my own feelings, and what I truly wanted.

"Let's see how your plan pans out first," I said hesitantly. He smirked before finally letting go of my hand and standing. He left before coming back with two folders of papers. After sitting back down, he handed a folder to me. Opening it, it was our contract. I glanced at him curiously before reading over the contract. These copies weren't signed.

"You added a clause," I noticed. Jax nodded.

"If Party B feels the environment of living is unsafe or unsuitable at any time for either herself or her child, she reserves the right to pull herself or the child out of the house with no repercussions. Once the danger of the environment is proven unsuitable, Party B can choose not to let Party A raise the child, and the child can not be taken away from Party B. However, Party A will still pay living expenses to Party B in order to raise the child without any external issues," Jax recited from memory.

"When did you do this?" I asked as I looked up front the contracts.

"In between phone calls this morning. Trust me... and sign it," he replied. The clause had no downside for me. If anything, it was a potential wild card I could use later. I signed both copies before handing them back to Jax. He held up the other folder he was holding.

"The originals will be burned. I'll have this notarized when I can make it to the office and it'll be as if the first contract never happened. For the next step of my plan, we just need to wait for Siobhan to make her inevitable move," Jax explained. I was starting to get the picture. Siobhan, being as against our child as she was, would prioritize herself over Sterling. She would do what she had been doing the entire time. She would come for me, and when she did, I would have the option to leave. The only thing that would keep the family heir in the family would be Jax's feelings for me. They would have no choice but to leave me alone. It was genius.