Grayson Pierce and Eloise Caldwell novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Who Is Your Son’s Father?

Eloise had expected Beckett’s question and already had an answer ready. “It’s nothing serious. I worked at the Ucrevine branch of VirtuFusion Group for a while.

“And Mr. Pierce was there training at the same time. We were colleagues briefly. But back then, I had no idea he was the heir to the Pierce family.”

“Is that so?” Beckett still sounded doubtful.

“Yes,” Eloise replied.

“Then why does your son look so much like him?” Beckett pressed further.

Eloise flinched, her eyes wide with shock. “Mr. Hayes, please don’t say things like that. How could my son possibly look like Mr. Pierce? Not at all. If Mr. Pierce heard that, he’d think I was trying to latch onto him.”

Beckett had met Noah the year before last in Ucrevine. Noah had been sick and couldn’t go to preschool that day. With no one to watch him at home, Eloise had brought him to the office, where Beckett had seen him.

Beckett knew Eloise had a son. He had even held Noah and played with him for a bit back then. Honestly, Noah didn’t look much like Grayson. He looked far more like Eloise.

Beckett stared at Eloise without blinking, as if trying to see right through her. “Who is your son’s father?” he asked. He knew Eloise wasn’t married.

Eloise’s voice was steady. “Mr. Hayes, that’s my private business. I don’t want to discuss it.”

“Fine, I won’t ask for a name. Is the boy’s father dead or alive?” Beckett didn’t let up.

Eloise went quiet, thinking for a long moment before answering, “Dead.”

‘That’s not exactly a lie. I have no plan to ever let Noah meet Grayson anyway. Grayson will get married one day and have children of his own. Noah only belongs to me,’ she thought.

Beckett was silent for a while, and then finally waved a hand. “You can go.”

*****

It had been drizzling for days in Ekloland. Just as Eloise finished her work, the rain began to pour down. She hadn’t brought an umbrella.

On days like this, catching a cab was always a struggle. She tried the ride app a few times, but no driver accepted the request.

Looking at the heavy rain, Eloise took a deep breath and ran to the bus stop. By the time she reached it, her suit jacket had been soaked through. She took it off and hung it over her arm, left only in her white shirt.

The rain slowed the buses to a crawl. Eloise sat on the bench at the stop, waiting. Suddenly, a black Maybach pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Beckett’s handsome face. “Get in,” he said.

Eloise shook her head. “It’s fine, Mr. Hayes. I’ll take the bus.”

“In weather like this at rush hour, you’ll be waiting ages for the bus,” Beckett said.

Remembering she had to pick up her son from Juliette’s, Eloise didn’t refuse any longer.

She picked up her bag, walked over, and opened the passenger door. She wouldn’t let her boss act like her driver, so she sat up front.

She had just settled in when a series of impatient honks erupted from behind them. Beckett glanced back. It was a limited-edition Bentley. Anyone driving a car like that in Ekloland wasn’t just anyone.

Beckett figured it was probably some rich kid who’d taken his dad’s car out for a spin. Part of him wanted to get out and say something, but he thought better of it. Arguing in the rain would only block traffic.

Eloise fastened her seatbelt. “Mr. Hayes, could you drop me off at Lakehouse Apartments?”

Beckett started the car and asked casually, “Do you live there?”

“No, a friend of mine does. She’s been looking after my son. I’m going to pick him up,” Eloise answered truthfully. Beckett knew how tough it was for Eloise to raise a child alone and work full-time.

He was driving steadily when the Bentley suddenly cut in front of him, making him hit the brakes. He frowned and muttered, “What is this guy doing? Does he even know how to drive?”

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