Alessia pulled into the daycare parking lot, taking a deep breath as she turned off the car. She glanced back at Avery, who was happily chewing on the ear of her favorite stuffed bunny. Despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling in her head, Avery’s giggles brought a brief moment of peace.
“Okay, sweetheart,” Alessia said, unbuckling her daughter from her car seat. “Time to have some fun with Miss Linda and your friends.”
Avery babbled something unintelligible in response, flashing a toothy grin. Alessia carried her inside, exchanged pleasantries with the staff, and kissed her daughter goodbye before heading back out to her car. As she drove to work, her mind wandered to Theo and the conversation they’d had the night before. The idea that he might have a child—a secret child—still felt surreal, but Theo’s promise to investigate further gave her a glimmer of hope that things might settle soon.
Arriving at the office, Alessia walked in with a determined air, her heels clicking on the polished floors. Natalie looked up from her desk, her face hesitant.
“She’s back,” Natalie said softly.
Alessia’s stomach sank. “Zoey?”
Natalie nodded. “She’s in your office.”
Without another word, Alessia pushed open the door to her office.
Zoey sat in one of the chairs, looking much worse than she had during their first meeting. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and dark circles shadowed her eyes. She looked up as Alessia entered, her expression guarded but hopeful.
“Have you talked to him?” Zoey asked, her voice subdued.
Alessia closed the door behind her and walked to her desk, setting her bag down with deliberate slowness. “I did,” she said, her tone measured.
Zoey’s lips curved into a faint, weary smile. “Thank you,” she said, her voice tinged with emotion. “That means a lot.”
Alessia sat down, folding her hands on the desk in front of her. “Why are you here, Zoey? I already told you I spoke to Theo. Now it’s up to him to decide what happens next.”
Zoey nodded but didn’t look away. “I know. I just… I wanted to say thank you in person. My daughter has been asking about her father for a long time.”
Alessia’s brow furrowed. “Your daughter?” she repeated, her voice sharp with surprise.
Zoey nodded, her tired eyes meeting Alessia’s. “Yes. Her name is Elle.”
For a moment, Alessia felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. A daughter. She had spent the last 24 hours reeling from the idea that Theo might have a child, but now, learning it was a little girl, she felt the weight of the revelation hit her anew.
“I didn’t know it was a girl,” Alessia said quietly, her voice trembling slightly despite her efforts to stay composed.
Zoey tilted her head, a faint shadow of a smile tugging at her lips. “You didn’t ask.”
Alessia swallowed hard, her mind racing. “Theo didn’t know either. I mean… if this is true, he didn’t even know she existed.”
Zoey exhaled slowly, her fingers fiddling with the strap of her bag. “I know. I wasn’t expecting him to. But Elle…” Her voice cracked slightly, and she took a moment to collect herself. “She’s been asking questions. About why she doesn’t have a dad like her friends do. I’ve run out of excuses, Alessia. She deserves to know where she comes from.”
Zoey leaned back in her chair, her exhaustion giving way to something sharper. “He’ll finally have his own child now,” she said, her tone brittle. “Something that’s actually his.”