Alessia’s frown deepened, the weight of Zoey’s cryptic words settling heavily in her chest. Her sharp eyes locked onto Zoey’s as she leaned slightly forward in her chair.
“What do you mean by that?” Alessia asked, her voice steady but laced with tension.
Zoey gave a nonchalant shrug, her expression cool and unreadable. “Nothing much,” she said, her tone almost too casual. “Just that your daughter isn’t his. He’s nice to step up, you know?”
Alessia’s heart skipped a beat, and a wave of unease washed over her. Her stomach churned as the room suddenly felt too small. “Excuse me?” Alessia said, her voice louder now, trembling slightly. “How do you know about my daughter?”
Zoey smirked faintly, her tired eyes suddenly gleaming with something unsettling. “Oh, I know a lot more than you think,” she said, crossing her legs as if she had all the time in the world.
Alessia’s blood ran cold. She stood abruptly, her hands gripping the edge of her desk. “Answer me, Zoey. How do you know about Avery?”
Zoey leaned back in her chair, seemingly unfazed by Alessia’s growing panic. “Relax,” she said smoothly. “I’ve done my homework. When I found out Theo was married, I looked into you. And it didn’t take long to figure out that you have a little girl.”
Alessia’s jaw tightened, her breathing uneven. “You had no right to look into my life.”
Zoey shrugged again, brushing an imaginary speck of dust off her lap. “Maybe not. But I had to know what kind of life Theo was living now. And, well… you’ve made it clear he’s been playing the role of daddy quite well.”
Alessia clenched her fists, her voice icy. “Avery is none of your business, Zoey. She’s my daughter, and Theo has been nothing but an incredible father to her.”
Zoey’s smirk widened slightly, and she tilted her head as if sizing Alessia up. “Incredible, huh? That’s sweet. But don’t you wonder? About the timeline, about how quickly he stepped into that role?”
Alessia’s heart raced, but she refused to let Zoey see her uncertainty. “What are you trying to say?” she demanded. “Spit it out.”
“I’m just saying,” Zoey said with a mocking tone, “it’s interesting how quickly Theo embraced fatherhood with a child that isn’t biologically his.”
“That’s enough,” Alessia snapped, slamming her palms onto the desk. Her voice trembled with both anger and fear. “You don’t know anything about my family, Zoey. So, stop trying to twist things. Avery is our daughter, and Theo loves her more than anything.”
Zoey’s smirk faltered for a moment, and she seemed to consider Alessia’s words. But then she stood, straightening her blazer with an air of superiority. “If you say so,” she said, her tone dismissive. “But secrets have a funny way of coming to light, don’t they?”
Alessia took a step around the desk, closing the space between them. “If you have something to say, then say it,” she challenged, her eyes blazing. “Because I’m done playing games.”
Zoey stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing her options. Then she gave a small, almost pitying smile. “You’re protective. I respect that. But maybe you should ask Theo how much he really knows about his little family.”
The Conversation Ends
Before Alessia could respond, Zoey turned and walked toward the door. Her movements were slow, deliberate, as if she enjoyed leaving Alessia in suspense. Just as she reached for the handle, she glanced back over her shoulder.
“You’re lucky, you know,” she said softly, her tone suddenly devoid of malice. “Theo’s a good man. He’ll do right by you and your daughter, no matter what.”