Chapter 25.

"You look so glum. Morning sickness?"

Xavier asked as he picked up his cup of coffee and Amelia shook her head. She had been taking a lot of meds to suppress her morning sickness.

"No, I just have a lot on my mind."

She murmured as she played around with the food on her plate. Xavier turned around to look at her with a concerned look on his face.

"What's that? Is it about the baby?"

"No, it's not."

Amelia answered after a while. She pulled her dressing gown closer to herself as she slouched in her chair.

"Then what is it?"

He pestered as she reached out for her hand but she drew away.

"If I tell you, you'll think I'm being silly."

She said as she looked away and Xavier chuckled.

"You know I'd never think that. So what happened?"

Amelia shrugged.

"It's just that I've been thinking a lot lately. About a lot of things. What if Daphne fooled us?"

"In what way?"

Xavier asked with confusion etched on his face.

"Well, what if she fooled us in so many ways? The DNA test for example. Is it possible it could have been tampered with?"

"Where is this coming from?"

Amelia shrugged.

"It's just coming from a place of concern. Sometimes I feel like she's just playing us. And I can't help but be mad at her."

"Amelia..."

Xavier started but she raised a hand to shush him.

"I'm not in the mood for anything you're about to say in favour of her."

There was a long pause on the table before Xavier signed.

"What do you want Amelia?"

He asked and she looked up at him.

"Well, sometimes, I want you to just trust me..."

"I do..."

"Yes, I know you do, but sometimes it feels like you're too trusting when it comes to Daphne. Just trust my gut instincts sometimes. They're never wrong."

"So, your gut instincts tell you that Daphne's baby is not mine?"

Xavier asked and Amelia frowned at his tone. There was something mocking about it that she didn't like.

"Forget I mentioned it. It's stupid."

She said as she picked up her cup of tea and sipped a little.

Xavier came over to her chair and wrapped his arms around her. She held his arms and rested in his embrace.

He kissed her neck tenderly and she closed her eyes to revel in the pleasure.

"I hear pregnant women go through mood swings and all that stuff. Is this a mood swing?"

Xavier asked and Amelia raised her eyebrow.

"Where did you hear that?"

Xavier shrugged as he stroked her hair.

"Just one article online."

"Ohh! I thought we agreed we'll read those kinds of things together?"

She asked and Xavier smiled.

"I know, I know. But it stumbled into my inbox and I couldn't help reading it."

Amelia smiled. Xavier was so excited about the baby, she even felt he was way more excited about it the her. He was always talking her random facts about the baby, things like that and what not. She found it cute.

"Do you know our baby is roughly the size of a pea right now?"

He asked and Amelia looked up at him with frown.

"That small?"

She exclaimed and he nodded as she pulled a chair and sat next to her.

"Yes, it's very tiny right now. Anyways I aso stumbled on an app that tracks the baby's progress, everything baby and mama."

"Ohhh! I want!"

Amelia said as Xavier launched into a conversation about their pea sized baby. She loved how his eyes lit up in obvious joy when he talked about their baby or what he would do or plan to do about their baby. It always made her so happy and satisfied that they were both happy and on the same page about their baby.

Xavier left for work a few hours after, much later than he had planned to and Amelia walked towards the staff quarter with renewed purpose. It had been a tough inner battle wondering whether or not she should tell Xavier about Lorenzo Cumson. She loved her husband and she hated keeping things from him, especially something as huge as the paternity of Daphne's baby but she needed to be sure it was all true.

She needed to be sure that it wasn't all a hoax. And knowing Xavier, she knew he wouldn't hesitate to confront Daphne and ask her about what was going on, something that would definitely draw Daphne's attention to them.

They had always promised to tell each other things and so far Amelia had abided with the promise, but she needed a few days to figure things out before involving Xavier.


"Mrs Black! What are you doing here?"

Milli said as she stood up from her bed startled. Amelia smiled at her as she looked around the small room. The sheets on the bed were a light pink with embroidered flowers and there was a small and old frame on the dresser alongside a few bottles of perfumes. Amelia remembered how bland it looked like the last time she was in the room. Looking at the room, it looked plain but with more than enough personal effects. Millie seemed to have settled back in the room nicely.

"I just came to say hi. And of course, have a serious talk with you."

She said she stood uncomfortably in the room as Millie watched her closely with alert eyes.

"I want to thank you again for letting me come back, It's been such a pleasure. I knew you would..."

"Yea, you're welcome."

Amelia said as she slowly bit her teeth, if only Millie knew that she didn't want her back, she was just using her as a means to get more info on Daphne.

"I'm happy you have finally seen that I'm innocent of all you accused me of."

"Innocent?!!" Amelia asked startled as she raised her voice and Millie looked at her with a confused expression on her face.

"You're far from innocent Millie."

She replied with a chuckle as Millie even began to look more confused.

"But... But... Isn't that why you want me back?"

Amelia shook her head.

"Nope. Let's just cut to the chase shall we?"

Amelia said as she sat down next to Millie on her bed. The bed was comfortable, not as comfortable as hers in the master's bedroom but it reminded her of her college dorm room.

"I know you've been working with Daphne. Now, before you lie about that... You have two options!"

She gestured as she turned to Millie with a stern look.

"One, you can lie about it and face the consequences. Or two! You can confess everything and get far away from here with money and the freedom to do whatever the hell you want."

"Mrs Black..." Millie whispered in a small voice as she looked down  unwilling to meet Amelia's stern glare.

"I'd repeat that again, a little differently this time."

"I have proof that you're working as a spy for Daphne. This evidence is the kind that makes you go to jail. Now, if you choose to lie about it, you might as well be putting yourself in handcuffs."

"So, what's it going to be? Are you willing to tell the truth now?"

She asked and Millie stated trembling as tears fell from her eyes freely. Amelia sighed as she looked away, why the hell was Millie crying?

"I did work with Mrs Daphne. But not in the way you think..."

"In what way did you work with Daphne?"

Amelia pestered.

"You have to promise that you won't send me to jail when I tell you. You'll not press charges and you'll let me go. I only did as she told me."

Amelia nodded.

"If you are willing to cooperate, with me, you can be rest assured that you won't suffer the same fate that woman will. Only if you're willing to work with us."

Millie nodded her head slowly after hearing the seriousness in Amelia's voice.

"Okay. I'll tell you everything."

And that was how Millie narrated everything, from how Daphne had approached her a few months ago requesting for information in exchange for money when Amelia had just arrived in California with Xavier and his Nana as newly weds.

She was the one who let Daphne in when Xavier had arrived back home from the hospital after hearing of Nana's death. She had let her in despite Xavier giving out a strict warning that he would like to be left alone.

She had also eavesdropped on Xavier and Amelia conversations on several occasions, especially when Amelia was picking out a DNA centre. She was also the one who gave Daphne access to Amelia's laptop.

Amelia was in shock as she watched Millie recounting everything she had done in favour of Daphne.

"How could you?"

Amelia asked in a low voice and Millie lowered her eyes.

"I needed the money... I'm sorry. I realise my mistakes now..."

"What did we ever do to you Millie? What did we ever do to deserve this?"

"We pay you more than enough!!"

Millie opened her mouth to reply but promptly closed it back when words chose to evade her.

"It couldn't have been about the money!!! You're one of our highest paid staff!!"

Amelia snapped and Millie flinched.

"We gave you a raise when you asked for it, you enjoy bonuses and privileges more than anyone else. How could you possibly do this to us!"

"I'm sorry... I really am..."

She begged as she looked up at Amelia who was fuming.

"Sorry? The damage you have done, it's almost Irreparable."

"I know... I know... That's why I'm begging for your forgiveness."

"You wouldn't have begged me if I didn't bring it up. How long were you planning on playing spy?"

Millie shook her head vehemently.

"I've cut all communications with that woman, I wanted to tell you, I just didn't know what to do."

"What do you mean you didn't know what to do?"

Amelia asked as she frowned.

"Mrs Black... I'm sorry... I really am. I'll do anything..."

"All I need from you is your help, I need you to continue talking to Daphne. You have to keep pretending like you're working for her."

Amelia leaned in closer as she stared at Millie.

"I need you to tell me everything that goes on with her."