I Fell For The Boy His Daddy Was A Bonus

***BACK TO THE PRESENT***
“He will not come here again,” Kaleb said while pulling down the blanket of his bed, “Let’s get some rest now Don’t worry, I’ll take
care of Luca”
Seeing that Scarlett was still bothered, he asked, “What’s on your mind, kitten?”
“It’s just that I’ve always known Courtney was crafty, and after seeing her get along with her biological mother, I have long
concluded that I could not trust mother Analisa too, but Luca’s father?” Scarlett said, shaking her head “I don’t know what I did to
him to make a lie about
me.”
“Hmmm.” Tapping the pillow next to him, he urged, “I’ll take care of him too. Just focus on your job and your studies. Leave the
rest to me.”
After the heated exchange with Luca and Scarlett, Kaleb came in between them. He ordered Luca out of the hotel and warned
him about entering any of the same Diamond Hotels again. Back then, he declared, “From now on, the Jameses are banned
from the Diamond Hotels.”
Since Scarlett was uneasy after Luca’s surprise visit, she willingly agreed to stay with Kaleb that night. She determined he
needed his comforting scent and warm embrace.
Resting next to Kaleb, Scarlett said, “Thank you, Kaleb. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry that you have to get involved with my
problems – ”
“Don’t ever think that you owe me, because you don’t. I’m doing everything that I can to protect you, and again, I am doing this
because you are important to me. Don’t even try to reject my offer to help because I will get involved whether you like it or not,”
he reminded while pulling her closer to him.
“Okay, ” Scarlett acknowledged, “I won’t, and I trust you. It’s too tiring to argue with you about these things. In the end, you
always win.”
Kaleb wound up laughing He replied, “Good, that you know. Now, about your mother Analisa Has she ever mentioned anything
in her past that seemed out of the ordinary?”
“Why?” she replied
“Because, kitten I had your mother investigated, but so far, I could not find anything under her name before the year you and
Courtney were born,” Kaleb revealed
Scarlett’s eyes widened. She gazed up at Kaleb with narrowing eyes. She said, “Are you. saying her identity is sketchy -”
“I’m not saying, but it looks that way to the investigators. They still had to dig up her past.
She may have... changed her name,” Kaleb said. “So... try to dig up what you can and see if you can remember her mentioning
her past, one that may not necessarily add up to her claims.”

“In the meantime, kitten. I’m going to remind you that we... need to practice for my parent’s ballroom dance party in the next two
nights. So... don’t be home late,” he reminded.
The thought of dancing with her two left feet made Scarlett gulp. She muttered, “I’m screwed.
“Kitten? I’m exhausted, but keep using that word and I will definitely take you up on that offer,” Kaleb warned.
‘When did I offer?’ Scarlett groaned. She kept her thoughts to herself, reminding her how... she was really screwed. How was
she ever going to learn how to dance in two nights?
***
While Scarlett and Kaleb were resting for the night, at the Barnes’ mansion, Aurora was making her regular evening rounds at
the house.
It was already past eleven in the evening. Almost everyone was asleep. Despite the night, she overheard a familiar voice behind
the kitchen door.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea, mother. Maybe we should let father Philip get better. I can talk to him about the will. He listens
to me.”
“Luca? He is not answering my calls. I don’t know if the plan will still work”
“Yes, you do that. Talk to Luca in the morning. Because, otherwise, I don’t know if this is ever going to work Scarlett said that she
would contest the will due to his condition. She said she can claim that father is not acting in his right mind- yes, I know. That is
why if Luca is not going to be of help, I think father should get better.”
“What? Go to Elias again? I hate Luca’s father!”
“Arrgghh! I hate you for making me do this!”
“Okay. Okay. Try to talk to Luca, because going to Elias is the last thing I want to do.”
The next thing Aurora heard was the cabinet doors opening. She opened the door, and she found Courtney fixing up Philip’s
usual tea.
“Ahh!” Startled at Aurora’s arrival, Courtney dropped a small bottle. It bounced on the kitchen countertop and it shattered on the
floor.
Putting a hand on her chest, Courtney chased her breath, saying, “Aurora. You scared me!”
Meanwhile, Aurora’s eyes landed on the broken bottle, but before she could make out something of it, Courtney was quick to
grab a tissue and clean up the broken pieces.
A frown easily formed on Aurora’s face. Having raised Courtney, she was never one to clean up after herself. Why was she doing
that now?
“Let me clean it up, Courtney,” Aurora offered. “You could cut yourself.”
“No, it’s fine. I can do it, Aurora. Thank you for your concern,” Courtney forthwith replied. Turning back to the countertop,
Courtney ordered, “Do you mind taking that to father? It’s his usual herbal tea. You know, he loves drinking that every night.”

Aurora gawked at the tea for a second. Then she wondered what was in the bottle Courtney was earlier holding. She calmly
asked, “Did you put something else in the tea, dear?”
“Nothing, Aurora. It was just a mineral supplement.” Courtney smiled and repeated, “Please, Aurora. Take the tea to father.”
“Of course. Let me take it to him.” Aurora quickly took the cup of tea and lazily made her way to the upper floors.
When she made her way to Philip’s bedroom, her hands trembled as she placed the teacup on the bedside table. She gazed at
the sleeping figure of Philip and then she peered back at the tea.
Aurora did not know for how long she looked at the tea, her heart aching while she was standing there, her mind thinking deep.
***
While Aurora was upstairs, taking the tea to Philip’s room, Courtney was cleaning up her mess. She grabbed a plastic bag and
wrapped the bottle multiple times. She took the liberty of throwing the bottle herself, going outside to find the mansion’s garbage
bins.
When she returned, Aurora had already returned. She was washing the teacup she had earlier brought to Philip.
Courtney grimaced and asked, “Father already drank the tea?”
Aurora nodded with a smile. She answered, “Yes, child. Where did you go to?”
“I – I threw the garbage out,” Courtney replied.
“Seeing the surprised look on Aurora’s face, Courtney suggested, “Why? Can’t I? I wanted to show you that I can be responsible
too.”
A smile formed on Aurora’s face. She moved closer and cupped Courtney’s cheek. She replied,” I’m glad that you are... Now,
you know, you can always tap me to make your father’s tea. Just teach me how to blend it,” Aurora suggested.
Courtney smiled and stated, “Okay. I think that would be great.”
Two days passed.
Scarlett was heading to the hotel after a long day at work. Just as she entered the car Kaleb had arranged for her daily transport,
she received a call from her beloved mother Analisa.
Scarlett contemplated on answering, but knowing she needed to get answers from Analisa too, she rolled her eyes and took the
call, “Hello, mother.”
“Scarlett? Can we meet? Where are you staying right now? We have an important matter to discuss with you. Cindy, Courtney,
and I would like to have a word with you,” Analisa said on the phone.
With a sigh, Scarlett answered, “Let’s meet at the Third Diamond Hotel. Mind you, I only have thirty minutes to spare. Go straight
to the coffee shop.”