Chapter 51: A Favor
"Come with me," Ezra commanded, gripping Dawn’s arm with urgency as he marched toward the house. His jaw was clenched, muscles taut, and his focus was unwavering. He intended to confront her in the room and demand to know what game she was playing.
Dawn allowed herself to be pulled along, offering no resistance. In truth, she relished the assertiveness, following him in silence.
As they passed through the parlor, Dawn noticed little Noah, who watched with a mix of bewilderment and confusion. "Mommy," he whispered, his eyes tracking Ezra and Dawn’s movements, hoping for acknowledgment from Ezra.
When Noah ran to hug Ezra, he expected to be embraced in return, expecting his father to rejoice at his presence. Instead, Ezra ignored him, causing a wave of sadness to wash over the boy’s face.
"Wait for me, Noah. I’ll be right back," Dawn assured him, and he nodded, understanding despite the hurt in his eyes.
Dawn shifted her gaze back to Ezra as they ascended the stairs. At least they wouldn’t have to face this conversation in front of Noah, and she was grateful for that.
They barely reached the room when Ezra slammed the door behind them, pinning her against it. He held her firmly by the sides of her head, preventing any escape, his eyes burning into hers with barely contained fury. Dawn swallowed hard.
"What exactly are you doing here?" he demanded, his tone sharp, leaving no room for evasion. He sought the truth and would not relent until he received it.
Dawn raised an eyebrow, completely unfazed. "I thought it was obvious..." she began, then added with a hint of challenge, "What other reasons could there be other than to introduce your son to you?"
Ezra slammed his fist against the wall next to her head, his anger palpable. "Don’t play games with me," he growled, his expression darkening.
"Son? Suddenly, I have a son?" He questioned incredulously.
"Yes, Ezra. I’m not lying. Noah is your son," Dawn insisted, meeting his gaze. "I only found out after it was confirmed."
She watched as disbelief hardened his features. "Keeping his father away from him won’t do Noah any good. Do you understand?"
"You’re lying," Ezra shot back, skepticism dripping from his voice.
Dawn’s patience began to wane. "Ezra, we were together for four years. It’s entirely possible. You have to believe me."
"That’s the problem," he said, his teeth gritting. "I don’t trust you. How am I supposed to suddenly accept that I have a child after all these years? You show up out of nowhere, no warning, no contact, and expect me to embrace this boy who calls me ’Daddy’?"
"How can I be sure you’re not trying to pin a bastard on me?" he challenged, eyes blazing.
Dawn’s fists clenched in defiance. "Don’t you dare, Ezra. Do not refer to our son as a bastard," she said quietly but firmly.
Ezra’s jaw tightened, muscles coiled with tension. "The only thing I know is I did the right thing by bringing Noah to you," Dawn replied, shrugging as if uncompromisingly right in this scenario.
"Why now?" Ezra pressed, his voice finally calming.
Dawn narrowed her eyes, sarcasm lacing her words. "What timing would you have preferred? Should I wait until you’re old and then drop a child on your lap claiming he’s yours?"
"Is that what you expected?" she continued, her fierce gaze unwavering.
Ezra fell silent, his gaze shifting as confusion battled with his anger. He pressed his fist against the wall, thoughts racing. Dawn stepped closer, placing her hands on his chest, brushing dust from his shirt.
"Get your hands off me," he commanded, his voice low and threatening, but she merely smirked before retracting her touch.
"The sooner you accept this, the better for you. You have a child now, Ezra. You should be happy," Dawn stated boldly. "Most men would embrace the opportunity to secure their legacy. But here you are, rejecting something that matters."
Ezra furrowed his brow, incredulous. How could she expect him to accept any of this when he had no certainty about the child’s paternity? He couldn’t trust her; she had already disrupted his life too much.
He didn’t want to see this woman, not even in his nightmares.
Ezra tilted his head, an unyielding glare in his eyes. "You know what I believe, Dawn? You saw me happy and panicked. You couldn’t stand my happiness, so you created chaos, just like you always do."
Dawn’s jaw tightened. "You think I fabricated this to ruin you?"
"Yes" Ezra replied, his calm demeanor betraying an icy undertone. "Because that’s who you are. A lying, deceiving..." He really wanted to curse her but just let it die down as he clenched his fists instead.
She took in a deep breath, her gaze steady as she parted her lips."You’ll see when the test results come in—"
"Oh, I will," Ezra interrupted, his voice low and firm. "I’m getting one done immediately. If it turns out you’ve lied, mark my words, you won’t come near me or anyone I care about ever again."
Her lips stretched into a smirk. "Suit yourself, Ezra," she said firmly, adding, "I knew this would happen. And regardless of the outcome, you’ll have no choice but to accept it." Her words hung heavily in the air.
Ezra remained silent, his jaw clenched, his gaze icy as he watched Dawn exit the room.
The smirk on her face only deepened with each step she took down the staircase.
"Mommy!" Noah called out, jumping to his feet and rushing to meet her as she opened her arms. She knelt down and the boy rushed into her embrace.
"Mommy, you took so long," Noah complained, wrapping his little hands around her.
"I’m sorry, alright?" she replied, lifting him into her arms and gently patting his back while he nestled against her chest.
Meanwhile, Ezra had left the room and was now watching from above, where Dawn held the child. He clenched his fists. Could it be true that Noah was his son? All this time, she had been silent, and now, she suddenly appeared with a child? What was her purpose in showing up at the launch? He couldn’t shake the questions swirling in his mind.
Just then, Sam approached him. "Sir, if I may—"
"I know what you want to say," Ezra interrupted, his gaze fixed coldly on Dawn and the child. "Prepare the rooms for our guests and make sure they have something to eat." The words tasted bitter coming out, but he forced himself to say them.
Dawn suddenly shifted her attention upward, as if sensing his stare. Their eyes locked for a brief moment before she flashed him a smile.
Ezra’s expression hardened, and he turned sharply on his heel, leaving the railing.
"Yes," the butler agreed, watching Ezra leave. "What about you, sir? Should I bring—" His question was cut off by the sound of the door slamming shut.
"Understood," the butler murmured, knowing well enough that Ezra wouldn’t be eating that night; his silence spoke volumes.
Ezra didn’t sleep a wink that night. The following morning, he woke with dark circles under his eyes, the air heavy with a new presence. As he stood before the mirror adjusting his tie, he recalled sitting on the edge of the bed the previous night, lost in thought. He had eventually made his way to the bathroom, allowing the shower to wash over him, calming his racing mind. Returning to his room, his gaze fell on his phone as the screen lit up. He sat down and scrolled through the call logs, landing on the last message from Evie, informing him she was on her way. It was all too brief; she had come and gone, taking with her the peace he once had. When he tried to call her, he only got a message stating the number was unreachable. He wanted to check on her, see if she got home safely, and hear her voice, but that hope slipped through his finger as even his messages went unanswered.
Dressed in office attire—pants, shirt, tie, and suit—Ezra descended the stairs. His gaze landed on Dawn and Noah at the dining table, where the boy was eating and she was affectionately running her fingers through his hair. When she looked up and met his gaze, she greeted him with palpable sweetness.
"There you are," she said smoothly. "Would you like to have breakfast, Ezra?"
Ezra averted his gaze, choosing to walk away without acknowledging her. Just as he reached the door, she called out after him, "Ezra?"
"What do you want?" he shot back coldly.
"Here," she said, extending a clear bag toward him. "You’re going to do the DNA test, right?" Her tone was casual but indirect.
He took the bag from her and responded, "Until I get the results, nothing leaves this house. Understood?"
"You can count on me," she replied confidently. Ezra fixed her with a blank stare before turning to walk away. Dawn’s gaze followed him with a persistent smile as he drove off, waving at him.
Once he was out of sight, she clicked her tongue, reached into her pocket, and made a call.
"Doctor, I need a favor from you," she said, her smile unwavering.