Chapter 1
Cassandra Miller stepped out of the shower when she heard her four month old baby's cries coming from her bedroom.Manhattan really was hot in july and she presumes that's why her son doesn't sleep for long during the day he usually comes down after she has given him a nice cool bath.Atleast he sleeps through the night only waking once for his feed,she rushed out of the bathroom and was by his side in no time.Gently taking him out of his crib she stroked his tiny back up and down to soothe him,slowly he quiet down.She gazed down at his adorable face,he was the cutest little being she has ever laid her eyes on with his dark black hair,dark eyes just like his father's piercing glare that made her melt at first sight, followed by their dark brows and lashes.Alexander was conceived in just one night and at twenty-four she has no regrets when it came to him.Her mind drifted back to that one night when she had met a tall,dark,handsome stranger who had with one look swept her off her feet,the company that she had worked for at the time had hosted a costume party and everyone had worn masks.It had been instant chemistry when she had met Emilio Rodriguez never before had she ever met a man who made her blood hot like he did,who made her heart hammer against her breastbone and who gave her butterflies in her stomach,he had been her first and her last till this day she hasn't found a man who can make her feel what he did,an innocent touch or caress that would send her over the edge.She gave an inward sigh.When she had discovered she was pregnant she had tried to find out about him but apparently no one knew the man she was talking about and her internet search had also came up empty,eventually she had given up and made the choice of raising her baby alone.
Nine months later he came into this world and she couldn't have been more happier,until three months ago when their company had filed for bankruptcy and they all were let go.Ever since she has been struggling to find a job as an assistant or receptionist things were starting to look very bad,she has even asked an old college friend to rent out the spare bedroom in order for her to cover the rent each month.But Gwen's company has moved to Seattle and at the end of this month she will move out leaving her alone to pay full rent and buy food.She wonders how she'll manage all that without a job,she has applied for numerous vacancies and still nothing.Her savings was nearly up and can only last her and Alex for another month after that they'll probably be out on the streets and the thought terrifies her.Alex doesn't deserve that and she'll ensure it won't come to that,when he was sleeping again she laid him down and got dressed.She plait her long red hair in a fishtail and let it hang on one side of her face Alex has this habit of pulling her hair whenever it was loose.When she was done she headed to the kitchen to prepare his afternoon bottle she knows if he wakes again he'll want his bottle.While preparing his bottle Gwen came in with a bright smile on her face,Gwen was tall and has long brunette hair brown eyes,a small straight nose and thin lips.She on the other hand has always been curvy,she went through puberty at a very young age the first to have breasts and that made her get unwanted attention in school curves in all the right places with a slim waist.That is why she had avoided all social gatherings at school only attending if it was for a school project other than that she has always kept by herself,a bit of a loner.Growing up for her had also been tough moving from one foster home to the next she never knew her biological parents and she never tried to find them they didn't want her so why should she have to look for them.
Gwen really was beautiful the type of girl men go for these days she on the other hand was barely five feet tall high heels was the only thing that boosted her height a little,other than that she was short and it made her look too young most people don't even believe Alex is hers or that she's twenty four.
"What is the smile for?"She asked Gwen.
"Guess who's going for a job interview next week friday."She smiled broadly at her and Cass looked at her quizzical."You silly!"
What!Not one of the companies she applied for had gotten back to her so what on earth was Gwen talking about."You've lost me?"
"Promise me you won't get mad at what I'm about to tell you."She nodded at her."I gave your resume to Rodriquez International you know this bank right.They recently opened another one and is looking for a receptionist I secretly send your credentials to them and they want you to come for an interview.A friend of mine is working there and she told me they looking for a receptionist urgently I gave her your resume.I hope you don't mind."
Rodriquez she stiffened when Gwen said that name but soon told herself there were many Rodriquez's here in manhattan why was she getting nervous."No Gwen I don't,I need the job desperately thank you for looking out for me again."
"That's what friends are for."
"Where is the interview to be held."
"Midtown manhattan their head offices are in times square and you should be there at seven.You can use my laptop if you want to know more about the bank.They are quite famous and well known.
"I trust you Gwen right now I'll take anything I can get.You leaving and I still can't find anyone to share the apartment with me and no one wants to especially when they hear there's a four month old baby."
"Hang in there you'll find someone."Gwen assured her.
"I hope so or me and Alex will have to move into something smaller than this."The apartment was big with two bedrooms one bathroom a livingroom a kitchen combined with a small dining room,it was big enough for the three of them and she enjoyed having Gwen around she even likes Alex alot and baby sat for her too when she had been job hunting."I'm going to miss you Gwen."
"Me too.I'll call whenever I can and for now I'm still here want to order some pizza to celebrate,my treat I know you a bit low on cash."
"I can't...-"Cass began.
"I wasn't asking you Cassandra."She said over her shoulder going to her room and right than she heard Alex on the baby monitor that was on the kitchen island.She took his bottle and fetched him from the room,when she was seated comfortably on the couch she stuck his bottle in his mouth,he sucked hungrily even his tiny mouth was making noise Gwen joined them a second later.
"Is Brian going with you."He was Gwen's boyfriend of five years.
"Yes."She responded."He'll meet me there he has a few things he needs to sort out here."She sat down next to her and touched Alex's hair."He's so cute Cass any luck with his father."
"No,and I also won't look for someone who might have a wife"
"Cassie...."
"I've thought long and hard about this Gwen,what if I do manage to find him and he has kids and living a happy life,who am I to mess that up.Besides it was one night of fun and nothing more the condom broke by accident and when we realised it was late.He could've reached out to me and he hasn't I took it as a sign he doesn't want to be known."
"So you going to raise him all alone.It will be hard Cass."
"Yes it will be but I owe it to him to give it a try instead of doing what my parents did.Alex won't have a dad it is up to me to give him a life I never had."
"You very courageous and strong Cass most women your age would've given up long ago."
She gently lifted Alex up so he could burp."Everything I do is for my Alexander."She rubbed his back and a second later he burped.
An hour later the pizza arrived and Cass relished both her slices it wasn't everyday she gets to eat takeaways her pockets have become smaller with the arrival of Alex,she cannot even remember when was the last time she bought something nice for herself.Late that night when she was laying in bed unable to sleep her thoughts were on Alex's father.Where was he?And who was he really?One thing she had gathered that night was he had a foreign accent a sexy masculine voice that haunts her even now thinking about it Does he even exist or did he portray himself to be someone else she wasn't proud of how she had conceived her son but what will she tell him the day when he's gonna wanna know about his father.She couldn't sleep that night,dark piercing eyes invaded her dreams.
