SARAH
I had no idea what time it was when I felt hands on my cheeks, waking me up from my comforting sleep. I opened my eyes and met the honey gaze of my little dark-haired boy, who brightened up all my days.
"Mommy." Tristan's sweet and cheerful voice made me smile from ear to ear, and I enveloped his little body in my arms, showering him with kisses that made him burst into contagious laughter.
"What is the most spoiled child doing awake so early?" I left a few more kisses on his cheek when I realized he shouldn't be here, and I didn't even hear the monitor connecting my room to his. "How did you get here, you naughty boy?"
"Oh, how adorable! They make me want to have a child, but then I see Tristan's mischief and it passes, I prefer to remain an aunt. I can return him whenever I want." I exclaimed in bed upon hearing Abby's voice, and I saw her sitting on the couch with a sandwich on her lap.
Tristan got scared when I sat up abruptly with him in my arms to look at my friend, and I hugged him when I saw that he wanted to cry from the scare.
"What are you doing here at this hour of the morning?" I asked annoyed with my friend for coming to disrupt my son's sleep and mine, to which she burst into laughter that almost made her choke on the piece of sandwich in her mouth.
"Have you seen what time it is?" She asked after swallowing the bite of her sandwich, and until that moment, I bothered to look at the time, finding out that there were less than ten minutes to ten in the morning and the alarm hadn't gone off.
"Even Tristan woke up before you, he's already had breakfast, gotten dressed, and ready to start the day, and you're still like a lazy bear."
But of course, I was going to fall asleep after a long day of work and taking care of my son until he fell asleep. The night before, I fell to sleep exhausted, feeling completely drained.
But why didn't anyone wake me up?
"I can't believe it! I overslept!" I jumped out of bed, not before leaving Tristan in bed with a kiss on his forehead, and went into the bathroom to get ready as quickly as possible.
"Unbelievable, Sarah. You overslept on the day you have such an important meeting and your parents are coming back from their vacation."
I heard Abby from the bedroom, but I ignored her because I knew very well everything I had planned for today and I had fallen behind by oversleeping.
"Come here, Tristan, it's not your fault you have the mother you have."
I rolled my eyes at what she said to my son, as if I were the worst mother in the world.
And it was far from the truth. Since I held Tristan in my arms hearing his cry, everything bad disappeared in an instant. I forgot about that man I loved madly, his family, and their humiliations. I forgot about that woman who claimed to be my friend.
I forgot that I had failed in my marriage. When I saw him, with his rosy and tender skin, his small hands, his little face, I realized that not everything was lost, and I was left with something wonderful from all the suffering I had once endured.
I have given everything of myself to be the best mother and father to Tristan Doinel, without neglecting my responsibilities in the company. I didn't consider myself a perfect mother, but I was doing a great job in my attempt to be one, and it showed every day when I saw my son happy.
I quickly dressed in an executive dress I found in the closet, not having time for makeup or hairstyle. I left my hair loose and went out just in time to stop Abby, who was catching Tristan in the air after tossing him, and he wouldn't stop shouting and laughing.
"Abby, you're going to scare me to death if you keep playing those games." I said as I picked Tristan up in my arms and left the room, grabbing my things before leaving.
"So grumpy. Tristan likes that game, don't you, honey eyes?" Abby followed me while playing with Tristan's hands. I looked at my son's smiling face, who nodded eagerly."Yes!" Tristan moved happily and restlessly, and I put him on the ground to take his hand once I descended the stairs.
"You see, I am the best aunt, you have to admit it. Although it's a pity that he looks so much like the unnamed one, it truly is unfair. Nine months in your belly for him to come out identical to that wretched man."
I looked at her with a displeased expression. There was no need to remind me when I realized it every day with the great resemblance to Alexander. At least he got my nose and lips, and I was more than happy with that.
"Aunt Abby, thanks for reminding me, I hadn't noticed." I said in an ironic tone and Abby burst into laughter, while taking Tristan's free hand and he joined in the laughter with my friend.
God, if my son knew what Abby was laughing about.
"Ms. Doinel, Tristan's backpack." one of the employees handed me Tristan's belongings for the afternoon, interrupting what Abby was about to say.
"Are you not going to have breakfast?"
"Thank you, Lucy. I don't have time, but thanks. Prepare the house, my parents are coming back today." After giving the order to the employee, I left with Abby where the chauffeur was waiting for me with the Mercedes running.
"I don't feel like driving, I'll go with you. Besides, I have to continue teaching my nephew to pronounce my name correctly." Abby entered the back seat next to Tristan's car seat, and I went to the other side. The car started moving, and Abby quickly asked me a question that made me uncomfortable.
"Speaking of the unnamed one, did you know that his company will launch the new collection during fashion week in New York?"
"No, I didn't know, but it was to be expected, and I don't want to know anything related to him. I don't even remember that man." I responded indifferently and sharp, with no intention of continuing the conversation, while I ran my hands through my son's black hair.
"Come on, Sarah! Are you going to tell me that you haven't seen the news about him and his company? The youngest successful CEO in the fashion industry. How old is he? In his thirties?" I didn't even look at Abby when she spoke as if trying to find out something, when she already knew everything.
I haven't heard from Alexander since that day he made a scene in the city's most exclusive restaurant. I couldn't believe his high level of cynicism, coming here to have me remove the note, and then saying that it was what he cared about the least. For God's sake! No one believed that.
For starters, we had nothing to talk about or pending matters. The only thing that connected us was Tristan, but he never knew about his existence, and he never will. Thank goodness he gave up and returned to New York after I gave Damien the order to make any news with the name Alexander, Paul, Rachel, and mine disappear.
I didn't even watch Lancaster Collection's news. Why bother? I was happy with my life as a single mother and vice president of my father's company. I wasn't masochistic enough to search for or watch news related to that man. I didn't need it.