Page 64 of Surprise! I'm Engaged To My Boss
“What do you think you’re doing, Michael?” Caleb hissed under his breath, trying not to draw attention.
I rocked Alice in my arms; she was still crying, clearly terrified.
“What areyoudoing?” I shot back in the same low voice. “Can’t you see she’s scared out of her mind? What the hell is wrong with you?
Margaret retorted, “If you had any experience with children, you'd know they cry. It's normal.”
“There’s nothing normal about this. Just like there’s nothing normal about turning a one-year-old’s birthday party into a high-society event with press coverage.”
Caleb countered, “As long as we have custody, we make the decisions.”
I took a deep breath, unsure if I could keep my voice down this time. But I stopped when I noticed Alice had gone quiet, making a soft babbling noise.
I looked at her and saw her blue eyes fixed on something, her little mouth forming sounds.
Following her gaze, I saw what had captured her attention.
Camila was standing at the edge of the crowd, holding two party balloons and waving them in front of her face, blowing kisses and making funny faces. At the sight, Alice let out a sweet, bubbling laugh, as if she hadn’t been crying just seconds ago.
And I smiled too. I stepped toward Camila, and she immediately stretched out her arms. Alice went into her arms without a second’s hesitation, like she had known her all her life.
Camila turned and carried Alice toward the playground, the photographers eagerly following them, seemingly forgetting all about Caleb and Margaret.
I would have forgotten them too, if they hadn’t kept trying to ruin my peace.
“Who does that woman think she is, just taking our granddaughter like that?” Margaret hissed, staring at Camila in horror.
I faced her, furious. “That woman is my fiancée. She’ll soon be my wife and Alice’s stepmother. Get used to it.”
Caleb jumped in, “You really think getting married will win you custody of Alice? You’re an irresponsible mess — you’re in no position to raise a child.”
“That’s something you'll have to prove to a judge. But you won't succeed. Not even by spying on me likeyou did with the hotel employee.” I saw their faces pale with shock at the fact that I knew about their pathetic little scheme. I almost laughed but kept my face serious. “By the way, drugging someone’s drink is a crime. Think a judge will hand over a child to a pair of criminals?”
“You have no proof of any such thing!” Caleb snapped, his expression almost an admission of guilt.
“Not yet. But I’m working on it. And anyway, this isn't the time for that. I came here to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. Oh, and it’s my fiancée’s birthday too. So, I intend to spend tonight with the two of them. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Without giving them a chance to respond, I turned and calmly walked toward the playground.
As I got closer, I could hear Alice’s delighted giggles as Camila gently pushed her on the baby swing. Camila was doing it with such care and affection. Seeing them like that, smiling and laughing together, warmed my heart in a way I couldn't even begin to describe.
Right then and there, I was more certain than ever that I loved Alice.
And I was less sure that my relationship with Camila was purely part of the arrangement.
There was something else inside me, something growing stronger every day.
And it went far beyond simple physical attraction.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
CAMILA
Alice was the cutest child in the universe.
Or maybe I was just the silliest adult in the universe, given how completely in love I already was with that little creature.
I didn’t know what Michael had said to the girl’s grandparents, only that they left us alone for most of the party. Apparently, they were too busy greeting other rich people, though it was obvious they’d rather be doing that with their granddaughter in their arms, just to show her off like a trophy.
