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Myeyes widened. “So, everyone was misinformed then?Youweren’t competing inIndianBacheloror trying to get married?”
Asmile tugged at his mouth. “It’ssomethingIhad wanted in the past, but afterIfound out aboutBaba,Iwasn’t so sure.”
Ishook my head, scoffing at myself. “HereIthought you were flirting with me atMilan’swedding because you were interested in me.”
Myears burnt as soon as the words came out like word vomit, while his smile remained genuine.Iwas surprised he could be lighthearted while faced with a morbid death sentence.Mykind of man.
“Iwas, andIam,” he announced.
Iaverted my eyes, embarrassed, even thoughJaywas the one putting himself out there.Iwas right.IfJayhadn’t left that day, things would have turned out differently.
“ButthenIthought maybe it was for the best if things didn’t progress.Ididn’t know how you’d feel about… everything.”
Isthat whyJaynever called me?
“Thenwhy the sudden interest in marriage?”Icouldn’t help asking.
“Becauseit might be my only chance to have a family,” he replied instantly.
Ifroze at the sincerity in his voice.
“You’redetermined to have this kid, but you don’t trust the father of this baby.However, you’ll lose everything if you have this baby without getting married, and your child will never have a relationship with their grandparents, your brother, or anyone else in your life.”
Thepain in my chest exploded.Growingup,Iwas immensely close toDadi.However, little poppy seed would never have a dadi becauseIcouldn’t see a world whereZainaMittalwould be accepting of my baby in this current predicament.
“Ifyou don’t want to lose everyone in your life, you have to get married and establish a legitimate father,”Jaydeclared. “Ineed to marry someone from my same background, andIdon’t want to father kids of my own.Itisn’t likeIcan adopt or surrogate, either.Youknow how close-minded that board is.”
Inodded.
DifferentIndianfamilies vary in their values, just like any other culture.Familieslike mine didn’t care ifImarried outside the race or religion as long as the person was educated and came from a similar social hierarchy as us.WhereasJay’sfamily was traditional.Noone in theAmbaniclan had married someone who wasn’t of the same faith and background.
Thesame rule applied to adoption and surrogacy.Whileit was no big deal in my family, it was a stigma in his.Theboard of his company—made up of his family members—would fight it every step of the way if there were even a hint of disqualifying the ‘heir’ afterJay.
Adoptionand surrogacy could be unearthed, whereas… “Noone knows about this child, not even the father,”Imuttered, the weight of his proposal settling in.
Henodded. “Iget the feeling that you want security for your child.Ifyou were to marry me, you’d have that, and your family would be happy.Doyou think this guy might return to the picture or try to be a part of the kid’s life?”
“Heis twenty-two and looking to become a famousDJ.”
Jayrolled his eyes. “Enoughsaid.Marryme, and both of our problems will disappear.Wecan do this together.”
“I-I…Jay,Ican’t let you do this.Raiseanother man’s baby?”
“Yousaid it yourself; you met that man afterIabruptly leftMilan’swedding.Youwouldn’t be pregnant ifIhadn’t left.I’mthe reason this kid exists.Youhaven’t told the father yet, nor is he interested in having a family.Meanwhile,Iwant kids but not my own.Thenwe stumbled into each other at some dingy twenty-four café.”
“It’snot dingy.Haveyou tried their honey pecan pie?”
“Idon’t like sweets.”
“You’rea sociopath.”Ididn’t mean to sound judgmental, but only a man devoid of normal emotions could resist pecan pies.
Jaywaved off my concern. “Tellme if fate has ever lined up so perfectly in your life before?”
Apicture ofAxelflashed in my mind, butIshook it off.Whygo there?Hewas a man with big dreams, the onesI’dbe stifling by showing up pregnant at his doorstep.Notto mention,I’dhave to sever ties with everyone in my life to haveAxel’sbaby.Thesame rules wouldn’t apply to havingJay’sbaby.IfAxelturned out to be a dirtbag like the men before, then poppy seed andIwould be entirely alone in the world.
Jay’soffer was clear.Thisdeal was only on the table becauseAxeldidn’t know about it.Aslong as no one else in this world discovered the truth,Jaywould give me and poppy seed everything.Love.Family.Afuture.Stability.
“No, fate has never lined up so perfectly in my life before,”Iadmitted in a small voice. “Itstill doesn’t sit right with me letting you raise someone else’s baby.”
