VICTOR's POV

I knew I fucked up. I knew I shouldn't have kissed him and take advantage of the fact he let his guard down. We were going to be back at square one again, and he was probably going to be even more alert around me. As much as I wanted to get him back and have him in my arms again, it was not the right time just yet. But even so, I couldn't bring myself to regret it. His lips were perfect, just the way I remembered them, and I could still feel the sensation on mine. It was so nostalgic it felt surreal.

Grinning, I slowly walked back to my car. I had to stop by a grocery shop on my way back to buy something to eat later in the night. There was some work I had to finish, and I knew myself. I was going to get hungry and having to order something would be annoying and slow. Getting some simple ham sandwich and a piece of cake sounded much more appealing.

Just when I got to the car, my phone started to ring. If it was any other day, I would let it ring and ignore it. But I was in a good mood, so I went against my principles and picked it up. Even I had a special day like this from time to time.

"McNemara speaking," I answered without looking at the screen, unlocking the car and getting in. I wanted to be back in a hotel as soon as possible, so I could finish the work and get some sleep.

"Good evening, Mr. McNemara. Can I have a minute of your time?" an amused voice of my best friend sounded on the other line, making me roll my eyes. Putting the phone on a speaker, I started the car and pulled out.

"Stop messing around. I didn't check the screen. What do you want?" I asked, wondering why he called so late. He knew me well enough to know I usually ignore anyone who calls after seven in the evening. His actions didn't really make any sense at the moment, but my mind was too occupied by other things to care.

"What do you think? I want to know how it went, of course. I helped you with buying the presents and watched the blanket for you while you went to fetch them. Don't you think I deserve a detailed description of the events? Did it go well? What did Matt say to the presents?" he asked, sounding weirdly excited and concerned at the same time.

I wasn't exactly sure I wanted to talk about everything that had happened, but I could use some time to brag about my son and how much we got along already. As weirdly as it might sounded, I already knew I wouldn't be able to let him go. He was a precious little boy, and I loved every second of the time we spent together.

"I'm on my way back to the hotel now. If everything goes well, I'll be there in around thirty minutes so come over. But in exchange for me talking, you'll help me with some work. I have to finish some papers, and if I am to tell you what happened, I will need some help. I don't want to go to bed at five in the morning." I shuddered at the imagination of it, feeling already exhausted. No way was I going to survive the next day if I wouldn't get at least six hours of proper sleep. I enjoyed the day to the fullest, but it was still new and exhausting, trying to keep up with a child.

Earning few grunts that turned into a reluctant agreement, we said our goodbyes, and I continued on my way. I should grab some beer and more food if Nels was coming over. I wouldn't hear the end of it if I bought food for only myself.

***

I had to go and search for a house. That was the only thing I could think about since the moment I woke up this morning. There was no way around it. Now that I knew I had a son, I couldn't simply leave. There was no way I was going to go back to my old apartment miles away and pretend I didn't have a family here. I wanted to be close by and that would be impossible if I lived in a different state.

"Nels, I'm going to move here," I said when we left the hotel, heading to work. Thanks to Nelson, I managed to finish the papers much sooner than I had expected, and with full eight hour sleep, I was relaxed and fully rested. My mind was clear as it hadn't been for a long time, and I had to use this opportunity to deal with the most important stuff at the moment.

From the corner of my eyes, I could see Nelson stopping abruptly, expression of shock written all over his face. His healthy tone of the skin got several shades paler, and his eyes were as big as tennis balls. He looked a bit too surprised, considering the situation. Yes, changing my life so drastically overnight could seem like a stupid thing to do, but I had a son here. Who would leave their kid behind and go back to their life before as if nothing happened? That was a crazy thought, and just imagining it made me shiver.

"What?" I asked, not really knowing what to expect. He looked almost terrified, and it didn't make any sense.

"You," he paused, shaking his head. He seemed to be thinking about something, probably trying to figure out what to say.

"How can you decided such a huge thing overnight? You're going to throw away your life and career. Are you really okay with that? If I remember correctly, you hated the fact you had to listen to your father because he could fire you whenever he felt like it. And now, you're letting everything go just like that? And what about Alison? Did you even think about how all of this would affect her?" Nelson's voice wavered, and I noticed he was overall tense. He was agitated, but as much as I tried, I couldn't come up with a satisfying reason as to why. I could always transfer to our office here. The fact I was helping around at the moment was actually pretty convenient, and I knew there was a lot of space for improvement. Even if my father didn't agree, he wasn't the only one who had a say in this case. I was quite confident in my presentation and social skills when it came to work, so persuading the board of chairmen to send me here, so I could improve the company and help them make more money, wouldn't be hard.

"What's the problem? It's not like I have any real obligations in Chicago. All I really need to do is change my work place, and it shouldn't be such a big deal. Moreover, I will earn more money by doing it. I might spent a lot on the house here because I want something big with huge garden, but if I manage to rent my apartment, the money will be back in a jiffy. It's a great idea. You know the apartment in Chicago is worth a lot. The location is ideal for anyone who works in the city and loves city life. I'll have problem choosing from potential tenants the moment I put it up for rent." I was starting to like the idea more and more. It was all clicking together, as if just waiting for me to realize it. As if it was planned from the beginning.

My mind pausing at the sudden thought, I stopped.

Right. This was all going too smoothly, it was too connected. It really was as if someone already planned it before me realizing it.

Shaking my head, I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was anger or bitterness.

"Ridiculous," I said, not being able to suppress the laugh that was coming up.

I could see Nelson looking at me with raised eyebrows, probably wondering if I'd gone mad or something.

If only.

"It's my father," I said after a while, the bitter laugh once again escaping my lips. "The bastard had it planned from the beginning. He knew about Matt from the beginning. He sent me to Boston under the pretext of helping the office while he was scheming to keep me here. It all makes a fucking sense now. This is ridiculous," I almost screamed, my good mood nowhere to be found. I was manipulated. The bastard manipulated me into staying here, and I was going to do exactly as he wished because I couldn't leave my son just because it was him who made me do this. And the realization of the fact he most likely wouldn't tell me I had a child if he didn't need me in Boston was making everything even worse.

It made me sick.

"This is the first time I seriously want to kill him." I laughed again, not knowing how to deal with the anger. I always knew he was a sick bastard. After what he did to mum, there was not much that would surprise me from him. But keeping me from my son like this? From my own son, my blood? This was too much.

"Okay, what's going on? What are you talking about, Vic?" Nelson asked, bringing me back from my dark thoughts. I could see he was confused and had no idea what I was babbling about the past minute, and I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him. It would be too definite. Too real. As long as I kept on only thinking it, it was only in my head. Just a thought, nothing else.

Saying it out loud was like admitting it's true. There was no way it could be just a coincidence.

"Give me a second, I need to process this. I think I need to sit down somewhere for a minute. Can you call the office and tell them we will be late? If someone has a problem with it, tell them I'll stay behind to finish all the work that needs to be done. I just need to calm down and clear my mind for now. In this state, I would be useless there anyways."

I waited for him to make the call, thinking about the place we could go to. If I should be honest, all I wanted was to go to Oliver's shop to get some coffee and cake. It was a place where I knew I would get something delicious and sweet, something that would definitely calm my nerves. But he was the last person I wanted to see right now. As fucked up as that was, it would only remind me of the fact I was being manipulated, which would make me even angrier.

Getting my phone out, I checked a map to see where the closest café or bakery was, sighing in relief when I found one right behind the corner. As long as they had something with ton of chocolate, I would be satisfied.

I turned to Nels, who was just finishing the call, and took a deep breath. My hands were trembling. I wasn't sure whether it was because of anger or because I was stressed to the point of losing it, but it didn't matter. I needed sugar. A lot of it.

"Let's go, I found where we can sit for a minute." Not waiting for his response, I turned around, starting my way towards the Café.

***********************************************************************

So, how was it?

What do you think did Victor's father did to his mum?

Do you think Vic is right about his dad manipulating him like this?

I'm not sure if you noticed it, but this book got a new cover! It looks similar to the old one, but I like this one way more and it's more...smooth and easy on eyes. Did anyone notice the change? If so, which one do you find better? ^.^