Scarlet looked across the table of the conference room on a sad looking Lucas. His eyes were blotching, and his skin had gone pale. She let out a deep sigh as Ethan continued the meeting. Their company had been sold over to Lucas and they were doing the formalities with their stakeholders and lawyers. She tried to focus on the meeting, but her eyes kept moving over to Lucas. It was now over a week since he had barged into her apartment. Aside from the contract he made through his lawyers, he had not contacted her. Her lawyers were maintaining that the child would not be put through any invasive paternity tests, and without his name on the birth certificate, Lucas had no claim to his son. She had felt triumphant when her lawyers explained it to her but now as she looked over at him, she felt an unexplainable sadness. She had won, hadn’t she?

“So, thank you for meeting here today,” Ethan said closing off the proceedings.

She was the first to stand and walk out the office.

Not only did she want to avoid any attempts Lucas made to speak with her, but she also couldn’t stand the aura of hopelessness that followed him around. She was inside her office when Ethan raged in behind her and pinned her with a quizzing glare.

“What’s going on?” he asked,

“Nothing.” She replied

“You were gone the entire meeting.” He said, “you’ve been gone for over a week now.”

Deciding not to fight it she opened up and told Ethan all that had happened.

“Wow, that’s some soap opera crap,” he said

“If only you knew.” She replied

“You’re going to let him see his son though right?” Ethan asked

“What now!” she insisted, “why would I do that?”

Ethan shook his head.

“I thought you were better than this,” he said

“You know the story!” she said feeling a bit attacked, “he left me.”

“He’s not gone anymore Scarlet,” Ethan said, “he was nineteen when that happened, I can hardly imagine he’s the same man.”

She swallowed hard and turned away from him.

“You made a mistake when you wren nineteen and your parents still haven’t forgiven you. What would you do to get back into their good graces?” Ethan said,

“It’s not the same.” She whispered, “I loved him.”

She looked at Ethan, pleading with him to see her side of the story. She had loved him.

“If you had truly loved him, you would be able to forgive him,” Ethan said

“When did you become an expert at forgiveness.” She bit back

Ethan walked up to her and pulled her in for a hug.

“You have to realize darling, that forgiving him doesn’t mean you lose your power, it gives you the power to let go of all this hurt you’ve been lugging around like a noose.” He said as he pulled back,

“I can’t” she replied, “it’s too hard.”

“But you still love him don’t you.” He said, “you still love him throughout all this.”

“She shook her head trying to ignore the happiness that filled her at the thought.

“I can’t love him.” She whispered

“You don’t choose to love Scarlet, you just love” he replied, “even when you’ve been hurt.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, “I don’t need love.”

“But you love your son,” he said, “and he’s going to need his father.”

She realized just how right Ethan was. She didn’t want to harbor any feelings for Lucas but she had to realize that she loved Logan and by depriving him of his father, she was continuing a cycle that would only come back to haunt her.

“You’re right.” She said, “I hate it, but you’re right.”

“When have I ever been wrong?” he asked

“Just know that if anything goes wrong you’re going to be my son’s father,” she said

Before he could say anything, she left her office to find Lucas. He was still in the room chatting a bit with the others. When he saw her walking towards him, he raised a brow.

“I need to talk to you.” She said

“What about?” he asked calling all the eyes in the room towards them

“Outside.” She said

He didn’t respond but he followed her out into the hallway.

“I want you to have dinner with Logan and I this evening.” She said

“Logan,” he said as if the name was a prayer, “you named him after Wolverine?”

She smiled thinking of the motivation behind her son’s name. It had been the obvious choice when she saw his beautiful little face looking back at her.

“Yeah, I thought you would like it if you ever came back.”

She saw the sincerity in his eyes as he looked at her.

“What should I bring?” he asked

“Nothing,” she replied

“What should I know?” he asked

She felt a pinch of happiness as she realized how interested he was in their son. She stopped herself as the thought crossed her mind, it was the first time she had referred to Logan as their son.

“He wants to become an archaeologist.” She said, “so anything about rocks, bones and digging.”

“I think I can manage,” he said

“I won’t tell him you’re his father just yet.” She replied “but I will soon. I’ll reign in my lawyers for negotiations.”

She saw the way his eyes teared up and she suddenly knew that Ethan had been right. It would be wrong to keep her son from such an amazing father.

“Thank you.” He said, “I can’t thank you enough.”

“He’ your son too.” She said, “I can’t deny him his father if I claim to truly love him.”

They locked eyed for a few more minutes before Lucas turned and walked away. As she watched him, she felt as if she was losing him all over again. He seemed happy enough to be in his son’s life but he didn’t seem to feel anything for her. She tried to push those feelings down. She didn’t need him to feel anything for her and she would control her feelings until they were gone. There was no place in her life to fall in love with the father of her son.