Whisked Away by Her Millionaire Boss

He took a deep breath. ‘About Jodie...’

‘Yes?’ Wariness touched her as he shifted on his seat, as if he was about to start a conversation he felt less than comfortable with.

‘I’m aware that she may want to talk to me more about her dad. So it would help me to know how much you’ve told Jodie about Kevin.’

It was a fair point. ‘The absolute minimum. That we were both very young, he didn’t feel he was ready to be a parent and we lost touch. She doesn’t need to know any more than that.’

‘I’m not sure I agree with that—and I’m pretty sure Jodie won’t. Any day now she’ll ask why you don’t trace him to see if he’s changed his mind.’

His voice was tight, and she knew he spoke from personal experience—that he had done the same.

‘With social media the way it is Jodie will know that shouldn’t be hard.’

‘I’m not going to do it. I’ll just tell her it’s not a good idea. I won’t tell her his surname, so she won’t be able to trace him either. End of.’

‘What if he’s changed? People do.’

His voice was edged with a frustration that she knew wasn’t directed at her, but was more an echo of his own feelings.

‘I did check a couple of years ago. He was in prison. Armed robbery. I don’t need to know any more than that.’ The thought of Kev anywhere near Jodie terrified her. ‘My job is to keep my daughter safe.’

‘I understand that, but perhaps you should tell Jodie something about him? Even if you don’t name him.’

‘I can’t.’ Her voice flat. ‘I just can’t.’

‘It’s important.’ His voice was low. ‘Because Jodie is right. Not knowing sucks. I was desperate to know who I was. My mother had an affair whilst she was married and I am the result. She would never tell me the identity of my real father. She wouldn’t tell me anything about him.’

‘She must have had her reasons,’ Sarah said staunchly.

‘I’m sure she did, but I don’t think any reason can justify holding back that information. Nothing can be worse than not knowing—it’s like a constant question, and your imagination goes into overdrive. Every film or TV programme Jodie watches, every man she sees, she will wonder—could it be him? She might imagine that he’s a hero, who will turn up one day and explain everything, or that he’s evil incarnate and she might be like him.’

Sarah could feel her insides twist.

‘But at least she’d have hope. Jodie can hope her dad is a good person—can dream or fantasise. Maybe that’s better than knowing for sure that he’s a violent criminal.’ Her hands reached out for Ben’s as she willed him to understand. ‘How can I tell her that her father was a gang member, a man who betrayed me, a man who is in prison? What good can come of her knowing that?’

‘Because it’s better to know the truth—then you can deal with it.’

‘I can’t. I won’t make her hate me.’

‘She won’t hate you.’ His voice was gentle now.

‘Yes. She will. How can I explain to her that I left home, hooked up with a man like Kevin, stayed with him for years and messed up my whole life? That he told me to get rid of the baby. I found out I was pregnant when I was in prison.’

She had never felt so alone, so terrified, and yet so determined to turn her life around.

‘I was three months pregnant when I got out and hoped that Kevin would have the same epiphany that I did. That he’d want to change for our child...that we could salvage something from our years together. He laughed. In my face. Told me he was done with me. He told me to “get rid of the filthy brat”, that I’d make a terrible mother anyway.’

Ben’s face darkened. ‘What a—’

‘Waste of space?’

‘Yes.’

He was silent for a moment and she wondered if he was imagining the conversation his mother might have had with his father, telling him of the pregnancy.

‘That’s why I believe she’s better off with no dad than a dad like Kev.’

‘No dad is better than a dad like that, but surely Jodie should be allowed to come to that conclusion herself?’