Chapter 73: Chapter 73

TOBY.

"His name is Toby Daniels Blake." I saw red the moment she announced his name, all the blood was rushing to my ears as I charged for the door. Then I looked down at my house slippers and realised I was not dressed to be out in public so I headed in the opposite direction and toward my room. I was going to just change and be out but I decided against it. I needed a shower first, it would help clear my head.

Standing under the spray of cold water I felt relief on realising that I didn't kill my son. All the guilt I had carried these past few months was lifted off my shoulders and I could stand straight again but now there was another problem I had to deal with. My father couldn't find out, that's if he hadn't figured it out already. I had to get the whole thing under control somehow. First things first I had to see Yasmin, see what she wanted and keep the whole thing under control. I could make a few calls on my way there to keep the media as far away from the truth. If I slip the right amount of money into the right hands they would write the narrative in my favour.

I came out feeling refreshed with a new sense of direction. I had a plan now, I wasn't just rushing out in blind rage but I couldn't shake off the sense of urgency that overcame me. I picked out a black hoodie and the matching pants that came with them and dressed quickly. I sat on my bed and laced up my black running shoes. I picked out a plain pair of dark shades from my collection. I decided to take one of my simpler cars since this mission was an incognito one.

I rushed down with sunglasses and keys in hand and I was almost at the door when I remembered Ruby.

"I have some errands to run, I'll be right back," I said, turning slightly to face her. I slipped my keys into my pocket and wore my sunglasses. I rushed out the door and banged it behind me. I cringed at the loud sound it made followed by Jeremy's cries.

"Real smooth Toby," I whispered to myself in the empty elevator. If Ruby wasn't on to me from the beginning I had given myself away with my urgency. The elevator took me straight down to underground parking with zero stops and I wasted no time hopping in my car and driving to Yasmin's apartment. I knew she was probably still at the studio or on her way back home because I just saw her on live television less than thirty minutes ago so I parked opposite her building and made a few calls.

"Yes, I want as much attention as possible away from Yasmin Blakes's child. Keep his face and his name out of the media. She had a baby, she's back, that's it, period," I said.

"Nothing thousand of dollars won't do," a deep voice said from the other end of the line.

"Good, send me a secure and untraceable account so I can send the money."

"Sure thing." I cut the call, heaving a sigh of relief. He was a reliable source. He would pass my instructions to all the heads of the major news outlets and keep those pesky blogs under control. It would cost me a lot because I had to pay him for his services and pay him to settle all these people. One thing was taken care of, now I just had to speak to Yasmin.

A loud rumble escaped my tummy reminding me that I hadn't quite gotten around to eating breakfast before these issues came up. I should have picked up something at a diner before coming here but now it was too late. She should be here any minute now. I sucked it up and waited but I should have gone to grab something because I sat there all morning. The morning sun turned hot, harshly penetrating the interior of my car despite the air conditioning but she still hadn't made an appearance.

I decided to damn it all and go find something to eat. I listed a few restaurants in my head. These were places I used to frequent before Ruby's cooking. Now none of them sounded as good as going home to warm up leftovers of last night's dinner. I could already taste the spaghetti and meatballs but I thought against it. It would be better if I looked for somewhere in this neighbourhood to eat than to drive all the way home. One place came to mind but I wasn't dressed for it so I settled on an upscale pizza place. The vibe was casual enough for my ensemble.

I spotted Yasmin the moment I walked in but I decided to play it cool and pretend I didn't see her. I still had my shades and my hood on so the likelihood of her or anyone else noticing me was slim. I sat at a table that was a relative distance from where she was seated with a group of ladies, they were her colleagues from the looks of it. A group of actresses and models who acted like they were friends when in reality they were just each other's competition.

"Is he the father?" I heard one girl ask. Yasmin ran two fingers across her perfectly glossed lips to show that her lips were sealed. I couldn't wrap my head around what she was after, she was dropping hints about his paternity yet refusing to divulge it. She could have just announced to the world that I was his father today and it would have been over.

"Come on girl, we can keep a secret," another girl whined.

"Can we please talk about something else like who is going to plan my welcome back party?" After Yasmin's statement, she and her friends began to discuss this party that was being thrown in her honour. The waiter came to stand in front of me reminding me why I came here in the first place so I ordered a large pizza. While I ate I discreetly kept an eye on Yasmin and her friends.

I was on the second to the last slice of pizza when they made to leave. I waited till they paid their bill and excited the building before dumping my pizza on the tray and calling for the bill. I paid quickly and left. They were still in the parking lot when I settled in my car. I watched them take selfies and hug themselves goodbye. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding when Yasmin entered her car alone. Just to be sure Yasmin was alone, I watched as the other girls piled into another car and drove in the opposite direction of Yasmin's car before following her.