Chapter 5 A Shocking Revelation

So many questions were on her mind but she didn't know how she was going to begin to get the answers she needed from him. They had their dinner in silence and Natalie excused herself as she took Elliot to his room. As they were leaving Rasmus was watching them, his eyes never leaving her.

After she had tucked Elliot to bed, Natalie quietly walked to the room she was to share with Rasmus for the period of the contract hoping she could fall asleep before he came into the room, but to her surprise Rasmus was already seated on the edge of the bed, his back straight and his gaze unfocused.

Just as she was about to turn away and walk to her side of the bed, her eyes fell on the familiar shape of a tattoo just beneath his shirt sleeve.

Her heart stopped as the memories returned, of the night seven years ago, one she had buried deep within herself. The night she had spent with a man whose identity has remained a mystery to her. Just as she prayed silently for it not to be true, Rasmus shifted slightly, and his shirt sleeve fell just enough for her to see the tattoo clearly, the same one she had seen on the man from that night.

The man who had left her pregnant and disappeared into the night. This man who she had agreed to marry, was the same man who had changed her life irrevocably. The father of her child.

Natalie couldn't believe it. What kind of game was fate playing on her? How is it even possible that a stranger from years ago would just come her way again under such strange circumstances.

She remembered that night very well, she had needed some money and the brothel had offered the kind of quick money that she wanted. He had walked in drenched in the rain and she had been available to calm his demons. Now she knew why she had sensed that he didn't belong there that night.

That was her last night at the brothel but she had left with a package she never bargained for, Elliot and now, here he was, lying beside her, a man she had shared a passionate night with years ago was now her husband. Her contracted husband, who she had signed away her independence, her freedom, her life for the next twelve months all for financial security. But now this revelation changes everything.

The next morning as soon as Rasmus left for the office, Natalie went to see her friend Linnea. She was one person she could always talk to without being judged. She was the one person who might be able to tell her what to do next. She needed advice.

Linnea knew all was not well when she opened the door and saw the look on Natalie's face. And she hoped that something terrible had not gone wrong with Rasmus and their agreement.

"You don't look okay my friend, hope everything is okay? How's Elliot doing? she asked, as Natalie walked into the room and headed straight to the couch to sit down.

"Linnea, it's him, it's Rasmus" Natalie kept saying, confusing Linnea the most.

"What's wrong with Rasmus?" Linnea asked.

"Hold yourself together Natalie and talk to me, you aren't making any sense at the moment"

"You remember the story I told you about how I became pregnant with Elliot?" Linnea nodded "Yes I remember"

"I just spent the night with him, the man from that night" she continued her voice shaking.

"The man I signed the contract with. The man who's my husband."

"Slow down Natalie, what exactly are you trying to say?" Linnea asked as she furrowed her brows.

"Are you trying to say that Rasmus is the man from that night? But I thought you said you knew absolutely nothing about him?"

"I didn't," Linnea until last night.

"It's him, the man from that night 7 years ago. And now I'm... I'm married to him. He's Elliot's father"

Linnea opened her mouth in shock. "Wait, what? you mean Rasmus Dahlgren is the one you slept with?"

Natalie nodded, "everything feels so wrong. I'm married to him, and he doesn't even know about his son."

Smack,

"Oh my, good gracious, how are you going to handle this?" Linnea asked with a shocked expression.

"You can't keep this a secret. He deserves to know about his son."

Natalie shook her head, "it's not going to be as easy as you make it sound Linnea"

"How does one begin to tell someone as influential as Rasmus such a thing?" she said crying.

"What if he takes my son away from me? What if he doesn't care?"

"Natalie, you have to be honest with him and to yourself. This isn't just about the contract anymore. This revelation changes everything and you also have to think about Elliot here. I'm sure he'll be happy to know his father."

Natalie was trying so hard to put herself together. She didn't wish for any of this. If only she had not signed the contract, she would not have found herself in this dilemma. What if Rasmus tries to take Elliot away from her, especially now that he needs an heir.

Elliot means the whole world to her .....he is the only world she knows and Natalie was ready to fight anyone who threatens to take that world away from her.

"I don't think I can Linnea" Natalie said

"I know how hard this must be for you my friend, whatever you decide you know I'll always stand by you." Linnea said gently.

Natalie smiled, and her heart felt a little lighter. Linnea has always been a good friend to her.

Now she needed to think about what she should do about this whole new finding that changes everything.But first, she needed to find a way to face her own fears as that was going to be the most difficult part.