The question hit me like a cold slap, so sudden that my mind blanked out for a moment. I'd never told Tanya that Fred had feelings for me, but ever since that evening at the restaurant, she's been stuck on the idea. No matter how many times I told her otherwise, she wouldn't let it go.
Now here she was, asking me why I chose Robbie.
How do I even explain that?
I chose Robbie because I loved him. I bonded with him because I wanted him to be a part of my life. It wasn't a mistake, but I never anticipated how much that one decision would unravel everything I knew.
And Fred… deserved someone who could love him back. I couldn't be that person, and staying with him out of guilt would've been cruel. He deserved more than half-hearted affection.
But how do I explain all of that to Tanya without sounding like a coward or a fool?
She was staring at me with wide, curious eyes, open and childlike, waiting for an answer. I sighed, trying to piece my thoughts together into something that didn't sound like emotional roadkill.
"Why are you even asking?" I finally said, deflecting. "And what makes you think Fred even has feelings for me?"
Tanya scoffed, laughing under her breath. "Because I'm not blind. I've seen how he looks at you, how his eyes never leave you. Just like our CEO's." Her tone turned slightly bitter. "You're lucky, Tony. Two Alphas, both completely in love with you."
The bitterness in her voice made me pause. I understood it. Hell, I lived it.
Everyone wants to be loved. It's not some weakness or flaw; it's a basic need. Tanya had parents who stood by her even after she was outed as an Omega. And that… that made me ache a little.
It's been thirteen years since I was cast out. No letters. No photos. I'm starting to forget their faces. Parents… siblings… all of them, fading like old dreams. That kind of emptiness… It doesn't get filled. You learn to live around it, like scar tissue.
Tanya, though, still has a chance. She has people.
"Are you… jealous?" I asked, trying to tease her gently. I didn't want this to weigh down her birthday.
"A little," she admitted, laughing sheepishly. "So… was it the bonding with our CEO that made you choose him?"
Persistent, wasn't she?
I gave her a short smile. "I couldn't reciprocate Fred's feelings."
Tanya blinked. "Didn't you ever think that maybe, if you gave it time, you could fall for him?"
I looked at Twen, his small, sleeping body curled under the blanket, and sighed.
"I did. But I didn't want to gamble Fred's happiness on a maybe. And yes, bonding with Robbie was part of it. But even without it, Fred deserved someone who could love him properly. And I couldn't lie to him."
Tanya let out a dramatic sigh. "You're too good for your own damn good, Tony. What about your happiness? What about Twen? Were you really prepared to spend your life alone?"
That made me laugh.
"I've thought about that so many times. And every time, I ended up with a migraine." I grinned, half-joking. "Look, worrying about being alone doesn't summon a perfect guy out of thin air. That's not how life works."
"But what about Twen? Didn't you want him to have a father?"
"Of course I did. But if he doesn't, it's not the end of the world," I said, still chuckling. "It's not easy raising a kid alone, no argument there. But I wasn't truly alone, was I? I had Twen. And he had me."
Tanya's expression softened. She stepped closer and took my hand in both of hers.
"If there had been no one," she said gently, "I would've stepped in. I'd have helped raise him with you."
I stared at her, startled. My heart stuttered for a second.
What did she mean by that?
Was that… a confession?
Before I could say anything dumb, she rolled her eyes and grinned. "Stop overthinking. It's not what you think."
She laughed outright. "You're so damn transparent, Tony. Even Twen could probably guess what's running through your head right now."
She tugged my hand affectionately and added through her giggles, "I didn't mean I wanted to marry you. I meant I'd help out as your friend or as another parent. That's all."
I groaned and rubbed my forehead. God, I really was overthinking it.
"Sorry," I mumbled.
She waved it off. "Nah, my fault too. I worded it weirdly."
She let go of my hand and moved to the bed, where she gently massaged Twen's little forehead. Her fingers were soft, her expression wistful.
"He's lucky," she said. "To have you."
Then she looked at me again, her voice softer but certain. "You know, I think both Mr. D'Souza and our CEO truly love you… but it's the CEO who needs you."
I frowned. Her words hung in the air, unsettling and heavy.
"Needs me?" I echoed. "What do you mean?"
Tanya's face grew more serious, her expression filled with quiet understanding. "Dad once told me, 'There will be many who lust for you, a few who'll love you, but only one who'll find their home in you.' I never understood what he meant… until now."
She smiled at me fondly.
"What he meant was… it's not the four walls that make a home. It's the person who makes you feel safe and loved."
I said nothing, just listening.
"For our CEO," she continued, "you are that person. When he's around you, he looks like someone who's finally at peace, like he's home. Like he doesn't have to pretend to be anything else."
My heart thudded.
"That's why I think he needs you more than Fred ever could," she said softly.
"…What makes you say that?" I asked, flustered, my face probably turning an embarrassing shade of pink.
Tanya shrugged, a twinkle in her eye. "I don't know exactly. It's in the way he watches you. Like you're the only place he can land without crashing."