“Leo, I don’t think?—”
“I insist.” Radmir’s tone is pleasant but firm, and when I meet his gaze, I see steel underneath the surface politeness. “My car is right here. I can drive you both to the restaurant.”
I want to refuse, to make some excuse about prior commitments or Leo’s bedtime routine, but the way Radmir watches me suggests this isn’t really a request. “Leo needs his car seat. We’ll follow you.”
“Of course.” He straightens and points toward a sleek black sedan parked a few spaces away. “Mario’s Pizza on Fifth Street. Do you know it?”
I nod, though I’m already calculating whether I can lose him in traffic or find some way to avoid this confrontation. The thought dies when I notice a black SUV positioned at the parking lot exit, and another one visible down the street. His men are already in place, making sure I follow through with this dinner invitation.
“See you there in a few minutes.” Radmir taps the roof of my car gently before walking away, and I watch him go with a sinking feeling in my stomach.
“This is going to be so fun.” Leo chatters happily as I finish securing him in his seat and get behind the wheel to start the engine, completely unaware of the undercurrents swirling around him. “I can show Mr. Radmir how good I am at the claw machine, and maybe he’ll want to learn about butterflies too.”
The drive to Mario’s Pizza feels both endless and too short. I follow Radmir’s sedan through familiar streets while my mind races through possible scenarios for how this evening might unfold. He knows Leo is his son—I’m certain of that now. The question is what he plans to do with that knowledge.
At the restaurant, Leo practically bounces out of his car seat with excitement. The place is clearly designed for families, with bright colors and cartoon characters painted on the walls, plus an arcade area filled with games and rides that immediately capture Leo’s attention.
“Can I play games, Mama? Please?” He tugs on my hand, already pulling toward the flashing lights and cheerful music.
“After we eat, sweetheart.” I guide him toward a booth in the back corner, where Radmir is already waiting with menus spread across the table.
“This place is amazing.” Leo slides into the booth beside Radmir with casual familiarity that makes my chest ache. “Do they really have games AND pizza?”
“They do. After we eat, I’ll give you some tokens so you can try whatever games you want.” Radmir hands him a children’s menu with activities printed on the back. “Do you know what kind of pizza you like?”
“Cheese is my favorite, but I also like pepperoni sometimes.” Leo immediately starts working on the word search puzzle despite barely knowing the alphabet, poking out his tongue in concentration. The only words he can write are his first and last name, so he fills in the squares with his childish writing, repeating Leo and Arden a few times before Radmir lifts a crayon.
“Maybe I show you how to spell a different name?”
My stomach drops as Leo nods. Radmir carefully writes out V-E-T-R-O-V on the menu. “Do you think you can spell that?”
“Sure,” says Leo. “Will you order my cheese pizza, Mr. Radmir?”
“Of course. Cheese pizza it is.” Radmir signals the waitress and orders a large cheese pizza, drinks, and a basket of garlic bread. When she leaves, he turns his attention to me with a rigid expression.
For twenty minutes, we maintain the pretense of a normal family dinner. Leo chatters about school and butterflies and his plans for the arcade games, while Radmir listens with genuine interest and asks thoughtful questions. Watching them together feels like seeing two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly, and it terrifies me.
“Mama, can I go try the little kid rides?” Leo points toward a section of the arcade with small motorcycles and cartoon characters designed for preschoolers. “I’ll stay where you can see me.”
“Of course, baby. Just be careful and don’t go anywhere else without telling me.”
Leo grabs a handful of tokens and scrambles out of the booth to run toward the rides with focused excitement. I watch him climb onto a small airplane that moves in gentle circles, and his delighted laughter carries across the restaurant.
“He’s remarkable.” Radmir’s voice draws my attention back to the table. “Intelligent, curious, and well-behaved. You’ve done an extraordinary job raising him.”
“Thank you.” I keep my tone neutral, though I sense we’re no longer making casual conversation.
“I know he’s mine, Danielle.”
The words make me flinch even though I’ve been expecting them. There’s no question or uncertainty in his voice. It’s just a statement of fact delivered with quiet authority.
“What are you going to do?” The question comes out as barely more than a whisper.
“I’m going to be his father.” He leans forward slightly, his gaze never leaving mine. “Now that I know he exists, I’m going to be part of his life.”
I close my eyes for a moment, trying to process the finality in his tone. “Radmir?—”
“I understand why you couldn’t tell me four years ago. I gave you a false name and disappeared without explanation. You had no way to contact me and no reason to trust that I’d want to be involved.” His voice carries a note of regret that drops to one of almost…pain when he speaks again. “However, when you came to work at my estate and recognized me, you had the chance to tell me the truth months ago.”
