THE BILLIONAIRE'S SECOND CHANCE

EIGHT

Mark Coleman

I decided not to tell anyone about my plans to track down Tara after my mom and I had our lunch date. I had no idea where she was, but I was willing to do anything just to find out the truth from her. It would be better if I heard the truth from her, but what if this was another one of Mia's schemes to make sure she wins again?

After the night at the club, I had a lot to think about. What if it was her plan all along to separate Tara and me? She had done her best to make sure we divorced, and the day Tara caught us red-handed, she was with her at her office. She passed by my office with her intentions.

Tara had already texted that she was going to be late that evening, so she suggested it was best if she passed by our house to pick up some of her clothes, and she insisted I give her a lift. I knew it was a bad idea, but I agreed, and she seduced me the whole way back home.

As soon as we got home, we went straight to my room. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I couldn't control myself. I wanted her so badly that I craved her in such a way that I couldn't resist her. And that was the day I lost the love of my life. There was no way she could act innocent because she knew what she was doing.

"I am not going to let this chance slip through my fingers just like that; I will find her, and I am going to ask for a second chance," I muttered to myself as I walked out of my office.

I called my best friend, Jimmy. He was the only person who understood me from my point of view and walked with me from therapist to therapist, trying to heal. I could say he was there for me the whole time. We met in our recovery group, and when Tara left, I slipped back into alcohol, and it became my daily food. I could start drinking in the morning until the evening.

Tara was forever on my mind, no matter how hard I tried to forget about her and accept the fact that she divorced me, walked out of me, and left the city because she was done with me. Something kept telling me that I could convince her to come back, but how could I even find her? She could have changed her name for all she cared.

Well, Jimmy and I became best of buddies after the program ended. He was trying to get over his late wife, who had just passed and left him two kids.

"Man, I need to see you. There is something urgent I need to talk to you about." I said so as soon as he received the call.

"I was just getting ready to leave my office, and I have a movie date with my kids tonight." He countered, and I sighed. Despite everything that happened, he loved his kids and was always there for them, which reminded me of the possibility of having a son or a daughter who didn't even know I existed. I dreaded the feeling of my child not knowing about my existence.

"I won't even take much of your time; in fact, I am on my way to your office. I need your thoughts on something crucial." I added, and after talking for a few minutes, I hung up and asked my driver to take me to his office.

As soon as I got to his office, I explained to him about my meeting with Mia and my mom's sentiments about the whole Tara pregnancy issue, and he sided with me.

"I wouldn't be living a happy life knowing my child is out there being raised by some other guy. I know what you did to your ex-wife was unforgivable and something nasty, but who knows? You guys have stayed away from each other for more than four years, and I doubt the grudge is still there. I don't trust Mia considering what she did, but there might be some truth in her statement." He explained, and I nodded.

I couldn't stop thinking about the whole ordeal. Some part of me was happy that Tara left while she was pregnant, but some part of me doubted Mia's intentions. She was a conniving lady, and nothing she said was true, but could she just wake up and make speculations about something she wasn't sure about? What would she stand to gain at the end of the day?

"I want to find my wife, and the possibility that she could be having our child only fuels my energy, but I don't know what to do. I don't know where to start; I'm sure she is even using a different name, and I have reasons to believe she wouldn't settle in a city like New York City. She wanted to be far away from me, and I'm sure she is in a faraway country, maybe in Africa. I don't know where to start looking; that's why I am here."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I have a friend of mine who can help find your wife in less than 24 hours; we refer to him as the request bounty hunter." He suggested it and immediately reached for his phone. He dialed a number and spoke to the person on the other end for about three minutes before he hung up.

"What was his response?" I asked curiously, and he chuckled.

"He said it's a simple task; I am sure he will find her, but the question you should be asking yourself is: does she want to see you after what transpired between the two of you? And if yes, does she want you anywhere near your child? And don't even think that you can use your influence on her. I must warn you though: child custody cases can be so tough, more so than divorce. You better brace yourself for what is to come."

His words stung, yes, but I knew that was the truth of the matter. I was planning on fighting for custody. If Tara left NYC while pregnant with our first child, then I was going to be in his life. I just wanted to be part of our child's life, and if she was willing to let me back into her life, then I was willing to beg.

"I know what to do," I muttered to myself.

The rest of the night seemed like a year to me. I kept turning and tossing on my bed. The thoughts in my head were louder than my breath. I even had a dream that I met my son, and he called me dad. Maybe Mia was right; maybe Tara was pregnant, and maybe that is why she left without saying goodbye, not even to her family.

I was woken up by a call from a new number the following morning. I stretched my arm and reached for my phone.

"Hello?"

"This is Isaac; I was given your number by Jimmy. It is about the task you gave me; I have something that I think you should see in person." He revealed that I didn't need an alarm to wake me up from my bed.

I quickly threw off the covers and jumped out of bed, feeling a rush of adrenaline as I realized I was running late for her meeting with a friend. I dashed to the bathroom, splashed water on my face, brushed my teeth, and threw on the first outfit I found while trying to tame her unruly hair and brush it.

When I went to see Isaac, I wasn't sure what to expect, but his results didn't disappoint. He not only found out where she lived but also everything else about Tara that I needed to know, and he thought it was necessary if I wanted to track her down myself.

Tara hadn't posted much on her social media, just work photos, and I got a glimpse of a small boy beside her in one of her interviews. There was no doubt that he was my son, as he looked exactly like me—my replica.

"Thank you, Isaac. You don't know how much this means to me." I commented as I went through everything, just to make sure that my eyes weren't playing tricks on me.

When I walked back to my car later that day, I had a smile of victory on my face. I knew Tara would throw a fuss if I showed up unexpectedly, so I planned to make sure I went to see my son for myself and figure out a way of approaching her. Maybe beg to be in my son's life.

I made a mistake in the past, yes, but I wasn't going to let my flaws and past mistakes determine a future for my son and deny him the chance of growing up with his father.

I fished out my phone, called my secretary, and asked her to cancel the following week's meetings. I was taking some time off, and the one week was enough to fly to and from France.

"Tara, I know you may still hate me for what happened, but I still love you, and I am willing to do anything to just get the chance to be in your life and my son's life," I muttered to myself as I drove back home to get ready for my flight to France.

However, when I got back to my place, I was surprised to find Mia and my mom waiting for me. She wore a disappointing look, and I knew exactly why she brought Mia to my place.

"We need to talk." She mentioned it, but I ignored her and walked to my room. I had asked my house manager to pack a few of my clothes for a one-week trip. I dragged my suitcase downstairs and found the duo still waiting for me.

"I know you are going to find her, but you shouldn't. It is clear that she has moved on; why don't you move and be with Mia here? She loves you, and you guys relate well. What makes you think Tara waited for you for four years?" She shot at me, and I chuckled.

"I know your plan, Mom, but it's not going to work. If you have anything you want to talk to me about, then you have to wait until I come back. Now, if you don't mind, I have a plane to catch." I replied and then motioned for my driver to take the suitcases to the car.

I gave Mia one stern look before I angrily walked out of the house.