Convincing

Courting

Romeo DeLuna sitting in the back of his Maybach with his P.I. “Did you find anything?” The man was instant with his information, “From the information we got from Benito before he passed, the area on which they were last in, we have it narrowed down. I had your blood sample run against the two most likely based on ages, but they weren’t a match. There’s only one left that is.”

Finding out who that young boy was, Romeo now looked at the picture and knew why Hector looked so concerned. Seeing a little boy version of him, Romeo didn’t even need the blood test to know he was looking at his son.

Hearing the story of the young boy found on a trash pile in the cold, Romeo’s heart broke. “He was left out in the dead of winter to freeze to death?”

Hector nodded and both were silent because they knew who had been responsible. And the hate was loud in that silence.

Seething with it, Romeo looked at the smiling woman holding his son. Not his mother, but the beautiful blonde kissing his face like one? Was the woman who had found him. And had loved him like a mother since.

“Her name is Penelope Bellrose sir.” Background and everything pulled about the woman, Romeo looked at him for a moment as he clarified, “Of the Bellrose family? The family in France?” Nodding in confirmation, Romeo expected a party girl and an ugly background. Only to get one of volunteering and schooling.

Penelope Bellrose seemingly almost too perfect, the only thing mentioned about her that was painted negative? Gossip magazines.

“She was linked to the photographer Stefan Marks for a year but when he moved to London, he pretty quickly got with a model there. It was a whole thing because people assumed with how serious they seemed he’d marry her and adopt her son.”

Stefan Marks a GQ handsome with his angular face and French and Mexican genes making him a French Henry Cavill love child.

Finding him unimpressive though, and his background had him barely passing to be a somewhat good enough to be a stepfather to his son? Romeo knew the asshole wouldn’t pass as a father to him though. And as he scoffed dismissing the ex-boyfriend since it was an ex and he hadn’t stepped foot in front of either in almost two years, Romeo looked at Hector.

“Anyone else close to her?” Shaking his head, the man noted, “A friend that is also a single mother is the only one that had a flag. She was pulled over in her youth when she was with a boyfriend who had drugs on him. The officer’s saw him putting them in her jacket and it was written up in the report because she was a minor.”

Sighing not interested in the personal grievances of a stranger, Romeo asked, “Right. Well, what the f**k do I do now?”

He had hoped his son wasn’t harmed. Seeing the boy smiling and laughing made his heart happy to know he’d been right. But now he had another problem. “If we take her to court and have him proven as your son sir, they will ask questions about his mother. And why he was abandoned.”

Exhaling, Romeo surmised, “We can fabricate something about that.” Hector nodded in agreement on getting something in the works about that, but then pointed something out to his boss, “Your son already sees Penelope Bellrose as his mother. She won’t just give up custody to the young boy she’s raised for five years. And with her family’s money and connections? It won’t be an easy bully sir.”

Romeo had figured that when the heiress’ name had dropped and yet he wasn’t preparing for a fight. Looking at the picture of the two smiling in the park, he felt his heart warm at his son’s dimpled smile, “I won’t bully then.” And then the first bouquet came.

And then the second.

Blushing when she came into work and saw the beautiful pink and white roses waiting, Penelope looked at Hannah who chirped, “Look who got roses. I wonder what handsome fella is being so charming?” Blushing as she picked up the card and read, “Roses are cheesy I know, but you’re the woman that deserves flowers now matter how cliché.”-Love R.” Confused Hannah looked at her as her fiancée Timothee wondered for the three of them, “Who is R?” Unable to answer since she didn’t know, Penelope shrugged, “Don’t know, but he’s trying hard...I’ll give him that.”

And he continued too when she got off work and was surprised by a car who took her home, she was confused by the zero wait and was sure she was late for her usual one. Having expected a thirty-minute wait with traffic, the coffee and water waiting for her made her look at the driver.

“How-.” The man smiled, “Someone made sure the lady would have a nice day. He must be a lucky guy to be so particular.” Blushing since there was no guy to her knowledge, Penelope went home and got comfortable with bare feet and a loose sun dress and after removing her bra, she let her blonde hair down and felt her headache leave as she cooked.

Harper had picked up Jacobe and Mateo from school and them going to her house for a while, she was free until seven.

Humming as she finished making dinner, she was tucking Mateo into bed when she got a missed call from Vivian. Too tired to call her back and forgetting too after a quick hot shower and a bath, she was laying down when a frustrated Vivian looked at Frankie.

“It’ll be okay. Maybe if he wants to do things “off the record” he won’t be trying to take her to court and take Mateo from her.” Hoping that wasn’t the case, the man and his connections had him already on a private jet to his child and his unexpecting mother.

Looking at a picture of Penelope, Romeo gently commented, "You're too pretty little lady." Seeing her smile as she held their son, he exhaled finding the picture so genuine. No staged photoshoots between them, the pictures taken between Mateo and Penelope Bellrose were all unexpected shots.

At his school, at a park playing soccer, or outside her work. The most taken around the time her relationship ended with the photographer, Romeo watched the asshole hanging on a painter a week after the news had dropped hint his last relationship ended because "it was too serious you know? I'm young and have my whole life ahead of me and I want certain things and she wants different. It's just bori-not for me."

Knowing the insult was on purpose as his new girl cackled to the camera, Romeo rolled his eyes and muttered, "Asshole. Didn't deserve her, she's a ten, and you look like handsome Squidward. Dick." Closing the interview and focusing on the important matters, like going to see her, Romeo looked at the last text he got from his mother and family.

The only ones who knew, that encouragement was needed. But his mother reminded him, "Remember to inform them you never gave up custody and can not legally keep him from you." Knowing she was just trying to help but unable to go in with entitlement for not being there, Romeo knew his other method was not perfect still.

Seduction an easy tactic but not something he wanted to whip out when knowing this woman was more than a casual night fling, Romeo looked at the woman who was single, independent, and well off. "Courting it is." He decided with a soft exhale, hoping Penelope Bellrose played along.