My Baby Daddy Isn't Human-Chapter 79: No Lie

Raelynn settled into the passenger seat of Sloane's bright red car as they cruised down the street. A popular song played softly on the radio, but her mind was anything but at ease. She played nervously with her bag strap, twisting it around her fingers while watching the scenery rush by.

Why didn't she mention to Elion who she was meeting for lunch? It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. She was just meeting the guy who happened to save her at the party the other night—a perfectly innocent lunch with zero ulterior motives. Right? She frowned, her fingers now twisting the strap of her bag into a pretzel.

Maybe she just didn't want Elion to know. Not because it was some big secret or anything, but because she could already imagine how the conversation would go. He'd probably raise one of those annoyingly perfect eyebrows and staring her down with that infuriating poker fac , and then ask an annoyingly probing question like, "Why are you having lunch with him?"

And what would she even say?

Raelynn sighed, shaking her head at her own overthinking. She wasn't hiding anything. She wasn't lying—just leaving out a detail. There was a difference, right? Besides, Elion didn't need to know every little detail about her life. It was bad enough they were about to be tied together forever by a baby—her life didn't need to turn into a live-streamed documentary for him.

Still, a small voice in the back of her mind poked at her. What if he did find out later? Would he care? He didn't seem the type to care about anything, except when he suddenly decided to be overprotective and weirdly intense about things.

"Ugh, stop," she muttered under her breath, as if telling her brain to quit would actually work.

Sloane glanced at her briefly. "You okay over there?"

"Fine," Raelynn said quickly, forcing a smile.

Yup, just fine. Nothing to see here—just a woman spiraling over her own irrational paranoia. She shifted in her seat, determined to put it out of her mind. After all, what were the chances this lunch would even matter to Elion?

…Okay, maybe she wouldn't answer that.

Raelynn crossed her arms, trying to convince herself that it was no big deal. Maybe she was just overthinking.

When they arrived at the house, Sloane parked the car and turned to Raelynn. "Alright, I need to head out and meet some colleagues," she said, grabbing her bag from the backseat.

"Good luck with that," Raelynn replied with a small smile as she stepped out of the car.

"You too," Sloane added with a playful wink as she pulled away.

Raelynn paused at the front of the grand house, inhaling deeply before stepping through the door. She entered the quiet home, wandering into the living room to toss her bag on the couch. She glanced at the clock. There were still a few hours before lunch, and she decided to relax for a bit.

**

Raelynn gave herself a final once-over in the mirror, straightening her flowy dress as noon crept closer. Satisfied, she headed downstairs, where the private driver, Mr. Collins, was already waiting for her by the car.

"Ready, ma'am?" he asked politely, opening the door for her.

"Yes, thank you," Raelynn said, stepping in.

Before the car pulled out of the driveway, she made sure to check in with Hera. Finding the woman in the kitchen, Raelynn gave her a quick update.

"I'll be out for lunch," she informed. "And yes, before you ask, I already told Elion. He won't be mad this time."

Hera gave her a knowing look but simply nodded. "Alright then. Have fun, Raelynn."

With her nerves eased a little, she got back in the car as Mr. Collins began the drive to the restaurant.

The place was small but vibrant, the warm red and yellow walls giving it a cheerful feel. The air was rich with the aroma of cooking spices, making her realize just how hungry she was. She approached the hostess stand, smiling politely at the young woman behind it.

"Table for two," Raelynn said.

The hostess checked her list and looked up with a smile. "Are you here for Mr. Axel?"

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Raelynn nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"Follow me, please."

The hostess led her toward the back of the restaurant, weaving through tables filled with chatter and laughter. The space became quieter as they approached a semi-private corner, where Axel was already seated.

He noticed her immediately, a warm smile spreading across his face as he waved. She smiled back, her expression warming as she approached the table, where Axel rose from his seat with an easy confidence.

"Raelynn," he greeted warmly, stepping around the table to pull out her chair.

"Thank you," she said, sitting down gracefully.

Axel pushed her chair in slightly before taking his own seat. "I hope you didn't have any trouble getting here," Axel said casually.

"Not at all," Raelynn replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I'm sorry I'm a little late."

He waved it away like it was nothing, his smile not faltering for a second. "Nonsense. I just got here myself."

Once they were seated, Axel pulled out a bright bouquet from under the table, its yellow, pink, and white petals lighting up the moment.

"These are for you," he said, holding them out to her.

She took the bouquet, bringing it to her nose to inhale the sweet scent. "They're beautiful. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Axel replied. "Don't mention it, really."

Raelynn placed the flowers carefully on the empty seat beside her, her fingers lingering on the stems as she glanced back at Axel. "You didn't have to, you know. But I appreciate it."

"It's no trouble at all," he assured her, leaning back slightly in his chair.

The waitress returned shortly after to take their drink orders, leaving them alone once more. The awkward tension faded as they chatted, and Raelynn found herself feeling at ease with Axel's company.

For the first time in what felt like ages, she let herself relax and enjoy the moment.