Rayne's POV

The New York traffic was adding to the annoying fact, that just down the block, there was a woman claiming her child was my husband's. I let out an annoyed sigh, my eyes peering out the window at various shops and stands on the street.

"Come on!!! Get out the way!" Wayne yells, honking at a pedestrian running in front of the car at the last second. The guy hits the hood of the truck before flicking his middle finger at Wayne and yells an obscene word. Wayne sighs, "good to be home.." he rolls his eyes.

"How much longer do you think we'll be?" Michael asked.

"Judging by the traffic...another 30 minutes."

Michael groans, acknowledging he'll be late for his studio session.

"It's ok daddy.. they can't start without you." Camille enthuses, causing him to grin.

"I know, but I never want to waste anyone's time." Michael explains.

We end up making it to the studio a little under 10 minutes later than scheduled as Michael rushed in, his jacket hanging off his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, traffic was terrible. I'm ready when you are." He says to the producer.

Camille and Mikey sat on the floor with their books and toys as I looked on, watching Michael in his own element. I liked watching him work, it reminded me of a reason why we were together. His focus to get something done, his drive, and determination let me know I was something he wouldn't give up on easily and it made me feel safe.

In the midst of watching him, Michael's cell rang. Without second thought, I answered to a voice I was less than pleased to hear from.

"Hello Rayne. Good to hear you're better. Is Michael available?" She says with a smooth voice. I roll my eyes not to cause a scene and simply call Michael's name, holding the phone over my head.

On the outside looking in, you'd think Mike and I have it all together. I would think we've mastered that look since we've been in the public eye as a couple for almost 15 years. But it felt like we were falling apart. There was currently a woman between us, holding me back from showing affection to my husband and I was honestly devastated.

Was this what would be to come? She'd be calling during times we spent together as a family? I didn't want to imagine that, but that's where I would go when I thought of her. I couldn't see myself making it through this marriage with her snagged on.

***

After the studio session, I was due to meet her. Leon would watch over the kids while Michael and I went inside with Wayne. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" Michael asked with concern coating his voice.

"Michael.." I respond.

"I'm just saying, we don't know if this kid is mine yet. We only know what she's told us.. I don't want you to get all worked up over nothing."

I ignore him and follow Wayne to the door, tapping my knuckles softly on the wood. She opens the door with a grin followed by a sigh, telling me she was expecting my husband to come alone.

"Rayne, what a surprise." She smiles falsely. "Hello Michael.. please come in."

I watch her eyes follow my husband's every move. "So how am I so lucky to gain a visit from Mrs. Rayne Jackson?" She says sitting on the chair opposite us.

I cross my leg over, placing my palm on my knee. "I just wanted to meet the woman I ended up sharing my husband with. You truly believe that your son is his?"

She gives me a light chuckle before she answers, licking her lips at Michael. "What Michael and I did was create a wonderful human being. It was magic. I'll never forget the conversations we had that night."

Her boldness was infuriating and I had every right mind to reach over and slam her face into the table between us. The fact that she was so confident scared me. Michael's hand wrapped around my wrist softly to stop my arm from unnoticeably shaking.

Closing my eyes, I give a long sigh, not to get sucked into her childish antics and continue what I originally planned to say. "Maria, I didn't come here to learn about you and Michael's 'magic' I just need to know, what are we going to do if this test comes back and Michael is his father? How are we gonna handle this?"

"I don't know what deluded world you're living in.. but once this test comes back positive, and it will, Michael, carlos, and I will be the family we're supposed to be."

I shake my head, "that's not happening." I respond.

"No it's not.." Michael echoes. "Because you and I both know that child isn't mine."

Maria laughs, "Ok, sure. I mean Rayne, how can you honestly believe what Michael is saying is true when he's been lying to you about cheating on you for years?"

"He's my husband.. I have to believe him and trust him." I say shortly.

"Rayne... is he really your husband? He's slept around on you.. he's not your husband-"

"If I'm such a bad guy, why do you want me so bad?" Michael interjects.

Maria stops in her tracks, her eyes peering directly into his. "You and I are a better fit.. I'd be there for you, like the night we met because your wife wasn't available. You'd have no reason to cheat." She grins, giving me another slick look.

In pure reflex, I reach over and smack her with an open palm before Michael grabs me by the waist calling Wayne's name to come in.

I push Michael off of me and storm past Maria and then past Wayne. "Don't touch me!!" I exclaim. I get in the truck angrily, slamming the door HARD before putting my head in my hands. I fought away so many tears for the past few weeks that it must've boiled over. I sat in the truck weeping. My forehead laid towards my knees, the tears soaking my forearms. I was so tired of being upset and crying, I was fed up with dealing with things like this. I slowed my breaths, wiping my eyes sore from crying. I knew I wouldn't be able to hide the puffiness from Michael when he got back to the car.

I looked outward toward the window the entire ride back to our hotel. It was quiet and uncomfortable filled with heavy sighs. I could feel Michael's eyes burning through the back of my head, wanting to say something but I wasn't giving him anything or any reason to speak to me.

We walked down the hall towards our room before Michael pulled me into a room next to ours. He wrapped his arms around me tightly not allowing me to push him away. "Michael get off of me!" I muffle, squirming in his arms.

"What are you doing!" I say pushing away from him.

"I don't want us to be this way. You've been upset with me for weeks. We're not us anymore." Michael says.

"We haven't been us for a while Michael. Do you have any idea how much this hurts?? To know that someone else has had something you've been in love with for years? There's a piece of you I'll never get back."

"Baby, that child isn't mine-"

"It's not about the child Mike." I shut my eyes in frustration. Then it hits both of us like a truck, "you cheated on me! You let another woman into your emotions, you gave her something that we promised could only be given to each other. I can't even show you how bad this is hurting me to know this happened."

Michael sighs, realizing that him cheating, was the problem we weren't facing. "I did... didn't I?" He mutters, "God, I'm so sorry. It's not gonna be easy to fix this is it?"

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know Mike. We've never been here before." I sniffle. "But this is hard to deal with." I say, sitting on the bed.

"I could only imagine.." he sighs, "I mean, I think about all the grief I gave you for kissing a man..."

"I don't know how much more I can take Michael..I've never been this unhappy." I say looking at him. His eyes widened, almost like his worst nightmare was coming true.

"Wh-what are you saying?" He asked softly.

I debated bringing up that divorce again, or staying at my father's again, but we promised each other that we'd work through things. If this child was his I wasn't sure how I'd cope, that'd probably be the last straw. But him cheating honestly hurt more. What wasn't I doing that Maria did? I sigh, "I'm saying let's see what happens. I'm going in the other room, I wanna see my children." I left him in that room, before taking my key out and placing it in the latch to the door that held my kids.

I plaster on a grin for Camille because she understood what was going on between her parents, Mikey wasn't old enough yet. "Where's daddy?" Camille asks.

"He's coming." I respond watching her jump on the hotel bed. "Thank you so much for watching them Leon." I smile.

"It's no problem."

"There he is!" Camille exclaims running toward the door to greet her father. I looked at Michael's eyes and I could see he'd been crying in that other room. His short sniffles gave it away as well. He and I both knew where this was headed if the child was his. We just chose to ignore the result.

***

The next morning was nerve racking. We both woke up earlier than we planned and laid facing each other with our eyes looking into each other's. I feel his hand creep into mine as he brings them to his lips, kissing it softly. I let a tear fall before he swipes it away. In my mind, this could be the beginning of the end for us.

We went about our day normally, every time Michael's cell would ring, I'd feel his and my breathing hitch, afraid that those were the results of our weeklong mystery. I place the kids plates in front of them and set Michael's on the table before grabbing my own seat.

Michael came in with a broad grin, "its negative." He blurts.

"What?" I reply, my jaw dropping.

He nods, his smirk still prominent on his face. "You heard me. It's negative."

I couldn't keep my feet from staying still, I ran over to him and grabbing him tightly. "Are you joking with me??!" I ask again.

"Um.. what's going on?" Camille asked.

"Daddy just got some great news." Michael says, wrapping his arms around me.

"Yaay daddy!" Mikey claps.

I pull Michael into the bedroom and shut the door. "Seriously?" I ask.

"Seriously Ray! I just got a call from the lab tech. He told me it's negative. He's gonna be over to meet Wayne for the paperwork." He grins. "I told you that boy wasn't mine! Didn't I tell you?" He says embracing me and kissing my forehead.

"You did.. you told me." I smirk. "How'd she get your signature?"

"It was probably forged, that's not hard baby.."

I lean my head on his chest, "I wanna be there when you tell her. And she needs to publicly apologize to you." I say pushing my finger against his chest.

"Ok.."

"I'm serious! She messed up your image going public like that."

"She messed up my marriage for a second too.." he says leaning in to kiss me.

I lean back, placing a finger over his lips, "oh.. we've still got stuff to work on. Let's not forget.." I say releasing him and walking back to the table.

"What's the good news mommy?" Camille asked.

"Daddy thought he'd have to spend extra money on something he really didn't want to.. but turns out he won't have to after all." I smile, "don't worry about it, eat your breakfast so we can get you and Mikey ready for your teachers."

Michael's POV

After my studio session, I had Leon bring Rayne to Maria's to break the news to her, hoping that Rayne's temper wouldn't get the best of her. It's never been that good since we were young. I knock at Maria's door as she quietly opens it. Her eyes filled with questions.

"Man of hour.. nervous?" She asked with a grin.

"Not at all." I responded walking in behind her, waving to her son in the living room watching television.

"No security this time?" She chuckled pouring a glass of water. I frown for a minute. "Your wife." She elaborates.

"Oh, she'll be here... look before we get to the results can I ask you why you did this?" I sit at the table.

"I told you, I want you to take care of our son. I didn't make him by myself.. and it's not fair to him to see his half siblings spend time with their father and he can't."

I shake my head, before I was distracted by Rayne's light voice. "Hello?" She yells.

"We're in the kitchen." I yell back.

"Are we all ready?" Maria says holding her envelope with her results in her hand. She rips the fold and peers on the paper then gives a frown. "What?"

Rayne crosses her arms and smirks, "something wrong?" She asks.

"Maria, I told you Carlos wasn't my kid.. I'm sorry but this ends now.." I say as politely as possible.

"No I know you're his father.. this is WRONG..you're supposed to be with me." She says sitting at the table opposite me.

"No he's not. You're deranged.. and you owe him an apology... a public one. Do you have any idea what you've almost done to him. To us?" Rayne says.

"You don't deserve him, you weren't even there for him when he needed you. That's why he came to me! Remember Michael?" She asks.

"I was high out of my mind, I don't remember that night at all. I just remember waking up next to you in my hotel room."

"It doesn't matter, you are no longer my husband's problem.. pack your stuff and go back to Detroit. We're done.. come on Mike." Rayne says before grabbing my hand to leave.

As we got in the car, I chuckled at Rayne. "What?" She asked.

"Your just so cute with your light voice and you're sitting over there all upset Huffing and puffing. It's cute." I giggle.

She smirks, "I am upset. Why'd she do this? This really almost broke us up.. I don't know how I would've handled if that kid was yours."