Jeremy lets himself into Chantal’s house and heads toward the nursery when he sees that Chantal is on the phone. She has her back to him and obviously doesn’t hear Jeremy come in. Jeremy doesn’t want to disturb her until he picks up part of her conversation.

“Actually, Mom, I’m not entirely sure whether Lucca is Jeremy’s. He could be Raine’s.”

Jeremy freezes in the middle of the hallway and slowly turns around. He’s not entirely sure whether he’s heard Chantal correctly or not.

“Well, I thought it was best if it was Jeremy’s. Jeremy is thrilled to have a child. Raine would’ve been pissed off or upset. He didn’t want Rowan in the first place, you know.”

A ringing in Jeremy’s ears drowns out the rest of the conversation. He stands there in the hallway with his fists clenched at his sides and waits for Chantal to notice him. When she does, she quickly ends the conversation and hangs up the phone.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” Jeremy grits out. “What do you mean, Lucca could be Raine’s?”

Chantal pales. “Jeremy…”

“No, you tell me.”

“Raine and I slept together right around the time you and I did, Jeremy.”

Jeremy turns and marches into the nursery. He stares down at Lucca and examines his face. Every day, Lucca is looking more and more like Rowan and Rowan looks exactly like Raine. Jeremy frowns. He should’ve known better, he thinks as he turns to Chantal.

“I want a paternity test.”

“Jeremy…”

“I want one right fucking now.”

Chantal bites her lip. “Okay.”

**

Jeremy calls Raine immediately after getting the results. He tells him to meet him at Chantal’s house, that there’s a problem with the kids. Raine arrives relatively soon thereafter and has barely sat down next to Chantal on the couch before Jeremy starts to speak in terse tones.

“Lucca is not my son. He’s your son, Raine.”

Raine blinks. “What? But that’s impossible.”

“No, it’s not,” Chantal interjects. “Don’t you remember?”

“Remember what?” Raine asks, obviously confused.

“We had sex in September, Raine. You were high at the time, I believe,” Chantal answers.

“What? No, I…” Raine trails off and frowns.

Jeremy shoves the paternity test results into Raine’s hands. “What fucking ever. Lucca’s not mine.” He turns to Chantal. “You’re a bitch.” He looks back to Raine. “And you’re a fucking liar.”

He turns and storms out of the house, slamming the door behind him. When Raine runs out after him and grabs his arm, Jeremy turns and decks him.

“Stay the fuck away from me, motherfucker.”

“Jeremy…”

Jeremy ignores him and gets in his car. He’s so completely devastated that Lucca’s not his son that he doesn’t know what to do with himself. So he drives around aimlessly for hours before heading to his apartment. Once inside, he closes the door and sinks to the floor. The tears he was holding back earlier come out full force. Lucca’s not his son. He lost Raine for no reason. It’s too much to bear.