CHAPTER FOUR ᝰ.ᐟ LATE NIGHT CALL
WARNINGS ᝰ.ᐟ alcohol mention, rafe being condescending and rude, bitterness toward women/ex-wife, power imbalance, slow burn tension. he’s kinda funny in a very petty manner
SUMMARY ᝰ.ᐟ when eli needs help with his literacy reflection, you expect to talk to the nanny — not rafe cameron himself. instead, he calls directly, leaning into his usual condescending, arrogant persona.
the first ring of your phone nearly makes you jump out of your skin. it’s late—too late for a parent to be calling—and you’re halfway convinced it’s a mistake. but then you see the name flashing across your screen: rafe cameron.
you hesitate. usually, any concerns about eli came through eli’s nanny, not directly from his father. in fact, rafe had made it very clear, in that condescending tone of his, that his time was “far too valuable to be trading pleasantries with teachers every other day.”
still, you answer. “mr. cameron?”
“ms. y/l/n.” his voice comes through smooth, low, and tired, but not without that usual bite. “good, you’re awake.”
you glance at the clock. “it’s almost eleven.”
“yeah, well.” you hear the faint clink of glass, the lazy drawl of a man who knows he should be asleep but isn’t. “my son’s still up. said he needed help with some project—something about reading logs or… whatever it is you people assign. figured you’d be the expert, sweetheart.”
your eyebrows shoot up. “it’s called a literacy reflection, and it was sent home two weeks ago. i gave very clear instructions in his folder—”
“right,” he cuts you off smoothly, a smirk audible in his voice. “the infamous folder. trust me, sweetheart, i’ve seen it. full of bright papers, stickers, all very… elementary. i don’t exactly keep tabs on what gets pulled out of eli’s backpack every afternoon.”
you bite your tongue. “perhaps you should.”
there’s a pause, then the faint sound of him chuckling. “careful. you almost sounded like my ex-wife just now.”
the words hang there, heavy and cutting.
you clear your throat, pushing past it. “if eli needs clarification, i’d be happy to walk him through it. usually the nanny helps, but—”
“the nanny’s off,” he interrupts again. “and apparently i’m the only one available. so you’ll have to walk me through it.”
you sit back in your chair, staring at the ceiling. “mr. cameron, with all due respect—”
“there it is.” he sounds almost smug, like he’s been waiting to hear that phrase. “you teachers love that line, don’t you? ‘with all due respect.’ as if it cushions the judgment.”
“i’m not judging,” you snap before you can stop yourself.
“sure you are,” he drawls. “i can hear it in your voice. you think i’m some negligent parent, too busy counting money to sit down with a second-grader and a stack of books.”
you don’t answer right away. because the truth is… he isn’t wrong.
you hear him shift, leather creaking faintly under his weight, and picture him leaning back in some massive chair, drink in hand, eyes half-lidded and amused at your silence.
“ms. y/l/n,” he says finally, voice dropping low, smug. “are you still there? or did i lose you to that little apartment of yours?”
your jaw tightens. “how would you know where i live?”
“please.” you can hear the smirk. “i make it my business to know. teachers aren’t exactly hard to track. one of eli’s little friends at school mentioned you live near the bus stop on ashland. modest place, right? cozy. bet you’ve got more books than furniture.”
heat rises in your face. “that’s—”
“cute,” he says simply. “very on brand for you.”
you exhale slowly through your nose, trying to center yourself. “are we going to talk about your son’s assignment, or are you going to keep criticizing my living situation?”
the worst part: you can hear the faint sound of his smirk stretching wider across the line.
“fine,” you snap, a little breathless, “let’s talk about the assignment then.”
“oh, please,” he scoffs, low and teasing. “don’t act like you actually enjoy this. teaching second grade at eleven at night, in your apartment lit by that sad little lamp of yours…” his tone drips condescension. “…i can hear it from here. i can practically smell the ramen you’ve been eating for dinner.”
you pause, blinking, “i made soup.”
“soup?” his voice rises, incredulous. “from a can, no doubt. or maybe just hot water and a sad little cube of… whatever passes for flavor in your world.”
your fingers tighten around your pen. “it’s homemade.”
“sure, sure,” he murmurs, mockingly placating, “homemade. of course it is. like everything else you do, perfectly modest. i bet the view from your window is exciting too — streetlights, the occasional stray cat. thrilling.”
“i can hear the smile in your voice,” you mutter, and for a second he actually laughs — soft, amused, entirely too confident.
“ah, now we’re talking,” he says, leaning back further in the leather chair you can almost feel under his weight. “you’re finally engaging with me. though, let’s be honest — your apartment couldn’t possibly contain all that charm.”
you roll your eyes, voice sharper now. “i’m not here to charm you, mr. cameron. eli’s literacy reflection—”
“right. eli. the project that supposedly can’t be completed without my divine guidance,” he interrupts, tone sarcastic, playful. “i can see why the nanny is off. she’d just coddle him, feed him ideas, pat him on the head. me? apparently, i’m the expert.”
“he needs help understanding the reflection questions,” you explain, ignoring the jab at your living space. “can we just—”
“fine, yes, yes,” he sighs, a little too dramatic. “read me the first one. enlighten me, ms. y/l/n. show me how your brain comprehends the needs of my son.”
your lips press into a thin line. “he’s asking about his favorite part of the book he read last week. i want him to answer in full sentences, not just say ‘i liked it’ and be done.”
“oh.” his voice lowers, mock-serious now. “so this is a character development exercise. fascinating.”
“exactly.” you grit your teeth. “and he struggles to expand on his ideas sometimes, so guiding him is—”
“tedious,” he finishes for you, the smirk audible, “i get it. yes. guiding children. the ultimate parental burden. somehow i survived my ex-wife and her endless book clubs and shopping sprees, and now i get to navigate a second-grader’s reflections. life is hard, isn’t it?”
your hand tightens on the phone. “mr. cameron—”
“don’t ‘mr. cameron’ me,” he snaps lightly, amused by his own bite. “i’m trying to help you help my son. don’t make me regret it. seriously. i could’ve been on the balcony, overlooking the city, sipping something smooth while thinking about mergers, acquisitions, billion-dollar decisions, instead of… this.”
you take a deep breath. “so we start with the first question: why did you like the book?”
he sighs, an exaggerated groan that makes you roll your eyes in frustration. “fine. eli, your teacher says you have to explain yourself in complete sentences. now, tell me—why did you like your book?”
a pause. you hear eli’s small, hesitant voice. “i liked it because george was funny, and he went to the zoo, and… um… the monkey was… curious?”
“curious,” rafe repeats flatly, like tasting a word he finds odd. “yes. george, curious. see, he’s learning adjectives now. probably learned them from his mother, right? or was that the nanny’s doing?”
“his mother isn’t here,” you snap, sharply, “so we’re focusing on him.”
“sure, sure,” rafe mutters, but you can hear the half-smirk returning. “just pointing out the obvious. i don’t like to lie about obvious facts. keeps life interesting.”
you grit your teeth. “let’s move on.”
and yet… he leans in — figuratively, across the phone line — listening to every answer, prodding just enough to challenge eli to elaborate. he doesn’t soften, doesn’t coddle, but he pushes, gently, cruelly, in that exact way that forces progress.
“hm,” he says after the third question. “so george went to the zoo. he saw animals. he learned stuff. and… you liked that?”
“yes, dad,” eli answers, a little more confident this time.
“curious little boy,” rafe mutters. “he probably inherited that from—” his voice cuts off, almost bitter, like thinking of his ex-wife is a flavor he can’t quite swallow. “never mind.”
you don’t comment, because you can hear it — the tension, the history, the bitterness dripping in that single clipped word. it’s enough to make your stomach flip, but also… intriguing.
he shifts, you imagine the glass in his hand tilting slightly, the faint clink of ice, the echo in that enormous mansion bedroom. “you know,” he continues, “it’s funny. you’re sitting there, in that little apartment, helping my son at midnight. i’m… well, i’m sitting in the best chair in the city, drinking something good, thinking about how little you understand how easy your life could be.”
“and yet you called me,” you point out, voice low but firm. “you could have asked the nanny. you could’ve handled it yourself.”
“ah,” he hums, slow, deliberate. “you noticed that? clever. yes, i could’ve handled it. but then i’d miss your little commentary, wouldn’t i? the sound of your voice explaining things like you’re some tiny oracle of literacy.”
you flush, trying not to react. “i’m not an oracle. i’m a teacher.”
“details, details,” he says, almost mockingly. “doesn’t change that you’re efficient. precise. and terrifyingly… principled.”
you bite your lip. “i’m just doing my job.”
“ah, yes. your job. noble, quiet, in a cramped little apartment. mine? juggling empires, ex-wives, my son, and apparently… your endless patience.”
he pauses. you can almost hear him sipping the drink now, letting the ice settle. “i could hang up anytime,” he murmurs, “but i’m not. because you intrigue me. and, apparently, eli does too.”
you grip the phone, exhale, and try to focus. “we still need to finish the reflection.”
“yes, yes,” he hums, mock-serious, leaning back, smirk audible. “let’s continue this epic saga of a second grader’s thoughts.”
“all right,” you say, trying to steady your voice, “next question: what did you learn from the story?”
eli hesitates, and rafe interjects before you can guide him. “hm? tell me, little man. what pearls of wisdom did george impart upon you?”
“he learned to share with his friends,” eli mumbles, quiet but firmer than before.
“ah, sharing,” rafe echoes, almost tasting the word. “so he’s learning cooperation, teamwork… hmm. sounds suspiciously like my ex-wife taught him that lesson too, doesn’t it? except she did it in a more… tedious, long-winded way.”
you bite back a sharp retort, focusing on eli. “just repeat the sentence fully, please.”
“why are you so strict?” eli asks, frowning.
“because your father insists,” you answer lightly, trying to keep the tone playful but firm.
“ah, yes. strictness. that old chestnut,” rafe mutters. “i come from a long line of people who know that rules exist for a reason. unlike some… well, never mind.”
eli giggles softly, and you hear rafe’s smirk through the phone. “yes, there it is. laughter. precious. i suppose it makes all this tedious guidance worthwhile.”
“mr. cameron,” you say, voice tight, “please focus. it’s just a reading reflection.”
“focus? right,” he hums, mock annoyance heavy in his words. “i’m focusing. very… seriously. nothing distracts me more than the sound of your little voice scolding me. truly, the epitome of discipline.”
you roll your eyes. “you’re impossible.”
“impossible? why, thank you,” he replies dryly, and you swear you can hear the chuckle, slow and deliberate. “i do try, sweetheart. honestly, someone has to balance the chaos. otherwise, eli would run wild, and the world would crumble under unchecked second-grade energy.”
“he’s a child, not a dictator,” you snap, exasperated.
“child, dictator—semantics,” rafe drawls. “i prefer efficiency. learning. structure. all that tedious adult nonsense.”
eli sighs. “i don’t like tedious stuff.”
“hm,” rafe murmurs, low and deliberate. “neither do i, son. neither do i. which is why i’ve spent decades building a life that avoids it whenever possible. unlike some, sitting in a cramped apartment at midnight, grading papers by lamplight.”
your cheeks flush, and you bite your lip. “you’re condescending.”
“true,” he admits easily, smugly, sipping from the glass. “i am. but consider it… honest condescension. truth, wrapped in a velvet glove of charm. see, that’s where you differ from the rest of your kind. you listen. you push back, but you… stay engaged. admirable, really.”
eli giggles again. “dad’s funny.”
“hm, i am,” rafe agrees, smirk audible. “funny, devastatingly intelligent, occasionally bitter from failed relationships. all rolled into one complex package. your mother’s influence aside, i’d say your genetics are… promising.”
“mr. cameron!” you hiss softly, trying not to laugh despite yourself.
“what? it’s true,” he murmurs, low and teasing. “you can hear it in every word i say. efficient, precise, principled, and now… apparently, entertained by this little midnight escapade.”
you let out a breath, exasperated but secretly aware of the pull of his voice, the way he’s leaning back, the faint clink of his ice echoing in your imagination. “we’re still not finished.”
“no, we’re not,” he hums, voice dropping. “but let’s pause for a second. you, in your apartment, juggling papers and late-night soup. me, in my palace, bourbon in hand, listening to you. tell me again why this is so… unequal?”
“it’s not about inequality,” you say, trying to sound firm. “it’s about… teaching a child responsibility.”
“hm,” he murmurs. “responsibility. yes. and yet, here we are, and i’m enjoying every second of it. funny how that works, isn’t it?”
you bite your lip. “you’re impossible.”
“perhaps,” he admits, voice smooth, deliberate. “but you’re engaged. and intrigued. don’t deny it, sweetheart.”
you inhale sharply, exhale slowly. “let’s finish the reflection.”
“of course,” he murmurs, almost reluctantly. “but just know, every word you say, every sigh, every correction—it’s… memorable. yes, memorable. and that, my dear, is why i keep this call going long past any rational hour.”
“all right,” you say, forcing a steadying breath, “final question: what’s one thing you’d do differently if you were george?”
eli thinks for a moment. “i’d… share more. and maybe tell the monkey it’s okay to be curious.”
“hm,” rafe murmurs, almost approvingly. “curiosity. bold, daring, slightly reckless. good lesson. your son has a good head on his shoulders, i’ll give him that. better than some… well, never mind.”
you sigh, tension in your chest easing slightly. “there. we’re done. reflection complete.”
“done?” he echoes, tone both amused and reluctant. “already? just when things were getting interesting. when i was finally hearing your voice scold me, tease me, correct me… and now it’s over?”
“yes,” you say firmly, hiding a small smile. “eli’s done. and so should you.”
“hm,” he hums, leaning back with a sigh you can practically feel. “very well. but, just so you know, this little midnight escapade has… lingered. not unpleasantly. curious, isn’t it, how quickly a teacher’s voice can worm its way into one’s… thoughts.”
you bite your lip, cheeks warming. “mr. cameron…”
“don’t,” he interrupts, low, smirk evident in his voice. “call me that. it’s late. i’ll allow your annoyance to linger a little longer instead. consider it my gift.”
eli’s small voice pipes up, sleepier now, “goodnight, dad.”
“goodnight, son,” rafe replies softly, and for a fraction of a second, you hear something warmer, something beneath the carefully constructed arrogance and bitterness. then the smirk returns. “and goodnight, ms. y/l/n. try not to burn your apartment down with all that late-night work. wouldn’t want your heroic little lamp to go up in flames.”
you laugh softly, shaking your head. “i’ll survive. goodnight, mr. cameron.”
“hm,” he hums one last time, a contented, lazy sound. “goodnight.”
and then the line clicks, leaving you with silence, the faint echo of his voice lingering in your mind. you sink back into your chair, exhale slowly, and can’t help the small, reluctant smile tugging at your lips. he’s impossible, infuriating, condescending… and yet somehow, undeniably memorable.
you glance at the clock. nearly midnight. your apartment feels smaller somehow, cozier, filled with the echo of a voice that shouldn’t matter as much as it does. and for the first time that evening, you allow yourself to admit… that you’re looking forward to the next time he calls.