CHAPTER 61
Daisy's POV
"You shouldn't have slapped him", aunt Vanessa queried me when we got home. Ellah was asleep in Nina's arms and Damien was nowhere to be found.
"He deserved it", Nina remarked. It almost made me smile.
She was a great woman indeed. If it were other people, they would have turned to support their son but Nina was different. She stood by me.....for the truth, even though he was her son. I was sure she would have done the same thing if it were someone else. She was amazing and I loved her more.
"She shouldn't have done that in the presence of Ellah", aunt Vanessa insisted. There was no reply from Nina. I guessed she agreed with aunt Vanessa on that.
"The poor girl wouldn't stop crying until her father said something into his ears that got her grinning from ear to ear. I'm sure it was the name of chocolate that made her happy again."
None of us replied. I sat on the chair beside Nina and closed my eyes, rubbing my finger over my forehead, hoping the terrible headache I was feeling would subside soon. I was tempted to run to my room like I had been doing for days but I knew I would only go in and end up crying till the next day.
"You have a headache?" I heard Nina questioned. I nodded with my eyes still shut.
"Sorry."
"Hmm Nina", aunt Vanessa called and sank into the seat next to me. "What was Daniel doing here earlier?"
"I've been meaning to ask you too, how do you know him?"
"He is my husband", aunt Vanessa answered and I opened my eyes sharply.
"What? You are the lady he told me about? How come I didn't recognize you? I saw your picture in his bedroom and I asked him about....."
"In his bedroom?"
Nina cleared her throat. "We once dated."
"Uhmm", I could sense the jealousy. I almost laugh out loud at my aunt's jealousy. She left the poor man for 10 years and she was expecting him to remain faithful. Such a joke!
"What a coincidence?" Nina peered at me with a smile.
"What?" I demanded, unable to comprehend the essence of the funny look.
"Nothing", she looked away. "That means Fred is his son?"
"Yes. I discovered I was pregnant a month after I left home. That was the reason why I needed to be away because I knew my baby's life was also in danger, not only mine."
"Danger? What happened?"
"She got a life-threatening email from Susana, the woman I told you about. My dad's wife." I answered.
"What? What did you do?"
Aunt shrugged. "I know she is responsible for my sister's death."
"Daisy's mother?" Aunt nodded and Nina looked at me. "I thought you said it was cancer."
"That was what I was made to believe." I shrugged.
"And why haven't you arrested her yet?" Nina asked. Aunt and I looked at each other.
"It's dangerous", I said.
"That did not even cross my mind", Aunt Vanessa muttered under her breath.
"Do you have any proof?" I questioned her.
"Yes. Your mother's medical report. It was food poisoning not cancer", she announced.
****
After my aunt told us the truth about my mom's death, Daniel called her to meet him outside and she excused us. I couldn't believe it. She only told me Susana was responsible for mom's death, I never knew it was poisoning.
I remembered I promised to call Maria. The day she visited, I was not in a good mood so the visit was brief and she promised to come to visit soon. I told her I was going to talk to her.
I stood up, feeling the sudden need to talk to someone. Someone who understands me, whether I voice out my feelings or not and that person was Maria.
"Daisy", Nina called, making me stop. "Please don't leave. If not for my sake, for Ellah's sake and school's sake."
"I can easily get a transfer, mom", I said, and surprisingly, she smiled. Then she nodded.
I continued walking towards the staircase. "The years we've spent together meant nothing to you, Daisy. Do you want to throw that all away because of him? Now I realized how easy it is to advise someone and when that same thing happens to you, you find it so hard to accept. Have you forgotten what you said to me about Amar? Don't be selfish, Daisy." I could see she was talking with anger.
"Nina", Amar called. "Let her be."
We didn't notice when he came. "No, Amar. These children are behaving too childish. I need to talk sense into them."
He moved close to her and held her waist. "Let her be", he said again and smiled down at her.
Without waiting for any more seconds, I walked upstairs in a rush before the tears on my eyes would fall off.
****
Vanessa's POV
"Vanessa", Daniel called me softly. We were at a park, sitting and watching some children as they played. I know there were a lot of questions on his mind and he deserves answers. "I'm supposed to be mad at you but surprisingly, I'm happy to have found you."
"I'm sorry", I apologized. "I did what I did for a reason, Daniel."
"What reason?" He grimaced. Despite the years of being apart, he was still the handsome man I left 10 years before.
"Susana threatened to kill me." I blurted out, looking down. For the very first time, I felt like a coward for running away.
"Your sister's friend?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"She killed my sister and she knows that I am aware of that fact," I explained.
He looked confused for a while before he asked. "What were you doing at Nina's place?"
"We came here for Daisy."
"Daisy?"
"Yes. She is my sister's daughter."
"What? Daisy? How come I didn't recognize her?"
"You only saw her picture, Daniel and that was years ago." He nodded. "When I left home, a woman took us in and she happened to be Daisy's grandmother. We came here to help Daisy secure the company back in America but Daisy doesn't seem to be interested. We were supposed to go back today."
"Where have you been?"
"Philippines, Daniel. I'm sorry. I wanted to be far away from you."
"You should have told me."
"I couldn't. Our baby's life was in danger."
"Baby?" I nodded. He gasped. "Don't tell me I have a child, Vanessa", he shook his head in disbelief.
"His name is Fred and he is here with us in America", I smiled.
"What?" He exclaimed and stood up abruptly. Then he took my hand and walked towards the door.
"Where are we going?" I was surprised by his actions.
"To my son, of course", he answered with a chuckle. "Take me to him."
****
Eric's POV
When I saw Maria in front of Damien's house, I was shocked and confused at first until I remembered Daisy was living there. Seeing her brought back the old, good, and sad memories. Sad memories of going through the session of goodbye and the good memories we shared in college.
I never knew how much I was into Maria until the day of her departure. I never knew Maria loved me back so much until that day. She pleaded with me to go to school in England so we could be together. I stood my ground.
I saw the look of defeat and disappointment on her face before she smiled and bade me goodbye, without looking back. At that moment, I felt like running after her to come back and stay with me. But I knew it was impossible.
She was going because her mother wanted her to come. But I stayed back for no tangible reason. My parents won't stop me from going to England Instead of my initial place of schooling in America.
I didn't know the reason why I refused to succumb to her wish. I didn't know why I refused to run after her that day. But I know I regretted it. My life did not remain the same. I loved her. But my ego was in the way.
When I saw her that day, I knew nothing was going to stop me from taking my woman back. She was mine. When our eyes interlocked, I felt her love for me was still there.
She said a quick "hi" and rushed past me. She asked for directions to Daisy's room while I watched her every move. She was nervous, I noticed. I never saw her nervous and that was a sign of her undying love for me. I went out to my car and waited till she came out.
When she saw me, she pretended not to and tried walking to get a cab. I stopped my car in front of her and asked her to get in but she didn't. I knew she was angry and she deserved to be. But I was not willing to let the opportunity of making things right slip off my hand. I would be so foolish to allow that. I had been unable to find a woman like Maria.
She was made for me from heaven. We were compatible. We understood each other. We loved each other. I felt nothing should stop us since college was out of the way.
I got out of my car and picked her up, to put her in the car and drive her off to my house, where we can start all over again or pick up from where we stopped. But her next action shocked me. She slapped my face in anger and I saw her in tears for the very first time since I've known her.
She began to walk away and I followed pleading with her to hear me out. But she refused. She walked faster and I ran up to catch up with her. I stood in front of her and drew her closer to me. She struggled to get out of my hold and I did the one thing that came to my head at that moment. I crashed my lips to hers, waiting for her to accept me. She didn't and I thought she would push me away.
But when our lips moved in sync, I knew I had won. She was mine. Mine alone to keep.