Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Elijah,

My hands tightened around the sleeping body in my arms. I took the high steps slowly, afraid that I might wake her even though she was injected with something powerful in the hospital.

I stopped in front of the closed room door and looked down at her restless face and the deep frown between her eyebrows.

A thought popped up in my head and I got the urge to soften this frown, but I just gritted my teeth and looked away.

“I will help you with the door, Papa.”

Angela said from behind me, and I almost flinched in surprise. I had forgotten that she followed me all the way from the hospital.

After that damn fight broke out and both Willow and her had a mental breakdown that they were put to sleep and I have been feeling lost and uncertain.

I watched my daughter and this strange woman sleep beside each other and hand in hand as if their bodies were drawn together.

It was a weird thing to watch, like how come they both fought to get back to each other and how their absent mind and body sought the warmth and presence of each other.

Even the doctor and nurses in the hospital didn’t understand what was happening right in front of their eyes. Hell, if I wasn’t present, I would have never believed it myself if someone told me about it.

My girl jumped in front of me, then hurried to her bed and took off her shoes quickly, and then she started to prepare the bed for our guest.

 A small smile filled my face when I saw her throw her toys everywhere, trying to empty some space for the still sleeping woman.

“I think we should take her to the guest room. She will be more comfortable like that.”

I said while watching her prepare the bed and she frowned as she spoke without turning around or spare me a glance.

“No, I want Mama to sleep beside me. I miss her so much and my bed is so big so it will take us both. You can join us if you want.”

She said absently, then she stood up to assess what she achieved so far, and her head tilted to the side, judgementally making me chuckle softly.

I was so happy to see her this vibrant and active. Even the angry expression on her face right now was a welcome change from the blank look that accompanied her for years.

“But you turn around a lot and even kick in your sleep, you know that she is hurt and you can make it worse for her.”

I said teasingly and now she looked at me with her big round eyes as if she was shocked, but then she huffed. And I had to hold my laughs when I saw her put her stuffed toy giraffe in the middle of the bed, then she gave me a proud, filled grin.

“Now hurry up and put her down. I want to look at her face while she is asleep. I have missed Mama so much.”

My daughter said, clapping her hand softly and my good mood vanished. I need to talk to her about this. This isn’t her mother and I’m sure that she knows, but I still don’t understand why she is doing this.

I lowered the woman softly down, aware of her bruises and broken ribs, and then I watched her asleep as well.

I can see why Angela thought that she was her dead mother. Same brown hair, same brown eyes, and even skin tone.

But the face shape, nose, and lips are entirely different. She might be too young to notice it, but I can see her reasons. And even understanding that didn’t calm my nerves. I was scared of what would happen when Willow decided to leave here.

“Papa, I think we should clean Mama. I don’t like seeing her like that.”

Angela said, and I blinked at her face, not understanding at first, but then my eyes widened and I just jumped away from the bed and went outside the room.

“Ask Angela’s nanny to help with cleaning our guest and get something clean to wear for now. And ask the cook to make plans for our guest this evening. From now on, she will have her meals with us.”

I said to my house manager Henry, and he nodded his head and left to do what I had ordered and I went to the first floor to my office.

Robb was there waiting for me and I could see all the things he wanted to talk about written all over his face. But I wasn’t in the mood for any rant right now.

And I guess he saw it on my face as well because I saw him open his tablet and he started to read from it.

“Her name is Willow Williams. She is twenty five years old this August. She works as a cook at Homey Kitchen restaurant. You have already met the owner, Joseph. She is an orphan. Her parents died in a freak car accident. When she was five and because they were orphans themselves, she had nowhere to go, so spent her life in an orphanage. And the rest is normal. Finished high school, left the orphanage, and started working with Joseph and that is it.”

He finished, and I leaned on my office desk and rested my chin against my collapsed hands. I wasn’t expecting that, but it explains some of the weirdness of the day.

“Are you sure that this is everything out there? She has no connection to those assholes or anyone else who might want to hurt me or my daughter!”

I asked absently, even though my gut was telling me there was nothing to be worried about. But since that accident, I have lost faith in everyone and anything in this world.

If anyone approaches me, he must have his reasons. He must want something from you. People aren’t kind and naturally loving, no.

They are selfish, needy, greedy, and evil. They always want what they don’t have and what others own. They will kill to get it, no matter what. No matter how many lives would be lost in order to achieve that.

“I’m not sure, sir, but this is all I got and I trust my connection and the people who helped me with the information.”

My secretary said, and I nodded my head, saying silently that we were done here, but when I didn’t hear him leave, I looked at him cocking a brow.

“Are you sure about this, sir?”

He asked hesitantly, and I clenched my jaws, but fuck it if I knew. My head is like a jumbled mess of thoughts and voices, and I can’t think straight.

“I think it is better if we told the little miss that she was wrong and let that woman go. If she got emotionally attached to her, it would be harder for her to let her go when the time comes.”

The man said, and I sighed as I ruffled my hair, then held it tightly in my hands. I know, I fucking know, but I can’t do anything at the moment. I can’t break her little heart.

I stood up, and he took a couple of steps back, evading my gaze, and I went to the window and stared outside, seeing nothing.

“I know, Robb, but you saw her and how she reacted each time anyone said anything about separating them. For now, I will let her stay here until she recovers and when the time comes, we will tackle this situation.”

I said in a lowered voice, not convinced that it was the right thing, but as I said, I had no other option, and I think he knew that as well.

“What should I do about Joseph, who keeps calling me and threatens to go to the police to report that we abducted her?”

I turned around, tilting my head to the side, then shook it in frustration. I couldn’t bear that man since the first moment I saw his face, and he was getting on my nerves.

“Tell him to do whatever the fuck he wants. I don’t care.”

I snarled, and my secretary nodded his head. Then he left me alone in my office and I just went upstairs to my room. I need a shower and get some rest before dinner.

I took off my dirty clothes and went to the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror, disgusted at how I looked.

The frown that doesn’t leave my face, the scar that runs from under my left eye crossing my face, barely evading my lips and down to my chest until it reaches my right hip.

It was gnarly and ugly, uneven, textured, and just horrible to see. I look like an ugly monster, but I deserve it. I failed to protect my family, and this is a low price to pay.

My eyes regarded my face again and my frown deepened when I found little stains of blood still there and I remembered what happened in the hospital.

She saw it; she saw my face without the mask.

I shook my head and just opened the water and leaned my head back and let it wash all the dirt, sweat, and the stress of the day.

I stayed there trying to force my head to go blank, and it actually worked, so after half an hour or so, I left and just put on another dark suit and went downstairs waiting for my girl to have dinner together.

I smiled behind my mask when I saw Angela coming toward the table with a happy dance and grinning face. And right behind there was our new guest, who was favoring her side as she walked.

I drank my wine, watching the couple come toward me, and when they neared, I just looked away. I still remember what happened, and I felt nervous even though I shouldn’t.

She is nobody to me and I don’t care if she thinks of me as a monster or not, but yet I felt awkward and even nervous. But then I almost winced because I remembered I needed to eat and I couldn’t take off my mask in front of her.

“We are here, Papa.”

Angela said before she stood on her tiptoes and kissed my face through the mask and I smiled a little at her before I regarded Willow, who was smiling watching us.

She sat beside Angela because she was the one who asked her to do so, and then she stared at her hands, then the food on the table silently.

I was about to tell her to start eating, but then I froze when I saw what she was wearing and anger filled my chest.

“Why the hell are you wearing this? This dress doesn’t belong to you. Take it off now!”