Chapter 40 Chapter 40
"Mumma"
Suddenly, the soft, chirping, and excited voice of Aurora filled the air.
Something snapped between us and both of us stepped back at the same time.
"Mumma" Aurora chirped again as she ran down the stairs, towards me.
My body almost gave up, seeing her. I collapsed on my knees and spread my arms for her. My eyes stung with tears.
"Mummmaaaa...." She cried as she ran directly into my arms and Lucien didn't dare to stop her.
He can never!
No force in this world can keep a child away from her mother.
She will always choose me over anything or anyone.
My heart felt at ease when I hugged her. I pulled back and peppered her entire face with kisses.
"Mumma, I knew you would come to pick me. Keep your promise"
I swallowed as I took her face in between my palms.
"I can never leave you alone, Aurora. Never"
She smiled at me which made me forget all my pain.
"Come on, Aurora. It's bedtime" her nanny said from behind as she tried to take her away from me.
I am sure, Lucien must have asked her to.
But Aurora?
She refused to let me go.
She shifted more towards me as if I were her home.
"Strawberry, go to your home and sleep" Lucien said in a soft voice.
She shook her head and hid her face in my neck, "mumma"
I looked up at Lucien. He was looking down at me with satanic expressions. I knew what was going on in his head.
Right now, I can easily take Aurora with me. He will never show his real face to her but then he will not think twice before suing me for going against the court orders.
If I want Aurora back in my arms, I would have to play through his mind.
"Let's put you to sleep. Okay?"
Aurora nodded softly. I lifted her in my arms and climbed up the stairs leaving astonished Lucien behind.
I stepped into the room he had designated for her. It was a masterpiece of pink and gold, filled with every toy a child could dream of. Lucien tried to lure her with all this, forgetting the fact that babies need emotional comfort first.
I sighed and placed her on the bed and she immediately grabbed the fabric of my dress.
"Don't go, Mumma," she whimpered
It broke my heart as how she had to pay for everything. I softly stroke her head and tuck her inside the blanket.
"I am not going anywhere" I assured her.
I felt at peace despite the storm waiting for me outside the room.
"Mumma, sing my favourite song for me" Aurora requested with a small pout on her lips.
Who am I to refuse the orders of my princess?
So I hummed her favourite song to put her to sleep. Her lips finally curved in a soft smile which was enough to heal all my wounds. Slowly her eyelids became heavy as she drifted into deep slumber.
I leaned down to kiss her forehead. She wasn't ready to let go of my fingers as if even in her sleep she was afraid I might disappear when she woke up.
Slowly, I pulled my finger out of her grasp and stood up to find Lucien standing at the door.
A smile broke on his lips as he stepped inside.
"You may have kept her away from me, but you can't separate her from me" he smiled "her favourite song is the same as mine" he chuckled "how adorable"
I looked down at my daughter, not wanting to give him any unnecessary attention.
"You may leave now" he said.
"I am not going anywhere!" I said sternly and folded my arms to my chest.
His forehead frowned slightly, "What did you just say?"
"I said what I said! I am not leaving this house without my daughter."
Lucien glanced at Aurora once, before grabbing my wrist and pulling me out of her room.
He closed the door softly before dragging me down the stairs and out of the house, and I let him.
It was still raining.
Both of us got wet instantly.
"This is my home not a hotel that anyone can stay here!" He said "We have no relation that I..."
"What do you want me to be?" I cut him off.
His forehead frowned again. This time deeper as his hold loosened on my wrist. I pulled it away and folded my arms to my chest.
"Your worker?" I asked, moving my hands down and taking a small step towards him "A servant?" I was now standing just a breath away from him "or your personal maid?"
Silence.
For a moment he was taken aback by my words but he quickly composed himself.
"Do you even know what you're offering, Cynthia?"
"Myself!" I came back "I am ready to do anything, just to be close to my daughter"
And destroy you.
Suddenly a sinister smirk broke on his lips. He once again wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to his chest.
"Anything?" He asked
His fingers tightened on my waist, possessively. The rain traced down his jaw, slid over his lips, but his eyes… his eyes were dry.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I nodded, looking straight into his eyes.
For a moment, he simply watched me. As if measuring how much of me was left to break.
"How about a mistress?"