Chapter 28 The Moment Everything Changed
Chapter 28
Adrian's POV
It's been hours since I left home. Today is a busy one. I attended several meetings with my employees.
There is a financial crisis that the company is currently facing and if not handled properly might lead to a more serious problem.
It's close of business hours and everyone has gone home except me. I loosen my tie as I walk towards the wine cellar. I got rid of my suit jacket a long time ago.
I trust Darcy to put Hazel to sleep. Funnily enough, Hazel can cope without me as long as she has Darcy.
A low groan tears from my lips. Hazel has become so attached to her. The thought of waking up without Darcy in the house scares me.
I drank the whiskey in one gulp and closed my eyes as the liquid burned my throat.
"Are you sure it's just about Hazel?" My subconscious mocks me.
Right. I don't want her to leave not just Hazel but me. I'm scared that my daughter and I will drown without an anchor to hold us.
Darcy is the breath of fresh air. The ray of light in our dark stormy world.
If only there's anything I can do to make her stay.
I know part of the reason she wants to leave is because of me. For so long I have done my best to bury what I feel for her, ignore it like it does not exist.
I badly want to open up to her. Be vulnerable with her but at the same time I don't want to burden her.
She's dealing with a lot already. My mother and her drama, the rumours... I see through her struggles. I want her to rely on me but just like me, she does not want to cross the line.
Waking up in the same house, her beauty, intelligence, femininity and innocence draws me closer each day.
Every day, I battle with myself not to go out of line or do anything reckless. Last night, I wanted to claim her as mine, to tell her how I feel but I couldn't.
She wants to leave us and her mind is pretty made up.
"Arrrghhhh!" I groan and bury my face in my palms. I squeezed my eyes shut and parted my lips to suck in more air.
She takes care of Hazel without complaint. She does a better job than I ever had.
"How do I make her stay?" I ask myself in a low voice.
My thoughts revolve around her more than I intend. I never knew that my heart could accommodate another person besides Hazel.
Thinking about Darcy, she hasn't called. Where's my phone?
I have never stayed out this late and she will be worried.
My phone is not in my pocket, nor on my office table.
My eyes scan the office in search of where I tossed my jacket.
It's on the sofa. My steps are a bit unsteady as I walk to take it.
Just as I thought, it was inside.
15 missed calls and 10 messages. All from Darcy. Huh? When did she call? I did not hear anything.
My phone is silent. Fucking hell! I may have put the ringtone on silent during the meeting.
With shaky hands I opened the messages one after the other. My heart sank to my stomach as I read through the contents.
What was I thinking, working overtime and drowning myself in agony?
I didn't waste another second as I dashed out of the office, running towards the garage.
They are in the hospital. Hazel is sick. Can't believe I'm just seeing her message three hours later.
Hazel will be so disappointed in me. I ignited the engine and stepped on the accelerator. My car roared along the silent road.
Sweat trickled down my face and my heart slams against my chest. I dialed Darcy's number but it went straight to voicemail.
Again and again, I kept trying but the same result.
My grip on the steering wheel tightened. My breath hitched.
Hope Hazel is alright. I won't forgive myself if anything happens to her. Gosh, how do I even face her mother? That I lost our daughter due to my negligence?
Tears sting my eyes and my lips quiver.
A few minutes later, I arrived at the hospital. It's the same one Hazel was born in. I remember mentioning it to Darcy. She remembers it.
Different thoughts spiral in my head but I tried to shake off the negativity.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me inside the building, straight to the front desk.
"Hazel Ashford?... Which ward is she?" I panted.
Before she could answer, someone called my name. I snapped my head immediately to see who it was.
Jayden. Hazel's doctor.
I rushed towards him and grabbed his arms.
"What happened to Hazel? Where is she? Is she safe?" The questions rolled out of my mouth carelessly.
"Calm down Adrian," he says but it does nothing to calm me.
"Don't tell me to calm down. I just want to see my daughter. Now tell me where the hell she is!" I barked
"VIP room 8," he informs me.
That is all I needed to continue running like a crazy man. The elevator would slow me down, so I opted to use the stairs instead.
I got to the fifth floor and started checking the number plaques on the wall. Finally, my eyes landed on the one.
I stood before the door and rubbed my sweaty palms together. I suddenly felt stuck. My legs were rooted to the ground.
The tears I've been holding finally broke loose, mixing with my sweat. I really hope Hazel is fine. Yet, I can't shake off the fear that clung onto me like a second skin.
I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the doorknob. Slowly, I twisted it. Everything else faded into the background and the only thing I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat.
The door opened. I took a few steps inside but stopped almost immediately. My chest tightened at the sight before me.
Darcy is pacing back and forth, as she keeps rocking Hazel in her arms.
"I love you baby."
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this but I promise to take care of you no matter what."
"I won't let anything happen to you. I'll give everything to take your pain away."
Darcy continued whispering promises to Hazel and kissing her lightly as though she were her own child.
I felt something snap inside of me and rebuild at once. Relief flooded my veins. Seeing her take care of my child in my absence shattered the already cracked walls that I built around my heart.
I clenched my hands into fists until my knuckles cracked. The veins in my neck popped.
The truth I've been trying so hard to fight off, flashed before my eyes. Darcy wasn't just a nanny. Our lives changed the day she stumbled into it.
What was meant to be a mistake turned out to be something so perfect. Her existence was what we needed all along.
I allowed the tears to roll down my face freely. What I want dawned on me with a heavy force.