Chapter 21: Am I Monster ?

It is already night. Soft lights are scattered along the city roads as my car moves calmly toward home. A man is sitting beside me in the front seat lost in his own thoughts. There is a strange tension inside the car, as if even the air wants to say something.

I stop the car in front of the gate. The engine turns off. I unfasten my seatbelt and step out, saying in a calm yet confident voice, “Come, Mr. Charles.”

He pauses for a moment, then steps out of the car. There is a formal smile on his face, but deep seriousness hides in his eyes. Looking at me, he says, “It is a great honor for me, Mr. Martin, that you signed a contract with me.”

I reply with a slight smile, “It’s okay.”

We both enter the house together. Inside, a gentle fragrance fills the air the smell of food, effort, and warmth, a sense of belonging. As we walk ahead, I say, “Please, have dinner first. We’ll talk after that.”

Saying this, I head toward the dining area.

As soon as I enter the dining area, my eyes fall on Kiara. She is carefully setting the dining table. Everything looks perfect plates placed properly, cutlery neatly arranged, and the aroma rising from every dish fills the entire room. Today, she has put her heart and soul into it. There are twelve different dishes on the table, each one clearly reflecting her effort and emotions.

Suddenly, I feel the footsteps beside me stop.

I understand this sight can stop anyone.

Kiara looks at me and says softly with a small smile, “You’re back?”

Then suddenly, her gaze moves past me. At that moment, time seems to freeze.

Kiara stands completely still. Her eyes widen. She forgets to blink. The color slowly drains from her face. Her hands begin to tremble slightly, as if her body has stopped responding to her.

I immediately move closer to her, gently placing a hand on her waist to support her, and say softly, “Kiara?”

She looks at me, her voice trembling as she speaks, “N-Neil? T-this…?”

I try to stay calm and say in the same steady tone, p“Aren’t you happy to meet your dad?”

As soon as these words leave my mouth, I look at Mr. Charles. He stands there in shock, his eyes filled with tears. Years of pain, regret, and hope reflect together in his gaze.

He slowly steps forward. His voice becomes heavy as he comes closer to Kiara and says, “My daughter…?”

The very next moment, Kiara screams loudly, “No! I am not your daughter!”

Her voice echoes throughout the entire area. Anger, pain, and hatred are all visible on her face.

“Don’t you dare!” she shouts again.

“If you call me your daughter again, then..!”

Her voice trembles, but her hatred is crystal clear.

Hearing the noise, Mom rushes in immediately. Shock is written all over her face as she tries to understand the situation.

I quickly move to Kiara, holding her shoulders and saying, “Kiara, calm down. Please.”

But she is in no mood to listen. She looks at me and screams again, “No! Tell him to leave right now!”

She points toward Mr. Charles. Tears start flowing from her eyes, yet her voice remains filled with anger, “I hate him… do you understand? I hate him!”

I pull her tightly into my arms. She is still trembling, but pressed against my chest she begins to feel a little calmer. Her breathing slowly starts to steady, though the wounds in her heart are still raw.

Just then, Mr. Charles’s heavy voice reaches us, “My daughter… in your house?”

There is shock in his voice, along with a strange, aching pain.

Without hesitation, with complete conviction, I reply, “She is my love… my life.”

Hearing this, Mr. Charles is slightly taken aback. For a few moments he remains silent, as if my words have unlocked a door that had long been sealed inside his heart. Then a faint, weary smile appears on his face. He says softly, “God plays such strange games… when something is taken away from us, only then do we realize its true value.”

His eyes grow moist, “I could never take care of my wife and my daughter. I was always running after money, business, and power.”

He takes a deep breath, “But today… today I am happy. Happy to see that my daughter is happy with you. You love her so deeply… as if she were your very soul.”

Kiara remains pressed against my chest, listening to everything in silence. There is no anger on her face now only a deep, quiet pain, the pain of old wounds.

I speak softly, “You should never have sent her out of the house.”

Mr. Charles lowers his head even more, “I made a terrible mistake. Fearing what people would say, I threw my own daughter out of my home.”

His voice breaks, “At that time, my humanity was dead. I didn’t even think that she was just a child… how she would survive, where she would go, what condition she would be in.”

He looks at Kiara, then drops his gaze to the floor, “But don’t worry, my child. I will never come between your happiness. If you don’t want me here… I will leave right now.”

Saying this, he starts to turn away.

“Stop.” My voice halts him.

He freezes.

I gently hold Kiara’s face in my hands and look into her eyes those same questions, the same pain. With love, I say, “Forgive him. He realizes his mistake now. He has become very lonely.”

Kiara’s eyes fill with tears. In a soft but piercing voice, she says, “And what about the pain… the suffering that I went through?”

Her question strikes straight at my heart.

Without looking away, I reply, “I am here with you now.”

Then, after a small pause, I add, “But he… he has no one.”

Those words seem to touch something deep inside Kiara. She slowly looks at Mr. Charles. There is true remorse in his eyes. After a few moments, Kiara speaks quietly, “Please have dinner… Dad.”

The moment he hears that word, Mr. Charles’s face lights up. He turns, but the next instant tears spill from his eyes. He opens his arms wide.

Kiara doesn’t hesitate for even a second. She slips out of my arms and runs straight to him, throwing herself into his embrace. She breaks down completely years of anger, pain, and complaints dissolving into tears.

Mr. Charles gently strokes her hair and says, “I’m sorry, my child… I couldn’t be there for you.”

Through her tears, Kiara replies, “It’s okay, Dad. I’m happy that you’ve realized your mistake.”

After a while, Mr. Charles wipes his eyes and asks, “Sweetheart… your child?”

With a faint smile, Kiara points to one side. There, little Ria is sitting on the floor, playing with her doll completely lost in her own world.

Mr. Charles’s eyes light up, “Wow… she’s so cute!”

He quickly walks over, lifts Ria lovingly into his arms, and places a gentle kiss on her cheek, “So cute…”

Then he looks at Kiara and asks, “Have you found out anything about her father?”

The moment he says this, Kiara’s expression changes. She shouts angrily, “No! And I don’t want to find out either!”

Her voice trembles with fury, “That monster… that beast… I don’t even want to see his face! Ria is only my daughter!”

Hearing these words, I squeeze my eyes shut tightly. My heart starts pounding violently, as if it’s about to burst out of my chest.

TO BE COUNTINUE...!!!