Chapter 28

**Hunter's POV**

I stretch forth my hand to grab Daisy and pull her back to me but my heart starts beating in panic when I grab nothing but air.

My eyes fly open and my suspicions are confirmed when I see no one beside me on the bed.

Was it all a dream?

"Oh, you're awake. I had to use the bathroom but I didn't want to wake you up" I hear her voice say and I turn to see her coming out of the bathroom making me sag in relief.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so shocked to see me?" She asks laughing as she puts her hair into a loose ponytail.

"Nothing, come here" I reply making her walk towards me.

When she reaches the bedside, I pull  on her hand making her fall on top of me.

"Where's my morning kiss?" I ask grinning up at her.

"No, I haven't brushed" she answers trying to wriggle out of my grip but that only makes me tighten it around her.

"How can you say no to such a cute face?" I say trying my best to pout.

"Stop, that looks so wrong on you" she says laughing and I pout harder making her go into hysterics.

God, she's so beautiful when she laughs.

"I missed your laughter, you look beautiful" I say aware that I'm probably smiling like a lovestruck fool.

"And you're kinda nice to look at" she says smirking.

"I love you" she adds finally giving in and kissing me.

She backs away too soon and I groan in disappointment. She tries to get out of my grip again and this time, I let her.

She then sits on the side of the bed facing the window. I observe that she has suddenly gone quiet as she starts wriggling her fingers together.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask.

"I want to see Dad today but I don't know how he'll react and i'm really nervous" she says looking down at her hands.

I shift to the edge of the bed and sit so that my feet are touching the ground like hers. I then use her jaw to turn her to face me.

"Look at me. He's your father Daisy, he'll be the happiest to know it's really you. Besides, it's not like you're going alone, I'll be there"

"Thank you Hunter. Gosh, I'm getting a migraine just thinking about talking to everyone again" she says grabbing her head.

"I need to go back to my apartment to shower and change" she adds.

"I'll take you, just let me brush my teeth" I state standing up from the bed.

"Don't worry, I'll call a cab or something, you can come later so we can go see Dad together" she replies.

"Okay then, my driver will take you" I say and she nods.

"Oh, I forgot to ask, can I take today off work Mr. Stone?" She asks grinning playfully.

"Sure thing, Miss. Griffin, The Stone Empire values their employee's health" I respond playing along and walking up to her.

"See you later" I say kissing her forehead.

When I back away, she has her eyes closed with a little smile playing on her lips.

"It's so weird that we literally just picked up from where we stopped ten years ago and it doesn't feel awkward" she mutters almost to herself.

"And I couldn't be more thankful for that" I reply with my hands in her hair as I tip her face up for a quick kiss. I get carried away though and pull her closer making her sigh in satisfaction before she suddenly pushes me away.

"I have to go and you need to shower. See you later" she says smiling as she walks out.

Does she even know where she's going or what part of town this is?

"Uhmm...Daisy?" I yell after her.

"No, leave me alone, go shower" she yells back before I hear my front door close.

I pick up my phone and dial my driver's number.

"Good morning Mr. Stone, do you need my service?" He asks curtly.

"Good morning Marcus, I need you to drive Dais... I mean Esmeralda back to her apartment"

"Alright sir, I'll be waiting for her outside" he replies and I hang up before going into the bathroom.

*********

"Come on Daisy, breathe" I say to a really nervous Daisy in my passenger seat outside the Heart's mansion.

"Okay, I think I'm ready now" she declares stepping out of car and I follow suit.

I walk to her side and grab her hand as we walk together to the front door.

Not much has changed about this place since she disappeared but I see her taking every detail in like it's brand new.

I ring the doorbell and a maid opens the door after a few seconds.

After Daisy went missing, Mr. Heart refused to employ another housekeeper because he felt guilty for Levi kidnapping Miss. Violet with Daisy.

I had to plead with him to accept the three maids I hired when his health deteriorated.

"Mr. Stone and ..." The housekeeper's eyes bug when they land on Daisy. Her eyes move swiftly to a large portrait in the corner or the room and then back to her.

"I'll get Mr. Heart for you" she says rushing away and leaving us in the living room.

I notice that Daisy's eyes are fixed in that portrait and then what's under it.

The portrait was of her and the thing under it is a sleeping King.

King had been found locked away in Daisy's room on the day she was kidnapped. Weeks after that, he kept howling uncontrollably and running around the house looking for Daisy.

He only stopped when the portrait was put on the wall and refused to sleep anywhere else in the house apart from under it.

"Is that...King?!" Daisy blurts with wide eyes and I nod.

"Oh my God, he's still alive, do you think he'll remember me?" She asks standing up and walking slowly towards him.

Suddenly, King raises his head when he hears footsteps approaching him. When his eyes land on Daisy, he watches her curiously for a few seconds before he springs up and closes the distance between them but with his tail wagging happily.

"He remembers me!" Daisy exclaims laughing as King continues to lick her face.

"Of course he remembers you, you're the stubborn Daisy who rescued him in the middle of nowhere"

Just then, I notice someone standing in the corner with my peripheral  sight and when I turn, I see that it's Mr. Heart frozen in his spot.

"Daisy?" He mumbles almost too quietly but Daisy hears and looks up at him.

"Dad" she replies and Mr. Heart turns to face me.

"Am I dreaming right now? How? When?" He stops midway and walks up to her before engulfing her in a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry princess, I'm so sorry I let you down" He says crying making Daisy break down too.

"It's not your fault. How have you been Daddy? Have you been eating and resting well like Mum always scolded you to do?" She asks and Mr. Heart laughs as more tears fall.

"If I didn't, she would personally come down from heaven to kick my ass" he responds holding her back by her shoulders to see her face clearly.

"It really is you" he mutters.

"My guts didn't lie to me. I knew everything was too much to be a  coincidence. What I didn't understand is why you did not know me" he adds.

King chooses that moment to wedge in between their legs and look up at them with his mouth open and his tails wagging ever so happily.

Mr. Heart chuckles as he bends down to pat his head and then turns to face me.

"Thank you so much Hunter for bringing her back to me and for keeping your hope alive when everyone's own had died" he says going teary again.

"Stop crying Dad" she says wiping his tears even though her eyes were teary too.

He smiles at her before pulling her towards the sofa opposite the one I'm sitting on.

" Come on, I want to know everything"