Chapter 25 Revealed
Mariko's POV
It was time for Maddie and I to leave Margaret's place. I enjoyed the time spent with my daughter and Maddie. I am lucky that they get along well. Bella hardly asked for Amber because she wasn't really a mother to her. Bella has the closest bond to me because I was mostly there for her and Rosie. Bella and Maddie were sketching on a page, and I believe that Bella loves that.
Maddie sketched a dress just the way that Bella wanted, and Maddie had promised that she would make it for her. "You don't have to actually make her a dress, I understand that there are costs involved. I can buy one or I can ask Miranda to make it," I offered as Maddie sat beside me on the sofa while Bella was still on the floor, trying to sketch a dress on her own, but it was mostly scribbles. We remained seated for a little bit longer.
"I don't mind, I can use it to improve my skills," Maddie replied.
"I'm sure that Miranda would love to have you work in her department when you make it. I will also have a word with her," I said.
"Well, I will only be making the dress, I won't be taking the job offer. I am not ready at that level. I want to at least know if it is something that I still want to pursue or just work at Sternpoint as an assistant." she shrugged.
"Why don't you work with me?" she looked at me, taken aback.
"Work with you?" she asked.
I sucked in a deep breath, "I hate to see you working under so much pressure, and I want to be around to help where I can and I want to see you more often. I mean, my office is big enough for another desk," I said, hoping that she would like that idea.
"No, I prefer to stay where I am. I will not be moving into your office," it was like a knife to my heart. I really wanted her to be close to me. But she clearly didn't want that.
"Fine," I replied as I looked at Bella and stood up, "Margaret, we have to leave now. I appreciate that you are taking care of my little girl. I will get her in a few days," I smiled at her. She had walked in from the kitchen with a cup of tea in her hand.
"I don't mind having her here. She is my granddaughter," she returned the smile as she stood beside me.
"Are you leaving, daddy?" Bella stood up and walked slowly over to me. She was sad.
"Yes, we have to." I replied as I crouched. I feel terribly bad for her that I have to do this. But in a few days she will be with me. My heart just breaks each time that she doesn't have her parents around. Bradley had that privilege, but not so much Bella. I had been with her while married to Amber, but there were also times when I had gone home late from traveling for meetings, functions and the meetings at Sternpoint too. But I left her only for a little while and it broke my heart so much.
I wrapped my arms around her. "Don't leave," she sobbed. I closed my eyes, finding the strength to walk away from her again. I pulled away from her, I wiped her tears away with my thumbs.
"I will see you in a few days and then you will see me everyday," I tried to reassure her.
"Can I sleep in the same bed?" she asked sadly.
"Yes, you may. I love you and I will be back soon to get you. Stay good to grandma, okay?" I said and she nodded. I kissed the top of her head and then I stood up. Bella didn't say anything back as Margaret took her hand as she sniffled. "I will see you soon," I told Margaret.
"Take care you both," she smiled. I glanced one last time at my daughter and then we left.
The drive back to Maddie's apartment was silent, I just couldn't get that picture out of my head that my daughter was crying because she had been left behind. But I look forward to having her with me soon.
Maddie's POV
I felt sorry for Bella as we left her, but I know Mariko is doing it for a reason, to settle down and have her. I didn't want to say anything as we drove to my apartment, but now that we are in front of my apartment, I was thinking twice about inviting him inside. I was kind of mad at him for the way that he introduced me, but I know the reason for it, but because of my past relationship, I have to get used to this.
"Thank you for going with me to see Bella, she really likes you," I looked over at him and he was sincere. I can see the mixture of sadness and sincerity on his face.
"I will always be there, just never forget that. Would you like to come inside?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.
"Um...I wish that I could, but I think that it is best that I go. I have to clear my head from that moment after leaving my daughter. This is something that I don't take lightly when it comes to her. She comes first right now," he said, and although it felt like he didn't care about me in this moment, I knew that she comes first. I just got here, so who am I to tell him differently about it?
"I get it, everything is too soon," I nodded in acknowledgement.
"I don't mean it in a bad way, but right now, I am trying to get things ready and I need to adapt to my new lifestyle...I just want you to understand that." he looked at me and his eyes were glazed over. "I will see you tomorrow and I want us to have lunch together, or supper. You can choose."
"Okay," is all that I said as he leaned in and he pressed a chaste kiss against my lips before pulling away again.
"See you tomorrow," he said and then, without another word, I got out of the car and walked up the little path towards the apartment building door.
I was not happy about this once I entered. But I could just distract myself with my studies and hopefully it can help until I see him tomorrow at Sternpoint.
I climbed the stairs and entered my apartment, but I stopped in my tracks when my mother was sitting on the sofa, eating a sandwich and watching TV. "Mom, you're back?" I asked as I closed the door behind me.
"Yeah, I came thirty minutes ago."
"What happened to dad?" I asked.
"Well, he is getting ready to be released so I decided to be here, because he has a lot of things to catch up on when he comes out. There are a lot of things that you should know," she became serious.
I walked towards the sofa and I sat down beside her. "Can we talk about that now?" I asked.
"Well, I was young when I started working at a club, and that is where I met your father in New York. He owned the club but it was more of an escort type of club. No one really knew about it but he was involved in these things, he would f^ck any female he could. When I went for an interview, I was mesmerized by him, he was f^cking attractive, blue eyes that could penetrate your soul and I was very attracted to him. He asked me if I wanted to be one of the women that would be an escort or to entertain men and women, but I refused. He tried to give me another chance to change my mind, but I was afraid because I only wanted to be a waitress or bartender. We ended up having s^x and it wasn't forced because I wanted that too. He only allowed me to work for two months as a bartender because, as per our agreement, I would be entertaining clients once the two months passed. I needed the money desperately. His men made it difficult for me because I was also attractive and they made unnecessary trouble with me. He would call me into his office and dismiss them. He knew he was also having s^x with other women. They always signed a form so that the women would be on contraception and men had to wear condoms. But when your father had s^x with me, there was one time that it was unprotected, which was the first time I was there. I was not on any contraception at the time, but something was holding me back from actually going to the clinic, until he found out that I had never been and he wanted to see the form that I had from the clinic. That was after about a month. I was feeling pretty sick and I had thought it was because of the environment that I had worked in, that wasn't me. I found out at the clinic that I was pregnant with you," she said.
"What did he say?" I asked.
"I was about to tell him, but then I stopped before I entered his office because I heard him f^cking someone. As much as I was and still am attracted to him...well, his looks. I made the decision to resign and I left. I didn't tell him about you and I never saw him after that again. So that is my part of the story. I am sorry that you had to be in this situation and that I have kept it from you. I was ashamed, I was young. I do want a chance for him to get to know you. I told him about you when I went to visit him in prison and he acknowledged that with a nod, he didn't refuse to not being your father because he knew that there would always be a possibility of having a child out there. I am not sure when he will come around when he is out of prison, but I want to make this right so that you both can have the relationship that you deserve," she said as she watched me.
"I...I think that I understand your side to it. I just...have to let this sink in." I said. I didn't know what else to say because this was too much for me about my own father and what my mother went through at that time. "I will be in my room, I have some studying to do," I gave a weak smile and then I went to my bedroom.
Closing the door behind me, my back against it as the back of my head rested against the door. I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly through my mouth. This was too much for me at this moment, the way I was conceived, the possibility of meeting him, getting to know my father that my own mother barely even knew. F^ck.
I walked over to my bed and I plopped down onto it, burying my face into the pillow. I wanted to scream, but instead, I will myself to just soak it in.