Chapter 33 Loving You From Afar
Darcy's POV
My bags are packed and my eyes hurt from crying for over two hours. I can't believe Adrian's mother can be so vile.
After I left the living room, Adrian followed me, begging but my head is too full to think straight.
It took quite a while before he left me alone.
With him, my feelings are all over the place. I know he has no hand in what happened but the fact that his mother did that, he knew all along and still looked at me like I mattered.
She did all of that just to get me out of this house and away from her son.
Congratulations to her because I'm leaving.
If I chose to wait another day, she might kill me or do another crazy thing.
It's their life, their world. And she's right. I don't belong here and I will never belong. Falling for Adrian should never have happened.
He made me a promise, that he will find the person responsible for all of this and get back at them.
It's funny how fate works because how can he go against his own mother? He'll never choose an outsider over family.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes are swollen and bloodshot. I let down my guard. After all the torment I endured because of that sperm donor cause. The debts I worked so hard to pay.
I vowed never to let anyone in but here I am with my heart and trust broken.
A low sigh escapes my lips as I wash my face. I don't know what life holds for me after I leave the villa but I'll cope.
The letter I've written for Adrian is on the bed. I take it and walk into Hazel's room.
She's peacefully asleep in her crib.
It's a good thing she's still a baby and doesn't know what's happening but that doesn't ease the pain in my heart, knowing that she'll be alone.
I want to protect, love and care for her. But I also know that leaving is a way for me to protect her.
Tears stings my eyes and my lungs tightens painfully. I won't see her beautiful face and neither will I be able to inhale her baby scent that calms me down.
I bend and place a light kiss on her forehead. She stirs a bit but doesn't wake up.
"I'll miss you baby," I whisper and tuck the letter in her crib.
I sit on the chair beside her crib and stare at her, smiling through my tears.
I really do not want to leave her. If only there's a way I can take her with me. I chuckle bitterly. What makes me think that I can take care of her more than her billionaire father?
What do I have? But then again, why is money, status so important?
I hold her small hand and as if she knows I'm the one, she wraps her tiny fingers around my thumb.
My heart melts. I may not be her mother or related to her by blood but that has never been a problem.
Family members are sometimes more dangerous to us than strangers.
We stay like that for a minute before I gently pull my finger away, so she doesn't wake up.
If she wakes up before I can leave, I doubt I will be able to stand my ground and leave.
"I love you Hazel," I profess as my throat burns. Hoping that will be enough to stop her from hating me.
Although it doesn't seem like it, I'm not abandoning her. If destiny ever feels pity for me and brings us back together, I'll forever be grateful.
Reluctantly, I exit the room and in no time, I'm in the living room with my luggage.
After the quarrel Adrian had with his mother, he left. No one knows where he is. I care, but it's high time I put myself first.
Things can't work out between us if she doesn't want to let me in. Adrian loves me. I see it in his eyes and actions but I don't know what keeps holding him back.
Before everything escalated, I would have agreed to be with him but I don't think there's ever going to be such opportunity again.
If there was a possibility, his mother already ruined it.
"Finally, you are leaving! You should have done that a long time ago. It seems like you needed a push to get you in the right track," she sips her wine.
I stop to look at her.
"I pity you..." I shake my head.
Her head snaps to look at me but I raise a finger to make her keep quiet. "Let me finish."
"You are this close to losing your only child and that is if you've not already lost him," I pause.
"You keep asking why he hid me from you. Hope you have your answer now? Your child is suffering, yet you don't see it. Let me break it to you, you've failed woefully as a mother."
"There's no difference between you and Russo - the very man you deem a terrible parent. The only difference is your status. You're both toxic and wicked. Suffocating your child to the point they lose their sanity is crazy."
"It's unfortunate that Adrian has you as a mother and it even breaks my heart the most that Hazel has to grow up calling you grandma. You've succeeded in getting rid of me but you have a lot of work to do in gaining back your son's love."
I close my eyes and steady my breath. By the time I finished talking, there was a crack in her mask. She really tried to put on the strong woman facade but failed.
Without another word, I walk outside. The cab is waiting outside the gate. I let the driver handle my luggage as I stare at the mansion one more time.
Snap out of it, Darcy. I quickly enter the car. I need to get far away from here if I don't want Adrian to ever find me.
The car starts to move. I shut my eyes and rest my head on the window. Images of our happy days flash through my mind.
"Please God, keep them safe and let baby Hazel grow up to be a happy child," I murmur.
The tears I've been hoarding for a while finally breaks loose. I cover my mouth with my hands to muffle my cries and gasps.
The ache in my heart is killing me. It's as if it's bleeding and breaking at the same time.
Will my life get any easier? However, I'm thankful to Adrian and Hazel.
The time I spent with them are the happiest days of my life.
Adrian as a billionaire did not treat me badly or see me as someone beneath him. He cared even a bit too much, that is the reason I fell for him.
He gave me a hope when I was at my lowest. A place to call home when I had nowhere to go.
That cancels out any mistake he did. I can only love him from afar and that's enough for a lifetime.