THE TRUTH

“Please, Jessica. I’m sick and tired of acting like a father to the woman I love,” Liam’s throat felt heavy and tears blurred his eyes.

“I know this isn’t part of our deal, Jessica. I know very well that this isn’t what you assigned me for and this was not what I signed for but I can’t help myself any longer. I’ve fallen in love with your daughter while watching her grow up,”

“I kept telling myself that I’m Daniella’s father and I shouldn’t be falling so hard for my daughter but my heart is strongly against the sentiment. My heart, body, soul, every single cell in my body longs for Daniella, Jessica,”

 Tears overflowed from his eyes as he ever-so-slowly went on his knees, pressing his palms together in a pleading manner and looking up at Jessica with his face full of tears.

“I will always remember the huge favor you've done for me, Jessica. You found me on the street and gave me a new life. I swear to God, Jessica, I'll never take all the support you rendered me during my helplessness  for granted and I'll forever be indebted to you,” his voice wobbled with emotion—more tears streaming down his face.

Jessica felt a stab in her heart, accompanied by unstoppable fury. “Cut yourself a break, Liam. I've had enough of the balderdash you're sputtering. I can't even bring myself to understand what you're trying to say in essence,”

“Please, Jessica. Forgive me, give your consent and let me love your daughter with my whole life,” Liam pleaded, hauling toward Jessica and attempted to hold her feet.

However, Jessica had raised her hand and gave him another hard slap again. The force caused his face to turn to the side and his hand flew up to touch his red cheek of its own accord.

“I don't know what is wrong with you, Liam, but I want you to pull yourself together now. Only a crazy man will fall in love with HIS OWN DAUGHTER!” Jessica bellowed, her stomach churning with disgust as she glared at Liam fiercely.

“BUT DANIELLA ISN’T MY DAUGHTER! I’M IN LOVE WITH DANIELLA AND I WANT TO MARRY HER,” Liam also shouted back, jumping back to his feet and fuming uncontrollably.

*Clatter*

The door busted open all of a sudden and they both shifted their gazes toward the entrance way and saw Daniella.

Jessica was shocked. She was so shocked to her bones and it showed on her face.

An awkward smile widened her cheekbones, “D-Daniella, dear, you're b-back so soon? Is everything okay?” she asked nervously, stepping forward away from Liam.  

Yeah. Daniella was back so soon and that was because she couldn't tag along with Mandy and Michael. They’d wanted her to go out on a date with them but Daniella didn't like the idea as she would appear as the third wheel.

 So, she'd kindly declined the outing and came back home.

Getting back home, she was so delighted when she'd seen her father’s car in the garage and she had practically ran into the house and went straight to her parent’s bedroom but both her father and mother were not there.

It was then she unexpectedly heard a loud noise coming from the study and without a moment’s hesitation, she raced to the study in the corner around the lobby upstairs and was just about to open the door when her father’s last words wafted through the door and met her ears.

Dread filled her system and panic burned down her throat but she was smiling, she was smiling so wide that got both Jessica and Liam worried.  

“Are you both planning to act in a play and you're rehearsing your dialogues?” she asked them, advancing closer and closer to their side.

Jessica palmed her face. She wanted to keep her head somewhere and allow the world to pass away.

“Did I misheard or Dad probably misspoken?” Daniella  added, looking at their faces.

On the other hand, air puffed from Liam’s nose and he anxiously ran his fingers through his hair—not daring to look at Daniella’s face.

“I’m sure I didn't hear you correct just now, right, Dad?” a wide grin split up her cheeks while her vision was swimming.

Liam remained silent, not affirming or debunking Daniella’s statement.

“Listen to me, Ella,” Jessica uttered, reaching out to hold Daniella but Daniella didn't allow her mother to touch her.

“Tell me what I need to know, mom!” she suddenly barked, scaring the living hell out of Jessica.

“Tell me all I just heard was a prank, mom. Tell me he didn't mean to say the ‘marry’ word. Tell me Dad is my real Dad, mom. I need to hear these answers from you, so answer me and stop looking at me!” her voice was the rough scrape of command, her nose flaring.

A burning silence consumed them, only the soft whimper coming from Jessica could be heard.

“Dad?” Daniella broke the silence that developed between them, diverting her attention to Liam’s remorseful face.

“What do you mean by I'm not your daughter and that you're in love with me and even want to marry me?” Fear clamped down on her heart as she asked these questions.

Liam gulped down his saliva, once, twice and took a glance at Jessica’s face.

“No, Liam. If you love yourself, you'd better not say a single word,” Jessica threatened ferociously and made to charge toward Liam…

“Yes, Ella. I'm not your real father,” Liam dropped the bombshell and Jessica couldn’t move again as her shoulders slumped in sheer defeat.

“I’m not your father and I've stopped looking at you as a daughter since a very long time ago, Ella,” Liam confessed, raising his eyes and meeting Daniella’s watery ones.

“I was nobody who your mother turned to somebody, Ella. However, she did all these for me on one condition, which is to bring you up like my own daughter but it never occurred to me that I'd fall in love with you in the process of training you as my child,”

Words left his mouth before he could even think it through.

Hearing this, the world around Daniella seemed to sway, threatening to knock her off balance.

She braced herself for the inevitable fall—steeling herself for the impact that was sure to come but just as she was about to hit the floor, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

“Are you okay?” Liam asked worriedly.

“Let go of my daughter, you bastard!” Jessica cried out, yanking Daniella away from Liam’s grip.

Liam preferably released Daniella but was still squatting in front of her.

“Sweetie, are you alright?” asked Jessica amidst tears but instead of responding, Daniella’s gaze remained fixated on Liam’s face with pain laced through her heart.

She slowly pushed back to standing and others did the same.

Catching Liam off-guard, Daniella stomped forward and sent him a wild slap on his face.

Bang!

Liam's just received the third slap from Daniella after getting two from Jessica earlier.

At this point, his whole face was beginning to hurt a lot and the area where he was slapped was stinging and there was also a buzzing in his ears.

“You’re a fast-class bastard who should rot in the deepest pit of hell!” Daniella cried out, her tears coming like a flood.

“Ella,” Liam tried to move closer to her but she took a step back quickly, allowing her tears to flow freely.

“You kept such a big secret from me over these years despite how much I love you, Dad.

“You know how much I kept hoping to God both in your presence and absence that I want you to be my husband in the next life rather than my father because I love you too much beyond a father-daughter relationship,” Her heart was wounded tight in her chest as she spoke. So heavy.

Liam has never heard such pain reflected in her voice before. It made his heart tighten further in his chest like someone was squeezing hard on it and refused to let go.

He wanted to say a word but every attempt he made to do so was futile.

As if the three slaps Liam had gotten were not enough, Daniella appeared in his face swiftly and the next thing he heard was another resounding slap.

“The first slap was for the hidden secret and the second one was for the innocent child you made me terminate,” she expressed, her anger solidifying her tone.

“Hold on,” Jessica spoke up, coming forward. “What did you just say, Ella?” She wants to believe she just heard the wrong thing.

“I would never have allowed you to abort our child if you'd told me about it, Ella,” Liam finally got his words across, looking as frustrated as he felt.

“I did it because I didn't want you to lose face. If you'd told me you’re not my father, do you think I would still go ahead and kill my baby?” Heavy tears wet Daniella’s cheeks down to her neck, her voice breaking so hard.

“WHICH BABY ARE YOU BOTH TALKING ABOUT FOR GOD SAKE?!” Jessica roared menacingly, her chest heaving rapidly.

However, neither Liam nor Daniella paid attention to her. Rather, Daniella raised her hand again and slapped Liam for the third time.

“Don’t even think I'll ever forgive you,”

That said, she turned around and stomped out of the door.

“Daniella,” Liam planned to rush behind her but Jessica had caught him by the collar of his shirt, strangling him.

“Tell me now, you good for nothing bastard. What have you done to my daughter? What baby did you just talk about?” Jessica put more strength into choking his neck, while she gritted her words out through clenched teeth.

In a swift, Liam grabbed her both hands and all the upper buttons of his shirt came flying around on the floor.

“I promise to tell you everything later, Jessica, but now I need to go after, Ella,”

Coughing, he rushed his words impatiently, released Jessica’s hands, and dashed out of the study— calling out Daniella’s name.