Chapter 192 No one but you

Chapter 192 No one but you
I swallowed hard, feeling frustrated. I didn't want to look at him or explain my emotions. 
"Spencer, please, just leave!" 
He sighed. "What happened to you, Cora? What changed since yesterday?"
I chuckled bitterly. "Nothing has changed. I told you earlier, I don't want you hanging around all the time."
"I want to be with my daughter," he said, and I could see he was angry. "I understand you went through a lot, and I understand why you didn’t tell me about her. But now that I've become a father—without my knowledge—I have the right to be with my daughter."
I shook my head in frustration, hating how moist my eyes had become. 
"Spencer, please understand me. It isn’t good for Ellie if you’re around all the time."
"Why? Why is her father being around not good for her?"
I sighed. "Because you won’t always be here, and I’ll be the one left to handle bedtime struggles."
He looked at me as if he didn’t understand. 
"Why do you think I won’t have time for my daughter in the future?"
I sighed again. I couldn't believe I had to explain my thoughts to him. 
"Because soon your girlfriend may need you more often. Perhaps you’ll have other children, and Ellie will end up in second place. I don’t want her to get hurt by that."
He frowned. "I have no girlfriend. Where did you get that from?"
His denial only made me more frustrated. 
"Spencer, I'm adult enough to understand things."
He frowned harder. "What things?"
"Don’t tell me you were late today because you overslept."
I snapped, feeling like a jealous teenager. 
He stood up and walked closer to me, staring intently.
"Cora, this morning I went to see Carla. I knew that wouldn't change anything, but I wanted to share my opinion about how she always seems to stir the pot in my family. It felt good to get that off my chest, but I didn’t want anyone to know, especially not you."
Suddenly, I felt embarrassed. 
"I have no one, Cora. There is no one I want but you. I love you."
Hearing his words made my head spin. The one I had always loved, the father of my child, stood before me, confessing that he still wanted me and loved me. Even remembering that night—his angry face and the hurtful words he said—felt different now. Knowing he hadn’t been with someone else last night lifted a weight off my shoulders. 
"Spencer..." I began, but he shook his head.
"Cora, please don’t do this. I have no one, and I want to be with you. We have a child together."
"But that night..." I tried to say, but he interrupted me again.
"That night, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I was drunk and hurt. I believed my father. I wanted to hate you, so your absence wouldn’t torture me anymore. After you left, I hoped to find a way to hate you. I wish I could turn back time; I would never say the things I said then. I’ve never regretted our relationship. You are the most beautiful woman to me, no matter what you wear or what colour your hair is."
He tucked my hair behind my ear and caressed my face with his fingertips. I closed my eyes as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"I know I deeply hurt you, and I’m sorry. But please consider giving me another chance. I promise I won’t let anyone intervene in our relationship again."
I lowered my head and covered my eyes. Despite my efforts to hold back my tears, I couldn’t. I felt embarrassed to cry in front of him. But soon, I felt his strong arms around me, pulling me into his embrace, and I didn’t resist. I couldn’t resist, nor did I want to. The feeling of his protective arms around me was something I had longed for since Ray left me on the streets of Manhattan. I wanted to be close to him during my pregnancy when I was unsure I could provide for our child, when I gave birth alone, overwhelmed by pain, and facing an uncertain future. 
My arms moved instinctively and hugged him tightly. I felt him take a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he held me tighter, as if relieved. 
I don’t know how long we stood like that, but it felt like ages before I finally moved out of his embrace. I wiped my tears while Spencer waited patiently for me.
I still didn't know what to do, so I walked back to the bed and sat down. He quickly followed me and sat next to me. 
"May I stay here with you?" he asked. After taking a deep breath, I nodded. I didn't want to resist my feelings any longer. This morning, I had felt the pain of imagining him with someone else, and I didn’t like that feeling anymore. Even though I needed time to forget about that evening, I knew I couldn't live without him.
I lay on the bed with Spencer beside me. He embraced me and gently caressed my face before moving closer, his lips brushing against mine. The sensation brought back memories of when we were happily together. I soon drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep, enjoying a long and restful night.
The next morning, when I opened my eyes, I found myself alone in bed. I wondered if last night had been just a dream. However, when I looked at Ellie’s crib, I realised it was empty. My maternal instinct kicked in, and I quickly got out of bed. The bathroom was empty, so I walked out of the room to find Spencer, Ethan, my mum, and Ellie sitting in the dining room.
Spencer was dressed in a clean suit, and Ellie sat in her high chair, happily eating breakfast. She smiled at me brightly when she saw me.
"Good morning, Mummy!" Spencer greeted me just as Ethan did. 
"For a moment, you nearly gave me a heart attack," I replied with a slight smile, then turned to head back to my room to get ready. Just as I was about to go to the bathroom, I heard someone enter the room. 
"Cora, I'm sorry. I didn't think you would be looking for her," someone said.
I smiled at Spencer and shook my head. "No problem. I'm just used to her waking me up. I'll take a quick shower and be out soon."
I intended to head to the bathroom, but I felt Spencer's hand on my arm.