Chapter 170

Chapter 170
Dante’s POV

The smell of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the kitchen as I walked downstairs, only to find Elena already dressed for work, tablet in one hand and a mug in the other.

She looked up and smiled. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

Bella came running in a second later, her hair only half-brushed and one sock missing.

“Mama! I can’t find my other foot.”

Elena blinked. “Your… other foot?”

Bella looked down at herself before bursting into giggles. “I mean sock.”

I laughed as I scooped her into my arms. “I was beginning to worry.”

She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Daddy find it.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Elena shook her head, smiling as she slipped on her heels.

“I’ve got a bridal consultation this morning and two fittings after lunch, so I may not be back until late afternoon.”

“I know.”

“I was wondering if Mrs. Peters could—”

“I’ve already made plans.”

She paused. “You have?”

I nodded, looking at Bella. “Today is officially Daddy and Princess Day.”

Bella’s mouth fell open. “Only us?”

“Only us.”

She squealed so loudly that Mrs. Peters appeared from the pantry, startled.

“What happened?”

“Daddy taking me adventure!”

Mrs. Peters chuckled. “Well, that certainly explains the shouting.”

Bella wriggled free from my arms and sprinted toward the stairs.

“I pack bag!”

“Just one bag!” Elena called after her.

“We’re only going out for a few hours.”

“I know!” Her voice echoed from upstairs. “But Teddy need snacks too!”

The house erupted in laughter. Elena walked over and slipped her hand into mine.

“I don’t know who I’m more worried about today.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Me or Bella?”

She smiled mischievously. “You.” Then she leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Have fun.”

“I intend to.”

The park was already alive by the time we arrived.

Children darted across the playground, parents chatted from nearby benches, and the sound of laughter carried gently on the breeze.

Bella slipped her tiny hand into mine as we crossed the path.

“Daddy.”

“Mhm?”

“We race.”

I glanced at the swings a few metres away. “To there?”

She nodded eagerly. “No cheating.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“You always big.”

I laughed. “I don’t think that’s cheating.”

She counted loudly. “One… two… free!”

Before I could correct her pronunciation, she took off running.

I chased after her, deliberately slowing my pace until she reached the swings first.

“I win!” she squealed, throwing both arms into the air.

“You did.”

“I very fast.”

“The fastest.”

She beamed with pride before climbing onto one of the swings. I pushed her gently, each laugh that escaped her sounding freer than the last.

“Higher!”

“Not too high.”

“A little higher.”

I obliged, earning another fit of giggles. After a while, we wandered toward the duck pond with a small bag of feed. Bella scattered handfuls into the water, smiling every time a duck hurried over.

“They like me.”

“I think they do.”

She looked up at me thoughtfully. “Maybe because I share.”

I smiled. “I think that’s exactly why.”

On the way back, we stopped at an ice cream cart. Bella chose strawberry, I chose vanilla.

She took one bite of hers before holding it up to me.

“Daddy.”

“What is it?”

“You have some.”

I leaned down and accepted the tiny spoonful she offered.

She grinned. “Sharing make everything taste better.”

Looking at the little girl beside me, I realised she wasn’t just teaching me how to be a father. She was quietly teaching me how to live.

After lunch, Bella insisted we sit on a wooden bench overlooking the lake.

She hugged Teddy against her chest while her little legs swung back and forth beneath the seat. Every now and then, a duck drifted close to the shore, and she’d wave enthusiastically as though it were an old friend.

I leaned back, letting the afternoon sun warm my face. Then Bella’s small voice broke the silence.

“Daddy?”

“Mhm?”

She kept her eyes on the water.

“When you was gone…”

I turned to look at her.

“…did you miss me?”

The question wrapped itself around my heart. I smiled softly.

“Every single day.”

She finally looked up. “For real?”

“For real.”

“There wasn’t a morning I woke up without thinking about you.”

“And at night too?”

I nodded. “Especially at night.”

She seemed to think about that for a moment before asking, “Then… why you stay away?”

I let out a slow breath and lifted her gently onto my lap. “Daddy got a little lost.”

Her brows knitted together. “Like in supermarket?”

A quiet laugh escaped me. “Something like that. But I found my way back.”

She studied my face with surprising seriousness, as though deciding whether my answer was good enough.

“You not get lost again?”

“No, Princess.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

She immediately held up her little finger. “Pinky promise.”

Smiling, I hooked my finger around hers.

“Pinky promise.”

She looked at our linked fingers before grinning. “If you get lost again…”

“I won’t.”

“But if you do…” she said confidently, “…I find you.”

My vision blurred. I pulled her into my arms and held her close, breathing in the familiar scent of strawberries and sunshine that somehow always clung to her.

“I know you would,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“And this time…” My voice caught. “I’ll make sure you never have to.”

Bella was asleep before we reached home. One hand clutched Teddy. The other held the tiny stuffed elephant she’d insisted Teddy needed as a best friend.

I switched off the engine and sat there for a moment, smiling at the sight of her.

“Long day?” Mrs. Peters asked as she opened the front door.

“The best kind.”

She looked through the car window and chuckled softly.

“I’ll leave her to her daddy.”

Carefully, I unbuckled Bella’s seatbelt and lifted her into my arms. She stirred, her little nose scrunching as she settled her head against my shoulder.

“Daddy…”

“I’m here, Princess.”

She sighed contentedly and drifted back to sleep. I carried her upstairs as though she were made of glass, nudging her bedroom door open with my foot.

I laid her gently on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. Just as I turned to leave, tiny fingers wrapped around mine.

“Daddy…” Her eyes never opened.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Almost instantly, her grip loosened. A peaceful smile settled on her face.

“I love you,” she mumbled sleepily.

My chest tightened. “I love you too, Princess.”

I stood there for another moment, watching her breathe, committing the sight to memory.

When I finally stepped into the hallway, Elena was waiting outside the door, still dressed from work.

She looked at me and smiled. “How was Daddy and Princess Day?”

I slipped my hand into hers, glancing back at Bella’s room before answering.

“I thought I was taking her out to make memories.” A quiet smile spread across my face.

“It turns out… she gave me the ones I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.”