Chapter 112
Daughter
Kelly's POV
1 should take my leave now." Mr. Walter pulled himself up and looked at me. I stood on my feet and fixed my blouse.
I was about to send him to the door when he lifted his arm, stopping me. He fixed his eyeglasses and smiled. "Think about my offer Miss Monroe."
I don't know what to say. I just watched him as he left before I sat on the couch again and looked at Pierce. The latter was watching Mr. Walter too and when he looked at me again, he immediately found my eyes.
"He's...your boss, right?"
I nodded. "Yes. Uh... What brought you here?"
He cleared his throat and put the box of dessert on the coffee table. "I just want to check on you....and I heard about you taking over your father's company."
I nodded. Somehow, I found myself getting comfortable. "Yes."
He pressed his lips together and stared into my eyes. want to look away because I feel like I was being drowned by his stares but I couldn't look away. His eyes were as if sucking me in. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.
He intertwined his fingers as his eyes softened. "How have you been?"
I couldn't answer. I was afraid of facing him because he knows about Snow. Even when he doesn't have any idea that he's her father, I'm still afraid because I know I can't hide that fact forever. Time will come, when I need to tell him the truth. Especially if Snow started asking about her father again. I'm just thankful that it slipped off her mind. Probably because I disappeared for almost a week.
"It's been... five long years. I don't know what to say. All want is to know that you didn't get through a hard time all this time...alone. Even though that's very impossible."
A bitter smile crept on my lips. "I had a hard time."
He squeezed his eyes closed and clenched his jaws as if hearing that hurts him.
"But I got stronger," I added.
He opened his eyes again and looked me in the eyes. There's my heart again, racing like there's no tomorrow. How did this man manage to get in my system again without me realizing it? Was it because he took care of me when I was hiding from Klay? Or was i because I couldn't really unlove him all these years?
"I'm sorry for not being there."
-I took a deep sigh and looked at my hands. "It was my decision. I don't wanna involve you in my messy
life, Pierce. I want to resolve my problems alone."
He licked his bottom lip and slowly nodded. I was just watching him as he took a deep sigh.
"I want to help, but I don't wanna force myself on you, Kelly. I...badly want to stay by your side. I was... miserable without you but I'm not blaming you for that. It's me. I'm the problem."
"Why do you say you're the problem?"
He looked me in the eyes again. Emotions were burning in his eyes. "Because I'm so damn in love with
Daugide
you that I couldn't restrain my feelings anymore. Five years ago....I dreamed of having you again. I thought we could finally happen but..that happened."
I don't know if he's asking for a chance or just confessing how he wanted to be with me again. Nonetheless, I don't think I can give him a chance for now. Like I said, I'm afraid that he'd hurt me again or ...he'd end up like Klay. Too much love...is toxic. I want him to love himself as he loves me. I don't want him to destroy and lose himself because of me. I don't want that. I don't need a kind of love that suffers.
He chuckled. "But I'm not here to ask you to take me back. I'm here to... tell you that whatever happens, I'm always here to support you. Whatever you need...I'm willing to help."
I stared into his eyes. "Just like business matters?"
His eyes sparkled with hope. "Yes."
I smiled and glanced at my fingers before I lifted my face and looked him in the eyes again. "Pierce...you know my capabilities. I admit I need help, but I want to do this on my own. If I need your company, I will come to you...as a businesswoman...not a friend...or an ex- wife."
He slowly nodded, pressed his lips together and gave me a genuine smile. "Yeah... Yeah, sure. That's enough for me."
Finally I found the courage to ask the words I've been meaning to ask. "How have you been?"
I saw how his expression changed. He's touched and I liked how he remained transparent to me after all these years.
"I'm good," he answered happily. I'm...actually happy that you're back...safe and...strong."
"I'm sorry for lying about myself."
1 understand. It doesn't matter anymore. What's important is you're safe. I was so worried when I saw the house burning when I came back."
"I left after you left...that night."
He nodded and stared into my eyes again. I can see in his eyes that he wants to know something and that something definitely involves Snow, I know. He wants to know where she is and how she is.
I opened my lips to initiate a conversation about Snow when he pulled himself up and pushed his hands inside the pocket of his pants. "I should take my leave now so you can rest."
I nodded and pulled myself up. I followed him to the door. He opened it slowly and was about to leave when a familiar voice echoed in the whole apartment..
"Mommy, I'm done packing!"
Pierce was too quick to look at the direction of the voice. His eyes softened and so many emotions crossed in it when he saw Snow standing by the bedroom door, carrying her doll and smiling beautifully. Pierce looked at me and I saw how he started panting and swallowing hard as he looked at Snow again. My heart raced again. He won't recognize her as his own daughter, right?
"Is she... Pierce gasped and glanced at me before he fixed his gaze on my daughter. Our daughter.