“So, when do we go? Will you go and see him today? I can call him right now to free up his schedule,” Declan said after he finished his food and wiped his mouth.
“Let’s go after school is over,” Tiffany nods her head.
“For real?” Declan widened his eyes.
“Aiden will follow though, you don’t think I’ll go there by myself, right?” Tiffany raised a brow. aa
“You want me to go with you?” Aiden asked and Tiffany nodded her head.
“I’m fine with however you want it,” Declan smiled.
“Stop smiling, you look so ugly,” Tiffany frowned her face.
“Lie, he looks the most handsome when he smiles,” Zoey drawled, staring at Declan’s face.
“Huh!” Tiffany covered her mouth like she was going to puke.
“The break is almost over, and you haven’t finished eating,” Zoey shook her head at Tiffany.
“I’m right beside her, of course, she was distracted by my presence, right, babe?” Aiden leaned closer with a mischievous smile on his face.
“Exactly! It’s hard to concentrate on my food when you’re here,” Tiffany pouted.
“You look so cute when you look at me like this,” Aiden stared at her wet lips and then kissed them shortly.
“Woah, this is… Babe, let’s leave,” Zoey grabbed Declan by his sleeve.
“Sure,” Declan laughed and stood from the chair with Zoey.
“Hey, we’re leaving,” Declan said to Aiden who only nodded his head.
“You’re seriously leaving?” Tiffany frowned her face at Zoey.
“Sure, your romantic boyfriend is right by your side. You should just get a room instead of publicizing your affection. Horny teenagers!” Zoey snapped, and walked away, while Declan rushed after her.
“Woah, she’s so bitter,” Tiffany laughed.
“Baby,” Aiden called out after the other couple was out of sight.
“Huh?”
“Are you seriously going to see Declan’s father? And today?” He queried.
“Yes. You seem unconvinced though,” Tiffany twitched her mouth.
“That’s not it. I mean, you give in easily which is unlike you.”
“Who wouldn’t give in? I can’t help but get curious, look, a while senator came to see me and his kids are begging me to see their father again. I’m getting the feeling that it’s more than me knowing about my mother,” Tiffany drew her brows together.
“Well, I’m glad you will be going,” Aiden nods his head and then reach out for her hair.
“Why?” Tiffany asked, moving her face closer to his, leaving only a few inches of space.
“Because you’re loosening up so much. Unlike before when you might have flipped the senator over when he came to see you,” Aiden shrugged his shoulder.
“Come on!” Tiffany pulled away with a scream.
“I would have never done that!” she frowned.
“Really?” Aiden teased and then moved his face closer to his.
“Yes!” She half yelled and then exhaled. ” Look, I only do that to people that are quite older than me. I might not look it but I have a lot of respect for the elderly.”
“Really? But you attacked me a few times before we became so close,” Aiden raised a brow.
“That is because…! Look, if you annoy me, I won’t hesitate to smack you down right now.”
“Woah, seriously?” Aiden widened his eyes.
“Of course… No! I love you so much, you know?” Tiffany cupped his cheeks in her palm and then kissed his lips.
“I’m so much loving this side of you, Anny,” Aiden shook his head, grinning.
“Right? It is so exhausting,” Tiffany massaged her temple.
“There’s no way that is exhausting, babe,” Aiden drawled.
“How about I act cold for a day?” Tiffany placed her index finger in between her teeth and then tilted her head.
“Babe, your food is getting cold,” Aiden pulled away.
“I’m not eating again,” Tiffany shook her head.
“So, should I act cold for a day?” Tiffany leaned closer again.
“No, never!”
“Why? I thought you said you love my fierce side?” Tiffany frowned childishly.
“No, I hate it,” Aiden exhaled.
Thinking back at how the lady handled him before they became closer… Oh, no!
“I hate it so much!”
“Woah, you just said you hàte me,” Tiffany covered her mouth with her hands.
“That’s not what I said,” Aiden protested.
“You hàte me that much?” Tiffany shook her head.
“No, I…”
And the bell that indicated that the lunch break was over rang.
“I’m leaving!” Tiffany stood up.
“Babe, come on!” Aiden stood up, rushing after her.
“You hàte me,” Tiffany mumbled, increasing her pace.
“No, I love you!” Aiden shouted, Tiffany, stopped walking and turned to look at him.
“Right?” Tiffany grinned, ignoring the look from the students.
“So much, I love you so much,” Aiden sighed.
He doesn’t like that the lady was mad at him.
Well, what he didn’t know was that the lady was teasing him.
“You look so serious, I was just teasing you,” Tiffany laughed and covered the space between them.
“I don’t like you getting mad at me,” Aiden pouted.
“Come on, I wasn’t mad at you,” Tiffany patted his cheek.
“That’s a relief then,” he covered her hand with his.
==
After school hours.
“I know I am in the dark but I’ll wait till you tell me everything, well, that’s if you want to,” Zoey shrugged her shoulder off, holding into her bag tightly.
“I will tell you everything, don’t worry. I’m just as curious as you are. No worries though, he’s not planning on marrying me off to Declan, you watch too many movies,” Tiffany laughed and Zoey joined her in laughing.
“Who wouldn’t think that way? That’s what those wealthy fathers do,” Zoey pouts.
“Who am I? A poor girl who doesn’t even know her real identity. He wouldn’t do anything to tarnish his image, right?”
“What are you saying again?” Zoey hissed.
“I’m trying to assure you that nothing will happen. Hey, don’t you even know me? No one dares to control me around,” Tiffany boasted and Zoey gave her a thumb up.
“That’s what I love the most about you.”
“Where’s your boyfriend?” Tiffany looked around.
“He left already. Are you sure you guys are okay? He looked so nervous as if you’re a president visiting their house,” Zoey frowned.
“Well…” Tiffany shrugged her shoulder off.
Aiden halted the bike beside the two girls after watching them talk for a while.
“Are you guys done?”
“This is your way of chasing me away. Huh, I get it. Take your girl, my driver is waiting for me,” Zoey sneered and then turned to leave.
“Be careful, Tiffy!” Zoey said, not turning to look at her.
“Sure.”
“So, shall we?” Aiden winked at Tiffany.
“Yeah.”
===
The Senator’s residence.
Aiden held Tiffany’s hand as they got down from the bike.
For some reason, he seemed more nervous than the lady and that was probably because she was going to meet her father for the first time.
On the other hand, Tiffany just looked around the house as they walked towards the entrance, not failing to notice the huge, uniform men that stood guard all over the house.
The house she was in was very beautiful, very, beautiful.
*
Declan opened the door as soon as Aiden pressed the bell and they both stepped in.
Tiffany furrowed her brow as she saw Marlie and the Senator standing side by side as if they were waiting to welcome them.
Okay, this was very weird.
“Good afternoon,” she bowed slightly.
“I’m glad you made it,” Senator Han smiled heartedly.
“Hi,” Marlie waved her hand at her and Tiffany only nodded her head.
“What’s up with this atmosphere,” Aiden nudged Declan gently and the latter only shrugged his shoulder.
“Hi, Dad,” Aiden smiled.
“Son, how are you?”
“Pardon my manners, come inside, please.”
Tiffany grabbed Aiden’s hand as they both moved inside fully.
*
“I had the maids prepare some dessert, would you like to have some?” Senator Han said nervously.
“Yes…”
“No, thank you,” Tiffany interrupted Aiden.
“Oh,” Senator Han nods his head.
“I’m sorry if I seem rude, but I’m not here for dessert. I came because your kids seemed desperate for me to meet you. I have something more urgent to do, but, honestly, I’m so curious to know why you want to meet me,” Tiffany said without blinking an eye which made the Senator smile.
Well, this is so much like Tiffany.
Aiden covered his mouth with his left palm.
“I am sorry for being so inconsiderate,” Senator Han apologized with a smile on his face.
He liked the lady his daughter grew up to be.
Cold and fierce, and not weak and emotional.
“I have so many things to tell you but ill begin with Nova, your mother.”
“M… My mother?” Tiffany raised a brow.
“Nova was your mother’s name,” the man nodded his head.
“Tell me everything that I need to know about her… Please,” she tightened her fist.
“Give me a moment, please,” Senator Han stood up and walked away.
Tiffany glanced at Declan and Marlie who looked nervous.
Do they know what their father was going to talk about?
A few minutes later…
Senator Han returned with an old picture and handed it over to Tiffany.
“That is Nova. I’ve held unto it for so many years.”
Tiffany drew her brows together as she trailed her hand on the beautiful smiling woman in the picture.
“Tell me…” she exhaled.
“Nova and I were lovers and we loved each other so much…” He began and Tiffany raised her head to look at the man.
“I promised her marriage, I said I was going to marry her and that was where I first failed as her lover. My parents wanted someone else for me and that was my children’s mother, my wife. I was a coward, a papa’s boy so I did what they wanted. I married her, still promising Nova that I was going to marry her once my father handed over the right of his companies to me. A year passed, my wife conceived Declan, and Nova was still waiting for me to fulfill my promise. Honestly, I was being a coward, my wife found out I was seeing someone while she was pregnant with Declan, but I’ve grown so much on her and couldn’t fight her about it. I denied Nova. I said she was the only one I had. When Declan turned one, a few months later, Nova told me she was pregnant. She was carrying our baby. Truth be told, I was glad, I wanted her to keep the baby, and again, I promised to do the needful very soon. But again, my wife caught on and this time, she found out who Nova was, and then went in search of her. I…” He coughed.
“Dad, are you okay?” Marlie moved closer to him.
Tiffany only watched.
She sincerely wished the story wasn’t heading in a way she was going to hate
“I found out quite late, by the time I got to Nova, she had almost passed out so I rushed her to the hospital. When she was conscious, she said my wife had some men beat her up to make her stay away from me. The doctor warned us to be careful that the baby was barely hanging. So, I went to a friend, Theodore, Aiden’s father to take Nova in. At first, he refused, and I understood. His wife was quite hot-headed, she wouldn’t understand and might as well think Theodore was cheating on her with Nova. After a few days of pleading, he accepted to take Nova in. While my wife thinks Theodore was actually dating Nova, his wife accepted Nova in as their maid. I don’t know how things were going, I only kept sending Theodore to Nova. One day, my informant called to tell me that Nova went to some mountain, and that was where everything went wrong. I still do not believe it, but I heard the mountain turn dark all of a sudden. By the time it got clear and he entered the mountain, Nova was… She was found déàd. She conceived a baby but there was no baby there with her. It was strange, Nova wasn’t due for delivery, she was seven months gone at that moment and…”
“Wait a moment…” Tiffany exhaled, and hurriedly wiped off the tears that rolled down her cheek.
“You are not trying to say that I… You are my father, right?” she chuckled darkly.
Senator Han swallowed hard and fondled his hands, “Look, I…”
“Answer me!” Tiffany screamed and everyone flinched.
“Babe…” Aiden pressed his lips together but the lady didn’t even pay attention to him.
“I am sorry. I know I failed as your father and…”
“You’re are not my father,” Tiffany shook her head.
“I know it is…”
“Where the fûck were you while I was growing?!” Tiffany bellowed.
“I went in search of you. I…”
“You went in search of me? Was I a needle that you couldn’t find?” She creased her brows.
“Babe, let him explain himself, please,” Aiden moved closer to her.
“Aiden, don’t tell me that.”
“Just listen to him, please,” he pleaded and Tiffany went mute.
“It took me two days to find out that you were dropped in front of the Orphanage home near the mountain. It was very confusing how you got there. I couldn’t take you home, because of my wife,” he bowed and Tiffany sighed and then bit her lower lip.
“I watched you grow from outside, I became a regular donator at the Orphanage. I know I was very coward, but, my family and reputation were everything that I had in mind. When nine years had passed, I went there to adopt you, but I was told that you have been adopted.”
“And you believed that?” Tiffany cut in with a dark smile.
“I am sorry,” he bowed.
“Early this year, I got so curious about you and I tried to search for you again. It was while I was going through your supposed adoption papers that I noticed foul play. While I dug deeper, I found out that you were sent out of the Orphanage when you were just nine,” Senator Han said, tears rolling down his cheek.
“I am… ”
“Cut the crap, it doesn’t suit you,” Tiffany gritted her teeth and stood from the chair.
“Anny,” Aiden pressed his lips together.
“You can get mad at me, it will make me feel at least responsible for what I did but…”
“Don’t…! Don’t say another word,” Tiffany inhaled.
“Tiffany…”
“How dare you call my name like you named me? Woah, do you seriously think you can just act like a dad like that just because you finally acknowledged that you are my father and I’ll be like ‘Oh, daddy, it has been so long.’ You should have just kept mute and keep your rotten self to yourself for the rest of your life. Why the fûck do you have to look for me?!” Tiffany screamed and everyone stood up, excluding the senator.
“Tiffany, look…”
“Excuse you,” she interrupted Marlie.
“Were you nice to me because you heard that I was your half-sister?” She asked sarcastically.
“N… No, I only found out recently,” Marlie picked on her nails shakily.
Oh, her half-sister looks so scary at the moment.
“You all should have fûcking kept that to yourself, why did you have to reveal who you are to me?!”
“Do you actually think it was easy for my dad to come clean to us… To you? You have no idea what he will have to let go for doing this. You…”
“Shut the fûck up, Declan. Did I beg your dad to come clean? Wait, do you actually think I would acknowledge you as my brother. Woah, you all are so fûcked up!” She clapped her hands.
“No, you shut the fûck up and listen to me. You think it is easy for me to also swallow my pride and invite you to meet my dad. Fûck it, you don’t even worth being our maid! ” Declan retorted.
“Shut the fûck up, Declan!” Aiden pushed Declan by his chest.
“Yeah, àsshôlé! I’d rather live like a dirty bîtch to think your family is the best family to accept. Now, tell me where the fûck your mother is! To think of it, she ought to be here seeing the result of how wicked and bad she was to my mother. If at all, your mother kîlled my mother. No, your father and your mother… No, all of you! All of you kîlled my mother?! You dirty scumbag!” Tiffany screamed, losing it totally.
“Kids… You shouldn’t…”
“No, you just sit your àss down and watch everything that is happening!” Tiffany points her index finger at him.
“Anny, get a grip of yourself!” Aiden grabbed her shoulders and half yelled.
“Don’t you dare interfere unless you fûcking know about this before. Right now, I wish to strangle everyone here to deãth!” She screamed at Aiden’s face.
Within her, she heard a growl and then laughter, then, she realized everything could get fûcked up with her words.
“I’ve been waiting for you to summon me,” came a whisper within her.
“This is not happening…” Aiden shook his head as Tiffany’s eyes turned red.
“I… I just woke Akilang, and I can’t seem to keep my anger in check…” Tiffany whispered to Aiden, shivering.
Aiden bore his eyes in hers.
Tiffany had never looked this way.
Fear. Anger. Cold smirk.
They were all present on her face.
“Just keep looking at me, please. Don’t tear your eyes off me,” Aiden whispered, holding her tightly.
“What is going on?” Senator Han stood from the chair.
“Stay back! Dad, don’t come any closer… Please, just… Please,” Aiden cried.
“Aiden…” Tiffany mumbled, tightening her fist.
“I love you… I love you so much,” he whispered, Tiffany fell into silence and bowed her head.
“She knows…” She raised her head slowly and smiled widely.
“She knows how much you love her,” she nods her head and then bursts into laughter.
“Damn…” Aiden shook his head.
*
TBC…