Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
I blow out a breath as reality bites in. Hearing the words aloud slices through me. All the money in the world could never replace what I’ve lost. I continue through my ache.
“I brought her here and within hours of our arrival, everything was turned on its head. She found out I had a child here,” I say, the words tasting like acid.
“Oh, Gregor. Did we never talk to you about condoms? I still can’t believe you would hide this child from us for so long.” My mother takes a pause, her cheeks turning red. “Okay, I think I understand why she hit you.”
I grin for the first time in days. At the moment, my mother looks like she’s thinking about going upside my head. I know Chloe isn’t the only one I’ve hurt. This has been difficult for my mother to step into.
“Everything is so complicated.” I look at my daughter. “I wanted to make sure she was mine. No, no, I think I’ve always known. There’s just something else Addison was hiding. I wanted to find out what before I entangled my family in all of this.
“I don’t remember the night we were supposed to have hooked up to conceive my little girl. We had a casual relationship prior, but I ended that sometime before we could have made a baby together,” I explain.
“Yet here she is. She looks like you when you were a little boy,” she replies.
“Grandma… see baby?” Chloe says as she holds her doll up to my mother.
“Yes, beautiful. She’s almost as pretty as you are,” my mother coos.
“Pretty baby.” Chloe nods. “Daddy, see baby?”
“Yes, sweetheart, I see your pretty baby.” I chuckle.
She turns back for her toys, ignoring us once again. She’s been occupied with the doll I bought today in hopes of making her smile. She’s too little to understand how much her world has changed. I look down at my palms.
“I can’t say that I regret her. I love my daughter. I just wish she had the mother I would have chosen,” I say.
“The one you have hurting in a hotel room?”
“Yup, the one I’m too selfish to let go of,” I snort.
“This isn’t an easy thing. You’ve hurt her deeply. Something I know is so hard for you. You’re such a loving person, but I’ve never known you to give up.” She exhales, reaching to lift my chin. “I don’t know what happened back then, but I bet every penny I have that your heart was in the right place. Explain things to her. Then, let her decide.”
I sit thinking about her words. She’s right. I’ve never explained to Chloe why I did what I did. I just told her things were ending for her good. If I can make her understand… I have to try to make her understand.
“Daddy, I sleepy,” Chloe whines, coming to climb into my lap.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly as she falls asleep with her head on my shoulder. I wish my life could be as simple as hers. I kiss the top of her head.
“She adores you,” my mother whispers with a smile.
“And I her,” I murmur back.
“Gregor, if she’s still there when you return, you just might have a shot.”
I close my eyes and groan. I just keep digging this hole, but there was no way I was letting Chloe leave without me. I still have things to settle here. We’ll return to the States when I wrap things up.
“What have you done?” my mother huffs.
“I gave orders for my men not to let her leave the hotel,” I mutter.
“You boys fuss with your father but you’re each just like him. Stubborn to the bone and determined to have things your way. The poor girl.”
“She’s probably going to kick my ass again.” I chuckle.
“Yes, just like your father. I think you enjoyed it,” she teases. “Give me that little one. You go fix your mess.”
Chapter 16
Who I Am
Chloe
I open my eyes to find gray ones staring back at me. I focus and take in his face as he stands over the bed. The bruise on his cheek and his busted lip bring earlier back to me.
I twist my face up and lift to get dressed. I should have been gone by now. I didn’t mean to sleep so long. When I look at the clock, I see I’ve slept the day away.
“Baby, stop,” he calls as I start to slide off the bed.
“Stop calling me that.”
“You will always be my baby, Cee,” he replies.
“I’m leaving. This time, leave me alone.”
“My father had my life mapped out from the womb. I can’t remember ever dreaming of wanting to be a fireman or a police officer. I never dreamed of those things because I knew I was going to be governor.