First, I Needed My Child Back!

OPHELIA

Ashford Valentino.

That was my father.

I didn’t wait another second. My legs instantly led me toward the elevator and out of the company. Even before I sank behind the steering wheel of my car, I’d begun dialing Nova’s number.

“Phil, how did it go? You’re out of there?” Her voice rang from the other side.

“Process my Pa’s hospital transfer immediately.”

I heard her shuffle, as though she was rising from a bed. “Why? Did something go wrong?”

“Just transfer him out of the city for now. It’s urgent. I’ll go see him once everything is over.”

I let the phone down to my thigh once the call ended.

What was Julius’s plan? Why had he mentioned my father?

It turned out my husband was far more dangerous than I thought.

Guilt pricked at my skin. I’d been so busy with my marriage that I’d forgotten about my father for the past months. As his only child, I couldn’t imagine how lonely he must be. But I couldn’t go to him now.

My Pa had never supported my marriage with Julius. I remembered threatening to harm myself if he didn’t let me marry him. Back then, he’d told me, “A deceitful power-hungry eye isn’t hard to recognize. That man is suspicious, Lia.”

Back then, I hadn’t believed him.

Now, I didn’t know how to face my father or tell him that the same man turned out to be exactly as he described him.

The sound of a notification broke my thoughts. I brought the phone to my eyes.

‘Selena posted a photo.’

Curious, I clicked on the notification and it directed me to her social media page, the picture popping on my screen.

Selena was at a bar, holding a glass of beer close to her face while pouting her lips for the camera. Under the picture, she captioned. ‘Reunion with the day ones. Having such a great time.’

She made my stomach sour. Not everyone could handle pretentious people and I was one of them. These days, I was fighting the obvious disgust I felt for them each time.

I let the phone down. But then, my brows furrowed. Wasn’t she supposed to be with the child today? Just this morning, the housekeepers had suddenly gone on leave.

Actually, two resigned.

According to them, they couldn’t bear answering to Selena for the past few days. And the last one, she demanded a break.

Who is little Alia with then?

I slipped the phone inside my suit jacket. Perhaps a babysitter?

Yet, a sunken feeling grew at the pit of my stomach and the hairs at the back of my neck suddenly prickled my skin. Gripping the steering wheel, I started the accelerator and drove in the direction of the house.

The penthouse was unusually quiet when I stepped in.

Pin-drop silent.

It was the first time in a long while, I’d come home to silence. Selena’s absence felt relieving. Usually, she’d be somewhere in the house screaming by now.

“She must’ve dropped Alia with babysitters.” I sighed in relief.

Ignoring the unfamiliarity of my living room, I climbed the stairs, dragging my tired foot toward the master bedroom. However, as I was about to close the door behind me a faint sound reached my ears.

A cough.

I paused. It sounded again, this time even weaker and lower. My eyes shot wide.

Alia?

My head whipped toward her room and before I knew it, I was racing in that direction.

I flung her door open and my footsteps stilled at the sight that I met.

“Alia!” I yelled.

She was all alone in her room. On the floor!

“A-Alia.” Without thinking, I knelt and picked the child up, carrying her carefully to the bed. “Alia, are you okay?” She was pale, her breaths uneven and her eyes were half open.

Urgently, I flew to the other side of the bed.

Alia was going through an episode. Her drugs. Where were they?

The beside drawers flung open at my force and I fished out the kit where her drugs were kept. Digging through the medications, I found the right one.

“Alia,” My fingers gently laid her head on my thigh as I sat on the bed. “Open up, honey.” I slipped the drug in.

She heaved. After some minutes, the child’s breath stabilized and colour began to return to her body. A gasp escaped my throat when she suddenly threw her hands around my neck and burst into tears.

“Oh, I’m here now,” I caressed her hair as her cries pierced through the house, loud and biting. “Mo-mommy is here now. You’re fine. You’re fine.”

I knew I was doing a bad job at comforting her when my own body shook violently and I held her tightly to myself like I needed her more than she needed me, plastering kisses at the top of her head. I thought I was about to lose her again.

“I’m sorry,” my voice broke. “I couldn’t protect you.”

I couldn’t protect her from the cruel genetic condition she got from me nor from the hands of an incompetent woman who leaves a sick child alone.

“Auntie,” Alia muttered, gently pulling away to stare at my face. “Are you sick?”

I quickly wiped the trace of tears at the corner of my eyes and forced my lips upward. “Of course I’m not. I-I’m fine. Are you okay? Do you feel pain anywhere?” I panicked, my thumb coming to wipe her own tears.

She shook her head. “I’m not in pain anymore.” Then her head fell. “Little Alia thought she was going to die.”

“Don’t say such a thing, honey. “Why are you home alone?”

The child nestled into me again. “Nana Yuri had a family emergency and Mommy is out for a reunion.”

“And she couldn’t bring you with her?”

“Mommy says it’s not a place for children.”

My eyes shut close for a second. At least a daycare? Nanny? Just something.

“Mommy says she’s busy,” she said all while clinging onto me.

I sighed and held the child closer to my chest. Three years ago, I couldn’t protect her from being stolen and hurt. But this time, I’d do anything to have her back. To make her safe.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to destroy someone. But first, I needed my child back. I couldn’t afford to leave her with a woman like Selena.

“How did your episode start, Alia? Did you eat something you weren’t supposed to eat?”

The child went silent for a minute before shaking her head in the negative. But then, she whispered almost too low for me to catch. “I ate candy.”

I gasped.

I pulled away so I could stare at her face. She avoided my gaze for a second and then a giggle suddenly left her lips.

“Alia,” I scolded. “You’re not supposed to have candies. How many did you take?”

Still giggling, she stuck up one finger. “Auntie Ophelia, it’s just one.”

“One? That smells like lies, young lady.”

“Maybe two?”

I tilted my head to the pillow at the side and lifted it, only for my mouth to drop at the empty candy wrappers.

“Five. Alia, these are bad for your health now. Where did you get them?"

“From mama’s room.”

Her giggles became louder and soon, it upgraded into a full-blown laugh that I couldn’t help but join in. For a minute, her tiny laughter filled the room and my heart.

“Don’t do this next time,” I scolded after my laughter died down. “The doctor said you can’t have these, remember?”

“Little Alia is strong now.”

“Your reaction to the candy today says otherwise, you naughty girl. Hold on.”

I dipped a hand into my suit pocket and retrieved my phone when it buzzed slightly from a notification.

Unknown number.

I was about to ignore it but then, my fingers mistakenly slipped and tapped on the message.

‘I've decided what I want. 3pm tomorrow.’