ELLEN "Leaving so soon?" The smoothness of his voice was striking and the grin on his face made me forget that I was already pissed. He sauntered up to me, still having that grin on his face. "Hello, mi cara." I tried to ignore his musky scent that filled my nostrils just as he moved closer to me. If I stayed, I would not make it easy for him. He cannot come to our date late and act as if nothing happened. "I guess you are done with your 'important' meeting," I said with a fake smile, emphasizing on important to let him understand that I did not appreciate the value he gave to our date. "I am sorry to keep you waiting. It was urgent and unavoidable." Jerry walked up to us. "This is my cue to leave then." "You have done a great job, Jerry. I will see you later," Oliver said to Jerry and turned back to me. "So, Val, what would you like to eat? Are you hungry?" I looked at my wristwatch. "Isn't it quite late for that?" "
OLIVER Could it be a coincidence that Valerie and Ellen do not eat chocolates? It was too connected to be a coincidence. I have everything I needed to be sure she was Ellen, except for one thing. Sophie. If I ever see Sophie with her, I will be sure she was Ellen. If I found out who she is, I might keep acting like I did not know, and I will win her over. She acted suspiciously. She could not quit at Clockwise if she was not hiding something. I was certain she was hiding something, and that is why she avoided me at all costs. A woman that does not know me before would not be acting so weirdly and evasively around me. Even if she was being cautious. There were levels to it. I enjoyed her company though, and if she turns out to be Valerie and not Ellen, I do not know what I would do. I got attracted to Valerie because I thought she was Ellen. I missed Ellen and wished she could just come out from wherever she was hiding to give me a warm hug. Valerie and I
ELLEN “Momma!” I froze when I saw Sophie bouncing out of the living room. All I wanted at that moment was for the ground to give way under my feet. How was Sophie here? I had taken her to Akira’s. I knew I could not hide her forever, but I did not know it would come out so quickly and this way too. Oliver was already furious because of some news he received from Dante about Tony. This would just add to the fire. I dared to turn and look at him and his eyes were radiating fire. There was no explanation for me now. “Mr. Moreno!” Sophie squealed, not even taking notice of the tension in the air. She ran to him and to my surprise, he squatted, opened his arms and she ran inside. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall. When I opened them again, he was hugging Sophie tightly, rubbing her back, and glaring at me. I knew I had to speak with him. Where will I start and how will I tell him my reason for leaving? “Mr. Moreno, you came back for us. Do you k
OLIVER What the fuck! I had a daughter, and I knew nothing about her. For how many years? I was so angry that I could hardly see clearly. How the fuck could she do this to me? We lived in the same house for months, yet she did not deem it fit to tell me the truth. She knew how I hurt when I thought I lost a child with Sara. I fucking opened up to her and all she did was take my feelings for granted. She took me for a fucking fool. She was seated across from me in my jet as we went back to California and Sophie had fallen asleep in her arms. She has a lot to confess to me. She is going to spill everything I needed to hear tonight, and she would say nothing but the truth. She refused to meet my eyes and I glared at her. Monica, my assistant sat behind us, tapping on her phone. She seemed oblivious to what was going on and I preferred it that way. Recently, she has been too up in my business, asking if I was ever married and if I loved women. I caution
ELLEN Oliver dragged me up to his room, ignoring all my whimpers. He shoved me down on the bed when we were in his room. “What is wrong with you? Do you know what this would do to Sophie? You are just being wicked,” I snapped. Oliver chuckled with poison in his eyes. “You hid my fucking daughter from me for how long? Six years? Seven? And I am the wicked one? “Oliver, it’s not entirely my fault—” “It’s my fault then!” he barked. “You left me with no choice when you left me in that dingy club room, and dropped me a bundle of money like I was only a prostitute.” “What?” Oliver’s face crumpled in a frown. “What in God’s name are you talking about?” “I don’t know how often you pay for a woman’s drink, but you paid for my drink at Dynamite Club in New York, five years ago. We spoke for a while and had sex in the guest room.” I saw remembrance cross his face. “You...you were that girl?” I nodded. “That does not justify your actions, Ellen.
ELLEN I woke up alone on the bed. Tears stained my pillow because I had cried myself to sleep. I walked over to the mirror and looked at my face. My eyes were all puffy from cry. I could not believe Oliver had changed this badly. He had never been a good person to me anyway, but he has never held me hostage, making me do his biddings and using my daughter as bait. I knew my phone was tapped now, and I could not speak with anyone without him knowing about it. I wore my robe and went down to the kitchen to prepare what I can for Sophie. I would not be subjected to becoming a house wife for Oliver. I will not cook or do things in this house. This marriage was a contract and all I know now is that I am his hostage. I know that even after this contract, I will be forced to stay because of Sophie. That is where Oliver waited for me. I could not go against him in court because I knew he was well connected and had people inside. I cannot imagine a life without Sophie. I ca
ELLEN "You cannot cut me out of her life completely, Oliver." "I am not," Oliver said, not bothering to look at me. "Your decisions are not just the best for her." "I know my child —" "Our child," Oliver cut in. "I will not have you make decisions about her with someone else." Oliver's eyes flicked up to me. "You are jealous of Monica?" "I am not," I defended and gulped the water from the glass. "That is what you denied me for six years. You did not allow me make decisions about her, you denied me the opportunity to bond with her." "Oliver, I —" "It will not always work in your favour. You should have thought about the consequences before you acted. For now, whatever I say goes." "Oliver, please..." I muttered hoping he had some humanity in him. He had been kind to me the last few weeks before I left him. I do not know about this current behavior of his. I was scared and helpless. "I know you are angry and you have every right to be but—" "I am glad you know,
ELLEN “I am sorry for how I have been treating you.” I stared at him in disbelief. I was not making it easy for him, not after what he did to me. He did not even let me explain anything. “Now, you are ready to hear what I have to say?” “Come on, Ellen, this is not even my fault and yet I am here apologizing.” “If you think it is something I should jump up at, then you shouldn’t apologize at all.” I started walking out of the kitchen. Oliver grabbed my hand and stopped me. “Do you think I should be apologizing? You hurt me, Ellen.” “And you are getting your payback, are you not? I am not ready to talk about this. This is exactly the reason I left in the first place.” “I am not fucking talking about when you left the second time. You hid her whole existence from me! You had enough time to tell me about her.” “Not after you ruined my life!” I yelled. He stumbled and left my hand. “I ruined your life?” “You had sex