4. Deaf ears.

The village where Nate's house was located was huge and extravagant. But I didn't have a hard time entering the exclusive village because it seemed like the security were already informed of my arrival. Actually, I was asked to wait at the gate because someone was supposed to pick me up.

Every minute that I waited, I felt like my heart was breaking. I was afraid for Elisha. My baby was with the man who tried to kill her while she was still a fetus. What was the reason for his sudden interest in being a father to her then? And he was even so sure that she was his daughter!

"Ms. Hannah Rodriguez?" A black car pulled over in front of me. The driver got off when I nodded. "Mr. Sarmiento asked me to pick you up," he added, as he opened the car's door for me.

I murmured a 'thank you' before getting into Nate Sarmiento's beautiful car.

All I was just able to see was Nate’s car and the driver, but they already screamed luxury. The driver didn't seem like some ordinary chauffeur. He seemed more like a security personnel. He was tall and was wearing a suit and tie. He even looked strict and somewhat scary.

I sighed. He wasn't even Nate yet, but I was already nervous. I am meeting a powerful man in a few minutes. Olive's description of him being a dangerous man was enough to send chills all over my skin.

'This is for you, Eli. Mommy's coming...' I thought, convincing myself that I can do this.

Not long and we were entering a tall gate that automatically opened upon our arrival. I resisted the urge to gawk when Nate Sarmiento's three-story mansion appeared in front of me. I am in awe and lost for words to describe his place.

I felt even more nervous. Never in my life did I have the chance to mingle with people who truly belong to high society. So, this meeting with Nate Sarmiento that I am about to experience will surely go on my list of unforgettable ones... 

I am just hoping that it's not going to be unforgettable in the sense that Nate was about to tell me that he was taking Eli away from me forever. 

I was ushered inside the mansion. Everything there screams of wealth that I literally wouldn't want to touch nor get too close to anything. From the high ceilings adorned with magnificent chandeliers to the grand staircase leading up, I felt like I had entered a palace and was destined to meet the King.

Unfortunately, the King I am about to face is Elisha's cruel father, who intends to take my daughter away from me.

We walked past the mansion to the garden at the back. He said Nate was there and had been waiting for a while.

I shrugged stubbornly. I was not late, so they had no right to make me feel that I was late for the meeting time. In fact, I was ten minutes early. It is not my fault that he was so eager to meet me.

But then I gulped when I saw the man. Nate Sarmiento was doing spectacular swimming in the large rectangular-shaped swimming pool.

"He'll be done in a minute. Just wait for him here," said my companion, who, like the one who drove earlier, was also very formal.

"Yes. Thank you." He pulled a chair for me at the two-seater garden table but I refused to sit.

I will wait for Nate while I am standing. He had better know that I am not happy with what he did.

I watched him with forced boredom. I don't care even if he is a very good swimmer. I don't care even if his perfect and sexy body was exposed in front of me when he came up from the water. He was only wearing his swimming trunks and he didn't bother to get his robe when he approached me.

'So?' I thought and engaged myself in a staring contest with Nate Sarmiento. He is handsome. No doubt about it. He's not an actor, but he's more handsome compared to those who made their faces their investment in the entertainment industry. In fact, Nate is a famous businessman. Not just because of his physical characteristics, but because of his monster-like business ability. He was ruthless. One reason, perhaps, why at the age of thirty, he had come a long way in the hospitality industry.

But whatever... I am not in the mood to appreciate how he looks despite the small smile that slowly tugged in the corner of his mouth as he drew closer to me.

"So, you're Hannah," he started, still not letting go of my gaze. "I must say you're a lot prettier than your photos. And oh, nice voice over the phone, sweetheart."

"Where is Elisha?" I ignored everything that he just said despite knowing that my face turned slightly pink. But I also had to try my best not to gulp at the shameless man’s appearance in front of me.

"You mean my daughter?"

"She's not your daughter."

Nate just looked at me like he was sizing me up. Then he sat on the chair and looked at me from head to toe and up again. Then he smirked. I felt my knees shaking being subjected to Nate's scrutinizing eyes.

"Have a seat, Hannah," he finally said, gesturing to me to take the seat across from him, but I ignored him. I had to be brave in front of this man. "Alright, suit yourself, but I won't tell you where she is."

"Please, Mr. Sarmiento." I was forced to sit, okay, forget about appearing brave... "Elisha might be scared right now, please, return her to me and forget any of these things happened."

"That's funny, Ms. Rodriguez," he answered after giving out a sarcastic laugh. "Maybe I'll tell you the same. To start off, I am Elisha's father and you-- who are you? Her nanny?"

I felt pain slicing my heart. Nanny? After being a father and a mother to Elisha for four years, he only thinks of me as a nanny?

"You were never his father," I said, trying not to be angry. "You don't have any right to claim her now when you never wanted her in the first place." My fists curled into a ball on my side.

"Let's get down to business, Hannah." He pulled his lips to a thin line, he was already serious and I braced myself for war.

"Right. What's that deal you mentioned a while back?"

"Good memory."

"That's why I'm here, right?"

"Where's Olive?" It's not an out of the blue kind of question. I somehow expected it. "Tell me where Olive is and I'll let you see Elisha!"

"Let me see Elisha? You will return her to me!" I said in disbelief.

"I never said that. Like I said, I am his father. If there's someone who's got the right to keep her custody, that would be me. So, where's Olive? Where's my daughter's mother?" he demanded.

"I don't know," I answered, half a lie and half a matter of fact. I knew that she went to London but I don't know exactly where. Besides, telling him would mean I was betraying Olive. I felt tears moisten my eyes, Nate definitely knew everything about Olive and Elisha already. There is nothing I could do to further deny the truth he already knew. But I won't give up on Elisha.

"One more chance, Hannah. Where is Olive?" The Nate I was facing earlier disappeared completely, he was slowly turning into a monster. I feel like I am hearing warning bells telling me to just give in to what Nate wants and I won't get hurt.

"I told you, I don't know!"

"B*ll sh*t!" he yelled and I was really surprised. He was growing impatient, I could see. "She went to you after she ran away, so I'm sure she told you where she was going!"

"I don't know—" I looked at him wide-eyed when he leaned over the table and grabbed my arm tightly like he planned to dig a hole in my skin. "If I know, I will tell you– you're hurting me!" I tried to pull my arm but his grip tightened even more. I refused to close my eyes in pain. He should not see me as someone weak.

"Tell me where she went or I'll break your arm!" His eyes were on fire. "I need to know where that woman went!"

"She doesn't love you anymore, Mr. Sarmiento. So save yourself the trouble of looking for her because she's now happy with Josh!" I answered bravely even when I was already wincing in pain.

"D*mn it! You don't have the right to tell me what to do!" He let go of me violently, causing me to fall hard from my chair. He was angry, so angry that he didn't care about anybody else anymore. Even if I looked really hurt, he didn't care. "Get out of here!" He screamed.

"Where's Elisha? Give me my daughter! Please!" I was about to approach him when I was able to stand up again. But his security personnel promptly stopped me as if they automatically came closer when they heard Nate sending me away. "Nate Sarmiento!" I shouted as I was being dragged away. "Elisha needs me!"

He didn't listen to me and just dived back into the swimming pool again.

"Elisha!!!! Elisha!!!"

I was thrown out of the house. And no matter how I begged them to let me see my daughter, my pleadings fell on deaf ears. Though I was still taken back to the gate of the subdivision. But even the driver didn't want to talk to me except when he said 'sorry', but he couldn't help me.

When we got to the gate, he even told the security not to let me inside again. I felt like I was a criminal. Nate made me see that I was worthless and that there was nothing I could do to get my daughter back.

How could he be so cruel? Will he ignore the four years that I raised the child that he claimed to be his daughter? At least, he could have allowed me to see if Elisha was okay... I needed to see my daughter for my peace of mind.

But if Nate thought that I was going to give Elisha up easily, well, he was wrong. He'll know the lengths a mother would go for her child!

'Wait for me, Elisha... I'll see you again. I promise!' I dried my tears. I had to think of a way. I can't give up.

And the first thing I should do is to get to know my opponent. Maybe it's high time to know more about Nate Sarmiento... If I didn't care about him then, it seems that now I need to know where I can find him again.