5. A Happily Ever After

Violet stilled, her heartbeat pausing for a second.

As if an iced water had been poured over her, she shuddered. 

The same reaction over and over again. 

She'd always experience this shock, then dread whenever her daughter announced such a statement.

The echoes of Mimi's tiny shoes on the floor jolted Violet to the present. 

Eyes shining happily like a million stars, Mimi jumped onto her lap and stared at her eagerly. “Mummy, believe me this time. I found my true Daddy!”

In her little voice was a firm resolve that sent Violet's heart racing. 

Sigh!

Why was she apprehensive when her daughter was always fond of this little drama?

“What are you saying, Mimi?” Asher reached forward to pat her hair. “Your Daddy's right here…” He pointed towards himself. “... Me.” 

“Hold it, Uncle Asher.” Folding her chubby arms across her chest, Mimi gave him a pointed look. “If you were my Daddy, you'd have red hair.”

Asher touched his hair. “Well, you don't have red hair either.”

“That's the point.” Mimi bobbed her head. 

“Uhm… what?” Asher scratched his head, confused.

Watching their interaction, Violet stifled a laugh. 

While Mimi was trying to twist his words around, Asher had not a single clue.

At four, the little girl thought she was smart enough to banter with adults.

“Be easy on Uncle Asher. He'll soon become your Daddy.” Violet chided her daughter softly.

But Mimi sighed, pouting her lips, her wide eyes blinking. “Mummy, it's okay if you like Uncle Asher. Now can we talk about my real Daddy?” 

And Violet had to listen to her describe the most perfect man in her imagination.

The same description always, in the same dramatic tone. 

“Daddy came down from a huge helicopter, Mummy.” Mimi gestured with her arms. “He's far away and there was a sandstorm, so I couldn't call out to Daddy.”

“Mummy, Daddy's so tall. He's taller than Uncle Asher. I bet he has a straight nose and sharp jawlines- but sharper than Uncle Asher's. Daddy's skin glows like mine. He has sharp eyes like mine too, Mummy.”

Violet was about to laugh, but Asher beat her to it.

“If there ever is a man like your Daddy, he'd be every woman's dream.”

“Uncle Asher, you're right.”

“Besides, your eyes aren't sharp. They're huge.”

Mimi's smile disappeared, the dreamy look on her face fading. 

The little girl was pursing her lips again, her tiny face contorting into a frown. “Uncle Asher, learn from Mummy and stay quiet until I'm done.”

“As you wish, Princess.” Asher made a gesture of zipping his mouth, his lips pressed together as if stifling his laughter.

Mimi went on. “Just like Uncle Asher, Daddy has many many bodyguards that came down from the helicopter with him.”

Then she paused, tapping her chin as if deep in thought. “But Daddy was mad at everyone, Mummy. He didn't smile.”

Well, 

Clyde rarely smiled. 

He'd treated Violet like an egg, but faking a genuine smile was the only job he was bad at. 

Might be why he decided to keep his stoic face. 

Wait a minute…

Clyde. 

Why did Mimi's description fit that man perfectly? 

“Sigh! I couldn't speak with Daddy.” Mimi interrupted her thoughts. “Uncle Asher's guards asked me to go back.”

Hopefully, it wasn't what Violet was thinking.

There was no way Clyde would be here. 

This Island belonged to Asher,

And she'd checked his circle of friends before agreeing to date him. 

Violet knew all of Asher's friends like the back of her hand.

Those were the only people Asher ever interacted with. 

They were his only business partners too.

It mustn't be Clyde.

“Violet…” Asher's voice snapped her to the present.  

He was giving her that inquisitive look again. 

The kind of look that expressed the hundreds of questions in his eyes. 

“Is anything bugging your mind?” Asher asked. 

Violet shook her head. “Nothing.”

Clyde.

The thought of that name alone awoke her anxiety. 

She'd give anything to never think about him again.

Whenever his name popped up on her mind, so was the wound left by the deep scar of the heartbreak.

“I'm not feeling well…” She stood up, hugging her daughter to her chest. “I think I should rest.”

“Go ahead.” Asher nodded.

As Violet walked away from the balcony, heading to the bedroom, she took in deep breaths to control her heartbeat.

Mimi's head was resting on her chest, and the little girl, smarter than her age, would easily detect something was wrong with her just by listening to her heartbeat.

“Mummy…”

Well, Violet couldn't escape her daughter's scrutiny.

As if sharing a secret, Mimi straightened up and whispered into her ear. “Is Grandpa forcing you to marry Uncle Asher?”

Violet stroked her hair, sighing inside. “Uncle Asher is nice. Treat him well, okay?” 

Mimi nodded obediently. Yet, her words were the opposite. “I only want a happily ever after with my real Daddy, Mummy.”