Chapter 93
Scott POV.
I was sitting in my office and sorting out the work I had been skipping for the past few weeks. Camille flew back to London but she would be back in a couple of days. She needed to attend an important meeting with her director. She said she had decided to settle in Boston again which gave me little hope. Her relationship with her family seemed to be getting better. Yesterday Natalie and Caden stopped by to meet Camille. It was too surprising for her that she sobbed and smiled at the same time and hugged them tightly. My heart rejoiced to see her happy after a long time. Caden was pleased to meet Colette and he couldn't believe he had a niece. Natalie also brought her son who instantly became Colette's best friend.
Conan kept Camille company as they both took the morning flight together. Colette was staying with me. I had some alone time with my daughter. I was still unable to process that Camille had left Colette with me. That means she has started to trust me. It was a positive sign. Maybe our relationship would get better as time passed by.
I heard a soft knock. "Come in," I said.
"I need your signature..." Rika stepped inside with some paperwork. She began to work with me again as my secretary. I was happy to help her out with clearing her debts. Sometimes, she was baffled by my busy schedule but most of the time she handled everything clumsily. I would have hired another person but I just wanted to help her. She also became my favourite person. Rika slapped papers in front of me with an exasperated sigh. "Now sign it."
I frowned at her order. She sounded more like a boss and less like an employee. "Why?" I grabbed a file, glancing through the documents.
"Your production company has agreed to sign a new artist I told you about yesterday? He is one of the most followed artists on social media."
"Oh." I had a meeting with the new singer yesterday. He wanted to work with our company, so our production house was going to launch him at the end of that month. Without reading further, I picked up my pen and scribbled down my signature. Rika smiled and flipped the pages and I signed every paper. After a few minutes, she put the documents back in the file neatly and sighed. "Are you not feeling tired? You have been working since morning."
"Thanks for your concern but I have no time for feeling tired." I straightened my spine against my seat, staring into her exhausted eyes. She looked like she had skipped a couple of nights' sleep. "When is the next meeting?" "About half an hour." She groaned and glanced at her watch. "It is already seven in the evening. Can't I leave an hour earlier?"
"You seem eager to leave your work. Is there any reason behind your desperation?"
"Um..." Rika hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have a date at 7:30. I don't want to leave a bad impression on this date because he is very important to me."
"He must be the lucky guy." I chuckled, glancing at the time.
"Indeed." She gave me a cheeky smile.
"Is this the same guy I saw in the restaurant the other day?"
"Nope, that one was my cousin."
"Oh." I wondered who Rika was seeing but I didn't ask her. Her love life was absolutely not my business. "Well, you can leave early but after finishing your work." "Sure, sir." She teased me and walked away.
An hour later, I drove home. Home? That was my home? Of course, it was because it made me feel peaceful and protective. When he arrived at Harry's place, Colette jumped on me and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back. "I missed you." She looked at me with a full smile on her face.
"How was your trip with Amos?" I asked her.
"It was okay."
"Okay? Not great?" I frowned.
"I was alone with Amos. You were not there with me."
My heart ached to see a glimpse of sadness in her eyes. She wanted me to take her hike but my workload prevented me so I sent her with Amos. I had eight consecutive meetings in the last twelve hours. I had to go for an inspection of our next project that was in progress. I was also invited to the funeral of my old music producer friend. Since I was unable to attend his funeral I asked Rika to send him a card and flowers. I hoped she didn't forget that.
I checked the time. I had an invitation to a birthday party which I was planning to attend with my little daughter. "We're going somewhere," I announced as she looked at me with confusion.
"Where?" she asked after a long pause.
"A friend of mine threw a lavish party for his daughter's fifth birthday. We're going to attend this party together." I would not have gone there but Colette would certainly enjoy it with other children of her age group. She might make a couple of friends there. I wanted her to be familiar with other children as I had never seen her with anybody else besides her nanny and her dog. It might be because Camille was too protective of her daughter. "And mom?"
"Your mom will be back the day after tomorrow."
"I miss her. She had never left me alone before."
"Are you not happy with me here?"
She looked unsure as she spoke. "I don't know. I love you two the most in the world and when you are both with me I feel even happier."
I smiled, caressing her hair and looking at her. "I also love you two the most in the world." I intertwined my fingers with her little ones. "I wish for nothing but both in my life."
"You love my mom?"
I nodded. "I love her so much."
"Does she love you?"
I don't know, maybe you should ask her." I shrugged and stood up. "Let me get you ready for the party first."
I gave Colette a black frock with a silver belt. I made her hair into a tight ponytail and wore her black shoes. She looked so adorable in a black dress. The one thing I noticed was that I had never seen Colette in black. I wondered why. I chose a black suit with a white shirt. I got out of my room and held my daughter's hand. "Shall we go, darling?"
"Yes, Dad!"
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I froze, and she froze. Her mouth hung low as she watched me with wide eyes. For a moment I felt like I was unable to breathe as so many emotions were running through my body. Damn, dad! She just called me dad. I quickly noted the date of that day and time. She just called me dad on Wednesday at 8:34. I will never forget that moment. Before Colette could finish her sentence, I fell to my knees and embraced her tightly. "Thank you," I whispered with a smile. "Thank you so much, dear."
"I'm sorry it just left my mouth," she mumbled on my shoulder. "Because I was missing my dad."
I squeezed my eyes, letting out a disappointed breath. I hated that she was giving my love to someone else. I was supposed to correct her and tell her the truth but I had no right to do so. It would be Camille who would tell her everything. Though she was my blood I was helpless. I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to. I pulled back, gazing at her.
"You can call me dad if you want."
Her eyes grew wider and her jaw dropped. "I can't..."
"Why can't you?"
"Because I have a father. You're not my father."
"Just pretend I am your father as long as you're staying with me." I tried to convince her but she looked unsure. I plastered a smile, giving her a nod, "If you aren't comfortable with this then leave it."
"I can't imagine you, my father."
I laughed. "Why?"
"I don't know, maybe because you're my superhero."
I led her into my car and sat her in the passenger seat. I buckled up her seat belt and slid behind the wheel. "It's okay, sweetheart."
After miles of driving, I pulled into a driveway that was filled with cars. Balloons tied to a mailbox, streamers taped to walls and hanging from lights. The doorkeeper handed us party hats with a polite smile. Colette grabbed it and put it on her head with a wide smile. "I have never been to a children's party before."
"Me as well," I muttered.
Harry, with his wife and daughter, headed toward me when he noticed us. "Pleased to see you here, Scott."
I nodded with a smile and looked at his daughter who was staring at Colette curiously. "Happy birthday, gorgeous." I held out my hand and shook her small hand. She smiled and looked at Colette again. "Who is she?"
"She is my daughter," I said, catching Harry's frown.
"But Maura never..."
"It's Camille." I cut him off, glancing at Colette who was talking to Miley, the birthday girl. "She is her mother." Harry has known Camille since high school.
"Oh, you cheated on your girlfriend," Harry smirked and his wife nudged him. I smiled tightly, sighing heavily. "Don't mind his words," his wife said with an apologetic smile. "He's always been like that."
"Who knows him better than me?" I raised my brows and Harry laughed.
"Wine or Scotch?" Harry asked and I was relieved he didn't inquire further about Camille. He was not a big fan of hers. "We have daughters around the same age. Isn't it great? They could become best friends." "They seem to be enjoying each other's company." I looked at Colette who was playing with Miley. "I'm happy to see her laughing."
"So when did you..." Harry hesitated, clearing his throat. "I thought you hated her."
Her? Camille?
I turned my head to see him with my tight jaw. "I love Camille."
"That's shocking!"
I scoffed, leaning against the counter and sipping my wine. "I have loved her since the day I started working at her place."
"She was a bully. I remember she bullied you many times in high school."
"That's because I didn't give her attention at that time." I smiled sadly, picking up his confused expression. "She hated me being with Maura."
"But she never admitted that."
"Because she was scared of rejection."
Harry took a scotch and looked at something on the floor as he sighed. After a brief lapse, he snapped his eyes at me. "She loved your brother, right? I heard Samuel impregnated her."
I squeezed the glass in my hand and my jaw clenched harder the second I heard my brother's name. I needed to stop this subject right there otherwise I would end up hitting him. "We should talk about something else." "Well..." Harry noticed my tone was clipped. He quickly changed the subject and shifted to our daughters.
After a while, We drove back home. Colette fell asleep on the seat while I was driving. Seeing her sleeping soundlessly was the most peaceful thing I have ever experienced. I pulled my car into the garage and killed the engine. I got out and carried her in my arms carefully. She was so small and fragile. I had to ask Camille to check her diet plan because Colette was underweight at the age of four. I put her on her pink flowery bed and covered her body with a blanket. She mumbled something in her sleep which made me smile. I sat on the floor watching my daughter. It was a face or something that I couldn't take my eyes off. I brushed a few strands of her hair off her face and wiped her saliva from her mouth. "I love you, baby." I kissed her forehead before heading to my room.
I had to sleep alone since Camille was not there.
I was missing her.