Everything was just too much of a coincidence. First, the woman Alex knew was Kaia had a daughter named Alexa. Then their horse was named Zander. Everything tied back to him in some way. But Alex was too focused on the fact that Kaia had a new man by her side. He wasn't thinking clearly enough to draw any connections between himself and Alexa.
As Trevor led Alexa back into the school to get her things, they both stood there rooted to the ground. Alexa turned around every now and then to give her mum and Papa Alex an encouraging smile. Kaia managed a weak smile as she waved back at Alexa.
Throughout this, Alex stared at Kaia's back. After Alexa disappeared from view, he finally mustered enough courage to walk a bit closer to Kaia. Even though he was extremely pissed off, he still couldn't suppress the pain from the hole in his heart. Alex slowly reached out a hand, as if to touch Kaia and make sure she was real.
Noticing Alex's movements, Kaia instinctively turned around and reached up, grabbing his hand. She lowered it down with a saddened expression before placing her other hand over his. She choked back a sob that desperately wanted to escape. "W—why…are you here?" she asked, her voice almost coming out in a whisper.
Alex cleared his throat before looking around, suddenly noticing the stares of the students who were previously having a snowball fight with Kaia. Alex pulled his hand away, straightening his shirt. He took a few seconds to suppress the whirl of emotions within him. "I heard about how some of the students here are quite talented…so I came to scout out these talented students. And...I also came because of Alexa…" He stopped just as Alexa's name fell from his lips. Suddenly realization flashed in his eyes. "Alexa…" he said again, squinting his eyes at Kaia as if something clicked. Before he could say anything else, Kaia turned around and told the students to head home because music class was canceled for the day.
With a stern expression, Alex gazed over Kaia's form again. He couldn't suppress his emotions any longer. A trace of hurt flashed through his eyes as he thought back to the man that took Alexa home. Why did she leave him? Why did she hide away from him all these years? Why did he abandon him like that while he was still unconscious from the bullet wounds? Why…? Why…?! WHY?!
Kaia turned to look back at Alex. She sighed before ushering him inside the school building and into the music room. She told some of the students that hadn't been playing with her outside that after-school music class was canceled.
Once the class was empty, Kaia went to the teacher's lounge to heat up hot water. When she came back, she went to her desk and grabbed the packets of instant hot cocoa powder mix. It was a habit for her to drink hot cocoa in the winter. She experimented with different brands before finally finding one that tasted somewhat like Alex's hot cocoa.
While she was making some hot cocoa, Alex and Zac sat in chairs that they pulled up to Kaia's desk in the front. Kaia set a mug down in front of the two before taking a seat with her own mug of hot cocoa. She took a candy cane out of her drawer, broke it up, and let it float in her cup. Zac took his mug and stood up. "I'll let you guys talk while I explore the school," he said before walking out. Zac didn't want to butt into their business unless it was necessary.
Alex was the first to speak. "Kaia…" was all he was able to get out. Not because of any interruptions but because he was too shocked. He didn't even know where to begin. All he could do was stare at her, waiting for an answer. He wanted confirmation that he wasn't crazy and that it was really her. But most of all he wanted to know why...
Kaia silently looked up at him. "Alex…h—how are you?" she asked softly as she took a sip of her drink to calm her nerves. Alex frowned slightly. This wasn't what he wanted. Sure this was the confirmation that he needed but still... After all this time all she could manage was a 'How are you?' That was...it?
"How do you think I am right now…? Kaia...what the hell is going on?!" he said in a scarily quiet voice. Alex stared at her, his once tender blue eyes were now a shadow of what it used to be. Kaia could see herself reflected in his eyes, which were now a dull and cold blue. She couldn't take it anymore. Her lips trembled slightly. She tightly clenched the handle of the mug. A few tears started to trickle down her cheeks as she bit her lip. She started to shake her head as she suddenly stood up. "I—I'm sorry...I can't. I just—I really can't right now," she said, her voice cracking as she began to sob.
How could she think she had the courage to face Alex? How could she ever think that she could even manage to speak to Alex calmly? After all these years...of...of recurring flashbacks to when he got hurt. Of waking up in the middle of the night feeling the cold space next to her bed. Of missing Alex. She really wanted to return to him but it wasn't time yet. She was so close to nailing "him" down and sending "him" to hell.
Kaia was enduring so much as she stared at Alex's cold expression. She couldn't finish whatever she had been trying to say before. Her mind was completely blank as she looked at him. She felt as if she was just fooling herself. She couldn't manage to control her emotions so she stood up shakily. She walked towards the door to leave only to have Alex grab her arm, pulling her into his warm and comforting embrace.
He tightly wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her hair. He took in her familiar scent. Kaia put her hands up as if to push him away, but it only made Alex hold on tighter. "No...don't run from me…please..." he whispered into her ear. Kaia gave in quickly. Every defense in her collapsed. She should've known that she couldn't walk away again. This was the reason why she escaped while he was unconscious…
Just hearing the desperation in his voice made her heart cave in. She whimpered softly, her hands reaching up and clutching his jacket as she hid her face in his chest, sobbing. She could feel Alex's body trembling. "I—I'm sorry…" she squeaked out. Kaia stood there, silently hearing a few muffled out sniffles. Was he crying?
Kaia tried to pull away to look at him but Alex wouldn't let her. He thought she was trying to escape again, so he held on tighter. "Why? Didn't you love me at all?" he asked with a trace of hurt. His voice trembled slightly. Just hearing it made Kaia's heart break even more.
Tears continued to trickle down her face as she clutched onto him even tighter. "Of course I did. How could you thin—" Alex quickly cut her off, "Then why did you leave me?!" He stopped, letting his head slump to her shoulder as his hands went to her arms. He hesitated before he asked, "What about Alexa…and...and your sickness?"
Kaia lightly nudged Alex's forehead. She gently pulled away, wiping her face before looking up at him. "The doctors had told me during pregnancy that...that the symptoms could reappear. And that I could die, but...but Alexa...I wanted her to be born so badly. I wanted to be brave for her and thankfully, she saw the light of day and didn't get my disease. My recuperation went extremely well with very few complications. Then a week or so after I had her, I got a call saying there was a bone marrow donor. The bone marrow donor ended up being a match. The operation was successful so now here I am. And...as far as the doctor's and I know...it's completely gone… But they told me to be careful because...well, it could reappear again…" Kaia explained as calmly as she could.
"A—and about Alexa…" She took a deep breath, trying to control herself but she couldn't stop crying. The lump in her throat prevented her from talking so she just looked straight at Alex and Alex looked straight back at her. She managed to suppress the lump in her throat enough to say "I'm so sorry…" before she began sobbing again. After a while she continued, "I wanted to tell you so badly…but I…I couldn't..." She ran a hand through her hair, turning away from him again.
Alex's brows creased again. "Why couldn't you? Why didn't you at least try? Don't you think I have a right to know?!" He was starting to raise his voice slightly before it cracked. He was truly angry at this point. It didn't take a paternal test to tell him that Alexa was actually his biological daughter all along. He felt so stupid for not even realizing why he felt such paternal affections towards his own child.
"What made you so selfish to think that you could...you could just fake your death and then keep my daughter away from me all these years?! Do you know how many times I probably crushed her spirit when I told people she wasn't MY daughter…?!?" He clutched his fist tightly, stepping away from Kaia for a second before returning his gaze to her. "She is my daughter, right?" he asked in the calmest tone he could muster.
Listening to him made her cry more. She was selfish, true, but she had to sacrifice so much in order to protect him. No one could understand the pain of leaving everything and everyone she knew—especially Alex!—behind. At the moment, she didn't have enough evidence to go against "the man" who threatened their safety.
She couldn't tell Alex everything…not yet. She couldn't take that risk, especially because Kaia and her team were super close to nabbing "the man." Plus, Kaia knew that Alex would go after "him" if he knew. She couldn't let him get hurt again...she just couldn't! Especially since "the man" promised to kill Alex if she didn't continue holding up her end of the bargain.
Kaia frowned in response to Alex's question. "I can't tell you why…but yes, she is your daughter…"