-Natasha-
As far as I could remember, I'd never fought anyone physically, Merlin would do the fighting for me back in high school, just to protect me, well… He was the gutsy one, but he was also soft and loving, he would get beaten up, all for me or Rajesh or Priya our other friends. It was four of us, the school's outcast. That day I must've felt what Merlin used to go through standing up to the bullies for us, Rin's strike sent a rather uncool message to my cheek, it would even inspire nightmares, and on top of that my baby saw it happen. Shame rose up my respiratory system as I gazed at my terrified daughter.
"Melissa baby" I called her to come to me, she ran downstairs and jumped into my arms,
"Mommy's okay baby, don't cry, I'm so sorry" I never meant to cry but I saw my tears dropping onto her also teary cheeks. I recalled Rin's words as she said she had birthed the black rose, she wasn't wrong, that was all her, but I chose to remain the black rose, and I would never forgive myself, let alone expect him to forgive me, but the child was his and he still deserved to know. I would leave her with him in Rome, and then go back to Nigeria, just far away from Merlin and Melissa. I decided to let go of the black rose and start living my life for my daughter, but if that would get to Mike's ears, he would destroy me. It had to be discreet. I took a couple of weeks off, there were other mascots anyway, though I was the most liked by Mike's clients I knew my leave days would be cut in half, but Suave butterfly would make a better replacement than most.
So I took my daughter out for ice cream and to play out with other children all in a bid to try and help her forget what she'd seen with Rin, and try to be a good mother perhaps. I drove all around Beverley Hills with her; this was my very first fun experience with my 5 year old daughter. "Mommy" she whispered shyly, she was always that shy whenever she wanted to ask something that made her feel uncomfortable, like one time three months ago she asked if Mike was her daddy... I had ignored her back then, it was embarrassing, or so I felt.
"Where is my daddy?" She just had to ask, on the day of the airport incident I had told her about her daddy.
5 Days ago
As I walked out of Merlin's room leaving him sitting on his bed, I bumped into Rin just outside the house with Clarissa and Moana, the two ladies who despised me to the core though Clarissa would be a bit sympathetic. Rin walked towards me.
"All good?" She asked, I nodded shyly, or rather guiltily before she flashed a smile, then I walked away. A client was dropping me home. Before I got home I received a text from Rin, she was telling me that Merlin would be returning to Italy in the morning, so if I wanted to see him that would be my last chance.
I got home and found the maid, Grace having fun with Melissa, she would most certainly be a better mother to my daughter than I ever would be. Like every other daughter, she ran into my arms in joy, i carried her to the main bedroom and sat with her on my bed.
"Guess who I saw baby" I said with so much joy in my heart, I could feel it leaping from time to time.
"Who is it mommy?"
"I saw your daddy"
She silently smiled before she asked where her daddy was, I promised to take her to him the following day. She couldn't sleep that night trying to find the right clothes to impress daddy, or rather none of us really slept. As she was all over the closet, I was being skeptic about him accepting the truth, and I have to admit part of my mind was calculating the possibility of us getting back together, he had begged when I was at his place, but when I told him about my daughter, that must've broken his heart, I mean who waits that long for a woman whom he clearly sees that is a lost cause. His love was overwhelming. Melissa needed to know her daddy, she deserved some of that love. I helped her out till she finally found whatever she was looking for, A happy night for both of us, as if we were going on a promised trip to heaven in some royal chariot.
"Momma, I can't wait to meet my daddy" she said softly as I tucked her into bed,
"Me too love"
"Can I sleep in your room today, I'll be the one to wake you up if you're late" she said. How funny she was so impatient, I took her to my room and we had a very short night, she had master plans about this fateful day, her and daddy would have a lot to play together, go out, road trip and all that, I even imagined it as she said it, In my imagination I was part of all the joy.
CURRENT
It all shattered when I saw him being kissed by Rin, he didn't see it coming but he didn't resist either, I mean Rin, of all people.
"Your daddy's in Italy sweetie pie, we'll visit him okay" I was closing in on my home then I found Mike's car parked outside, this was probably him trying to cut my leave days in half, I accelerated past my house as if it weren't, I also kept wondering why he had to take the trouble of coming there himself, what was really going on, I had never skipped a client and if he needed a woman, he would no longer come to me.
I drove my way to Merlin's house, but before that I got my daughter a doughnut and some juice, it was getting dark and we were probably not going home for the night. Surprisingly, the lights in Merlin's house were on, 'has it been occupied already?' I thought. I stepped out of my car to go check, I knocked a couple of times but there wasn't any response so I pulled down the lever, the door wasn't locked, Merlin's things were still inside, well maybe Rin had already started playing the role of wife in Merlin's house. I couldn't believe I was actually seeking refuge from him, karma was looming, I could sense it.
"Sit here baby" I said to Melissa as I left him in Merlin's living room on the sofa, I ran outside to place the car in a safer place, that'd be the garage, where it wouldn't be found by any of Mike's goons or him in case they'd drive through Hannival.
I went back inside and sat with my daughter expecting someone to arrive anytime, no one did for three hours, I even forgot I had a phone, I checked my phone and found several texts from Mike, he wasn't happy about me ghosting him. Melissa was asleep now so I carefully took her in my arms and walked slowly to Merlin's bedroom, to lay her in bed. The door was slightly open so I just pushed it lightly, oh God! I couldn't believe my eyes there he was, fast asleep on the far edge of the bed, Merlin. He clearly looked tired, that's what he'd do after long days, but why wasn't he in Italy? I thought. I slowly walked towards the bed and placed my daughter to sleep then went to the closet to get a blanket for both of them. I locked the doors and turned off the lights but Mike's messages started turning into threats the more I ghosted him in just a single night.
Just as I laid myself on the couch a message popped in from Mike.
"You do know I've got eyes in Hannival right? You can run but you can't hide from me"