The next day
Gathering all her courage, Valerie came to McCourtney's house, which was so magnificent, that the shades of white interspersed with gold seemed to add to the majestic impression it would more accurately be called a mansion. there is a floor tennis court, a long garage filled with luxury cars, a terrace decorated with ornamental plants, and there is even a fountain in the middle of the yard.
She walked, carrying Daniel and carrying her black bag, across the long yard with a thump.
'I hope my arrival doesn't increase old problems... I hope my explanation can be understood, I hope I get forgiveness...' she glanced at Daniel who was handsome in a black and white suit with his eyes fixed on the fountain. 'and I hope they will accept him... He's innocent...'
(Horn)
Valerie immediately stepped aside, turned around, and saw a red sports car slowly stopping. She fell silent, guessing that the person inside was Damian.
With a flat look, Damian got out of the car, and approached Valerie but his eyes were fixed on Daniel, who was so similar to him.
'I can't deny, he looks like me, but his eyes are beautiful like Valerie's... But... But he's Samuel's son,' he thought seriously.
"Hey..." Valerie greeted with her voice suddenly hoarse, nervousness made her throat seem dry.
"What are you here for?" Damian asked.
"Um... That.. that's because... Because we have to talk."
"Eh..." Daniel immediately put his arm around Valerie's neck but his eyes glanced at Damian as if he was afraid. "Mama ..."
"It's Okay... Son..." Valerie soothed him.
Damian sighed. "We'll talk inside," he said.
Valerie nodded, then followed Damian who walked ahead of her towards the main door which was wide open, revealing a magnificent living room with white marble floors, luxurious white sofas, and a very large white chandelier.
___
Valerie sat on the sofa, holding Daniel, who immediately looked up.
"Uh, that's so good!" Daniel pointed at the lamp.
"Yes, that's very good..." Valerie kissed Daniel's head.
"It seems that continuing to hide makes Samuel not pay attention to him... Is he stingy? never took him to a luxurious house?" Damian asked with a cynical smile.
"We don't see each other that often... and actually... We don't have a relationship," answered Valerie worriedly. "I'm sorry for my lie yesterday….It wasn't me who arranged it but he said that... I mean... Maybe he thought that I had to keep lying to keep hiding from you..."
"And indeed you like to hide but why do you have to appear now?"
"Because I know I was wrong
... you did have your faults, but it would be my fault too if I kept hiding and hiding the facts..." Valerie was really nervous.
His gray eyes looked at Valerie seriously. "What facts?"
"I realized that I was pregnant when I arrived in Arizona... after leaving you," explained Valerie, Damian immediately frowned. "At that time I was still angry... I couldn't stop hating you... So....I decided to continue hiding, Samuel and Jerry helped me in everything..."
Damian took a short breath, as if very surprised by this fact. And his eyes turned to Daniel.
"He is our son," said Valerie while stroking Daniel's hair. "I'm sorry for being selfish all this time...not telling you that he was there...I'm so sorry...I'm just...I'm just so scared...I couldn't think straight other than staying focused on him... On my new job..."
Damian was stunned, his lips seemed suddenly stiff, unable to speak.
"Sometimes I feel guilty because I left you before our wedding day... It makes me not dare to come back... I am very ashamed of my family, of your family... and I still can't forget how you betrayed me," Valerie explained again, immediately wiping her teary eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you. ..I just want to focus on myself and my Baby..."
"So I'm a father now..." Damian smiled faintly.
"It's okay if you don't believe it… I didn't come to hold you accountable as a father… I just wanted to explain everything….I don't want you to misunderstand, I don't want you to judge that I ran away and had a relationship with Samuel and then had children with him... That was never... He was just my friend..." Valerie said somewhat disappointed.
Damian sighed, still in shock.
Valerie became increasingly disappointed, thinking that Demian didn't like the news she was conveying, so she immediately stood up.
"I'd better go..."
"No!" Damian immediately stood up and held Valerie's arm. "I want to be with my son… two years… Two years you hid about him From the time he was in your stomach until he was born and grew into a toddler….I feel like I'm missing a lot of moments now..."
Valerie choked.
"I believe he is my son, even without doing a DNA test... His face is like a copy of mine," said Damian with his eyes fixed on Daniel. "But I'm glad He has beautiful eyes like yours….and now I understand why you have milk," he continued with a faint smile.
Valerie immediately frowned, remembering the moment at the hotel.
"I haven't forgiven you for that!" She exclaimed curtly.
"I won't apologize to you," replied Damian, then stroked Daniel's head. ."I apologized to him for drinking his milk... Even though it was only a little," he continued with a smile, stroking Daniel's cheek with his thumb.
Valerie was silent, feeling strange about this conversation, suddenly her nervousness disappeared, and she became annoyed because Damian looked like a jerk again.
"Hey... Come on with daddy," said Damian.
"Mama ...!" Daniel instead embraced Valerie, his eyes showing fear for Damian.
"Hey... I'm your dad, don't look at me like that..."
Valerie smiled faintly. "He knows you're bad!"
Damian sighed with his cold gaze. ."You must have taught him to hate me. Or maybe Samuel too!"
"No, I never taught him hatred. But maybe his instincts are telling him that you are bad..."
"Well... I won't give up. I can make him comfortable by my side..." Damian took Daniel by force.
"Mama ..!" Daniel immediately struggled.
"Damian, he doesn't want to, don't force it!" Valerie was about to take Daniel.
Damian immediately turned away from Valeri, hugging Daniel. "No, he has to learn to like me. I'm his father!"
"But he's crying!"
"Kids like to cry. That's normal!" Damian took Daniel into the magnificent family room, equipped with modern and luxurious furniture.
Valerie followed Damian worriedly.
Daniel continued to cry, facing backwards with his arms stretched out as if to reach his mother.
"Mama!"
"Damian, don't force him!"
"But he's my son!"
"But he needs time, he still thinks you're a stranger!"
Damian stopped near a large aquarium filled with lots of small fish, dominated by red and gold fish, then turned to Valerie.
"Do you think my heart doesn't hurt? my son regards me as a stranger, while he regards that bastard Samuel as his father?" He asked with his eyes bulging.
Valerie choked, again overcome by guilt.