DECLAN POV
I looked at Daisy.
"Are you okay?" l asked her.
"Yes, I am fine," she replied rubbing her hand.
I grabbed her hand gently examining it. There was a little mark from when he had grabbed her.
"That bastard." I curse.
She pulls her arm away from me and glares at me.
"What did I do now?" I asked confused.
"Didn't you send them to meet me?" she asked me.
"Send who?"
"Mr Marquez."
"Daisy, they canceled our deal this morning. How was I to know they wanted you instead?"
"Did you know?" she asked.
"know what?" I asked.
"know that they wanted to use my software without going through the right process?"
"I only guessed so when they threatened me after you ended the deal with me."
"So you didn't know?" she asked, doubtfully.
"I might not like you, Daisy, but that doesn't mean I want bad things to happen to your company; it's more than I can say for you."
"and what do you mean by that?"
"Well considering that you have sent the Helios group after my company several times. Who wants bad things to happen to each other between the both of us?"
"You leaked the news to the press that we were married." she points an accusatory finger at me.
"For the last time Daisy, I wouldn't do that. What would I gain out of that? Won't it be a shame to my reputation that my ex-wife cheated on me?"
"So if you didn't leak it, who did?"
"I don't know Daisy, maybe it's one of your Helios men."
"And what motive would they have to do that?"
"What motive would I have?"
"You know what, I am done arguing with you. Thanks for saving me from that lunatic. Bye." she opened her car door.
"Uhm Daisy, can I ask you something?"
She looked back.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Did you run into my sister and Stella yesterday?"
"Yes, I did. Why, is there a problem?"
"Did you guys argue?"
"You mean did your sister and Stella call me a whore unprovoked and insinuate I am living off sugar daddies? Yes, they did."
"I am sorry for that, I already scolded Lily."
She looks surprised.
"You don't have to send the Helios group after me. I have scolded her already"
"Are you scolding her because she was wrong or because you don't want me to tell the Helios group about what she did?"
Shame and humiliation burned through me. I never thought I would be at her mercy. Damn her and damn the fucking Helios group.
"I am sorry, Daisy; I already apologized."
She sighed and shook her head.
"I am not that petty. And contrary to what you might think, I don't want bad for your company, I helped build it after all," she told me.
"Thanks, Daisy."
"Whatever!" she shrugged.
"How is Rhea?" I asked her, for some reason, I didn't want her to go yet.
"She is okay, excited about her fighting lessons."
"You registered her?" I ask, surprised; I didn't think she would take my suggestion.
"Yes, she has her first lesson today. She was pretty excited about it."
"Really?"
"Yes, wouldn't stop talking about it and her Uncle Declan who suggested it."
I couldn't help the smile on my face.
"Uncle Declan huh?"
"Yes, for some reason she likes you." there is a small smile on her face.
It had been a long time since I had seen that smile on her face while she was with me.
"I assume her father isn't too pleased about it."
Her smile dries up immediately.
"Her father?"
"Yes, Stefan."
"Well 'her father' wasn't too happy about it."
"Oh!" I was at a loss for what to say.
"I have to go Declan." she entered into her car.
"Bye."
She drove off without a reply.
I sighed and went back to the restaurant.
I met the manager and requested a copy of the footage of the surveillance camera in the parking lot.
I had a feeling that we hadn't seen the last of Mr Marquez; he would be back, and I wanted to be prepared.
After getting the footage, I decided against going back to my office.
I was angry, and I needed to vent my anger.
I drove to my fighting club.
For the next couple of hours, I spent punching sandbags.
I also fought with a fellow member in the boxing ring.
After I had gotten all the anger out of me. I took a shower.
I was feeling slightly hungry, maybe a meal at the club's restaurant would be good.
"Uncle Declan." I heard a familiar voice.
I turned around to see Rhea running towards me.
I caught her in my arms.
"Rhea! What are you doing here?"
"I am learning fighting, I had my first lesson today."
"And how was it?"
"Cool, I won my first fight."
"That's a good girl." I praised her.
"Where are you going?" she asked me.
"I want to have a meal, do you want to join me?"
She nodded.
"OK, let's go."
I carried her into the restaurant and ordered meals for both of us.
"So Rhea, should you be running free like this? Are you done with your lessons?" I asked her.
"Yes, I am supposed to stay with the other children waiting to be picked up."
"And why are you not with the kids?"
"They are boring," she said as she munched on her food.
"and did the person in charge not notice?"
"No, she thinks I am weird and doesn't pay attention to me, it was easy to sneak out."
"And how did you know she thought that?" I ask in amusement.
"I heard her say that," she replied.
The amusement in me turned to fury. What kind of adult would say such a thing?
"and how did you feel when she said it, were you hurt?"
She shrugged.
"No, pretty much everyone says it. Mummy told me it's a good thing though and I shouldn't be ashamed of it."
I smiled, I had always known Daisy would be a good mother.
"That's true. Everyone is weird. You shouldn't feel ashamed of it."
"I know, you are a nice person, I don't know why mummy thinks you aren't."
"well, your mummy is entitled to her opinions Rhea."
"But I want the both of you to be friends so we can hang out with each other," she said with a pout.
"Rhea, we can still hang out, we are hanging out right now."
"But mommy will be angry."
"Well, it can be our little secret, your mommy doesn't need to know," I told her.
She nodded enthusiastically and held out her pinky finger.
"It's our secret."
I hooked my finger with her.
"Our secret."
She smiled and continued eating her food.
I felt a stab of guilt. I was influencing this little girl to lie.
I looked at her smiling face and my guilt reduced a little. She was happy and that was all that mattered.
As for Daisy's anger, I would cross that bridge when I got to it.