Chapter 22
Chapter 21: New Eyes
“Daddy? You’re rich, right?”
Gavin and I exchanged glances at Rylie’s unexpected question.
“What’s with the question, baby?” I asked, gently caressing her hair after setting the pizza Gavin bought on the table.
I sat down beside her.
“Daddy, answer me. You’re rich, right!” Rylie repeated, completely ignoring me this time.
Her attention was fixed on Gavin, who chuckled and nodded. “Yes, Rylie. Daddy is rich. Why? What toy do you want this time, hmm?“
Rylie climbed onto Gavin’s lap, clearly working her charms. This is her routine every time she wants something. “Can you lend me money, Daddy! I promise I’ll pay you back when I grow up and get a job!”
“Rylie, that’s enough. Why are you asking Gavin for money?” I scolded her, displeased by her sudden desire to borrow money
She’s far too young to even think about things like that. Besides, this isn’t like her–Rylle never asks me for money.
“Answer me, Rylic-
“Mia, calm down. Don’t raise your v
voice. You’re scaring Rylie, Gavin mid gently.
Taking a deep breath, I let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the side of my head, trying to regain control of my emotions. I’m sorry, baby. Mommy didn’t mean to scare you. Do you need anything! Something you want to buy?”
Rylie nodded, her lower lip quivering as she pouted. Her small hands dgeted with the hem of her shirt, and I could see tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to spill.
I cursed myself silently, knowing I was the reason for her tears. I scared her.
I quickly scooped her up from Cavin’s lap, cradling her close to me. “Come on, answer Mommy. I’m rich too, you know. I can lend you money,” I teased, trying to make her laugh.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and looked at me with those big, innocent eyes,
“I want to buy new eyes for you, Mommy. Those are expensive, right?”
“What?” I asked in a near whisper, completely caught off guard.
1 had expected her to ask for another doll or gadget, but… new eyes for met
“Baby, why would you want new eyes for Mommy? She still has perfect eyesight Gavin said when I couldn’t find the words to respond.
“But I think there’s something wrong with Mommy’s eyes. I often see her crying–like this afternoon before we left the beach. It looked like she cried. She also cries in her sleep, Daddy. So, I want to buy her new eyes. Maybe then, she’ll stop crying.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check, but her innocent observation had broken something inside me. She had noticed things I thought I was hiding well.
“Sod–do you also need new eyes since you’ve been crying all morning?” I joked, swallowing the lump in my throat.
She pouted. “I’m different, Mommy! I cried because I’m sti
still your baby, and I was upset. But you… you’re not someone who usually cries. You’ve been crying so much these past few days, and your eyes look sad. That’s why I want to buy new ones for you. So maybe you won’t cry anymore.”
“See! I’m right! You’re crying again!” she exclaimed when I couldn’t help but let the tears flow down.
“Daddy, please! Let’s buy Mommy a new pair of ryes
I pulled Hyle into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Mommy doesn’t need a new one. She only needs Rylie’s kisses and hugs. Mommy’s okay, baby
She started kissing my face and my eyes.
“Then I’ll hug you and kiss you more, Mommy! But I’m still not convinced. Maybe you need eyeglasses like Ryker”
Chapter 22
I nodded, playing along. “Maybe. Don’t worry, Mommy will go to the doctor and have her eyes checked.”
“Il come with you”
I smiled and kissed her forehead. “Okay, we’ll go together.
“Mommy!” a small voice called, breaking the moment. I turned to see Ryker rubbing his eyes groggily.
he saw my face
My little boy had woken up from his nap, his brows knitting together in concern when he saw
Rylie climbed down from my lap and rushed over to her twin. “Ryker, you’re awake. We’ll bring Mommy to the doctor.
Ryker’s eyes widened, and he ran to me. “What’s wrong, Mommy? Are you hurt?” he asked, his tiny hands reaching for my face.
Im not hurl—”
“She is. Ryker. She keeps on crying. I think we should make another dreamcatcher for Mommy”
I laughed and pulled both of them in for a hug. “Mommy’s okay, Rylie and Ryker, as long as you’re with me.”
“We’ll always be with you, Mommy. We will never leave you.”
“I love you. Mommy”
“And they lived happily ever after.”
1 caressed Rylie’s hair and kissed her forehead. She was fast asleep now, her lips slightly parted, her breathing steady.
1 smiled when I turned around and noticed Ryker’s closed eyes twitching.
“Are you up for another bedtime story, Rykert Since you can’t sleep?”
He opened his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t really like some of your bedtime stories, Mommy. I think some of the characters in fairy tales are dumb and weak. Why do they need a prince charming to have their happily ever after! Can’t they have it on their own!”
I blinked, momentarily caught off guard by his words. A laugh bubbled up as 1 processed what he had said. “That’s an interesting thought. sweetheart.” I said, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “Why do you think they can’t have it on their own!”
He tilted his head as if thinking hard. “I don’t know, but I feel like they could be strong enough, but the story makes it look like they can’t do anything without someone saving them. It’s silly, don’t you think?“”
Tchuckled again, amazed by how my son’s young mind could even think that. “Well, son, sometimes it’s okay to ask for help or let someone be there for you. It’s not silly, and it doesn’t mean they’re not strong. It just means they’re human
“I still think they should try harder. If I were in a fairy tale, I wouldn’t wait for someone to save me. I’d save myself and everyone else, 100”
“Oh, then you’ll be a prince charming to a p
to a princess, just like in a fairytale,” I teased him.
He pouted. “Well, it’s better than being a damsel in distress. Besides, that’s my role, to be a protector to you and Ryle”
“What a brave little boy Mommy has.. I love you, Ryker“.
I love you, too, Mommy And I’m sorry.”
sty brows furrowed as I held Ryker’s face, meeting his green eyes. “Why are you saying sorry, Ryker?”
“Tupurt Rylie this morning when I said I wanted to go home. She threw a tantrum, and I think that’s why you cried–because you’re stressed and
“No, no, Ryker That’s not true. None of it was your fault, I interrupted gently, though his words reminded me of something I’d been meaning to ask him. “But Mommy is curious. Why did you suddenly want to go home! And don’t tell me it’s about your homework. I know you don’t have any.
He sighed and avoided my gaze.
“Ryker is it about Mr. Laam Anderson” I asked, gently tilting his chin up to face me.
“I don’t like him I don’t want him around us, Mommy”
11:14 AM d
Chapter 22
My heart tightened, and I swallowed hard. “Why.
y, sweetheart?”
“I heard a staff from the beach said I look like him. We have the same eye color. They even mistook him for my father. So, I don’t like him.”
“You don’t like him as your father?”
“I don’t like my father.”
Ryker-
“No matter what you say, Mommy, I know he hurt you. He wasn’t here with us because he’s weak, a coward, and didn’t love us. I don’t like him. I hate him. Tell me, Mommy, that Liam he’s not our father, right?”
I’ve always taught my children the importance of honesty and that they shouldn’t lie because lies always come with consequences that have to be faced.
ironically, I couldn’t apply the same rule to myself.
The life I am living is built on lies–even my identity.
I sighed, brushing my hand gently across my son’s face. “He’s not, Ryker. He’s not your father”
Ryker stared at me momentarily, his eyes searching mine, before burying his face in my chest. “Still, I don’t like him. I just don’t.”
“Mommy’s sorry, Ryker. Rylie.” I whispered as I watched them sleeping beside me
The sound of my phone echoed across the room. I cursed and hurriedly grabbed my phone from the bedside table, answering the call without checking who was calling, afraid it might wake my children.
I left the room quietly, the phone pressed to my car.
“Hello?” I furrowed my brows when a deep sigh answered on the other line.
When I looked at the caller ID, it was unknown
Don’t tell mc
I put the phone to my ear, ready to lash out at the person I assumed was calling. But as the voice on the other end spoke, I realized I was wrong. It wasn’t who I thought. It was worse
“Camille Camilliana.. the voice slurred, each word dripping with regret and longing.
My fist clenched, and I felt a tightening in my chest. The man on the other end kept calling me that name, and I was close to cursing him out. By the way, his words were slurred, it seemed like he was drunk.
I wanted to shout at him and tell him he had no right to act this way
Tm sorry… please, come back to me. I’ll explain everything—
“Mr. Anderson, it seems like you’re drunk. You’re calling the wrong person. This is Mia Miller. Goodbye-
I love you.. and I want our baby, Camille. Believe me”
I froze. I couldn’t move. My heart throbbed painfully, and I clutched my chest as it became harder to catch my breath.
Tsighed heavily. “I shouldn’t have heard this. This seems personal, but I apologize for what I will say next. It sounds like you hurt her… this Camille you’ve mistaken me for. And if that’s your way of loving someone, then you deserve that she’s no longer in your life, Mr. Anderson. I hope this will be the last time you call me by that name. Goodbye”
You love Camille!
Damn you. Lum Anderson.
Where did your so–called love take her!
She lost here!! she lost her loved onei.
It’s all because of you and the love she had for you.
