Chapter 7%
I stood frozen, my eyes locked on Harris’s face. The media swarmed around us, clicking pictures and shouting questions. I felt like I was in a nightmare, unable to wake up.
Harris’s eyes searched mine, filled with a mixture of concem and excitement. “Darcy, where have you been?” he repeated, his voice rising above the din of the media.
I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion. How could he act like he cared? He had abandoned me in the hospital and went to look after Cindy, now making it look like I he cared about me.
I stared at the cameras focused on our direction. I didn’t want to become the gossips of the media. Most importantly, I didn’t want Harris to know about Ethan. I shot a glance at Ethan. He was playing with the orphans. I took the initiative to walk out of the hall without a single word, leaving Harris and the media behind. But, to my surprise, Harris chased after me. Thankfully, the reporters didn’t follow him.
“Darcy,” He called me while holding my hands, “Why are you being so indifferent to me? Do you really not care about me anymore?“} “You have two important people to care about you. Why do you need me to care about you?” I said, hinting Cindy and her daughter in my sentence.
“You are misunderstanding my relationship with Cindy, Darcy,” he whispered in a hoarse voice, “Do you know how much your comment affected Cindy and her daughter’s life? I’m just making up for your mistake.“}
“Cindy is still recovering from the trauma of cyber bullying. Even Layla’s pictures went viral. We are worried that people will talk about her once she gets admitted in the school just because of one comment from you. Do you really have no regrets?” He added. Turned out Cindy’s daughter’s name was Layla, a name he chose to give our daughter.}
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry on his words. He was making me look like a venomous woman who ruined an innocent woman and child’s life for calling out his mistress in public.
“Can you please make a statement in public that you misunderstood me and Cindy in the beginning and she is not the reason for our divorce?” He asked, his tone almost pleading.”
I couldn’t help laughing in sarcasm as I asked, “So, all that worried reaction and the concern in your eyes was for the media to watch? All that you want from me to whitewash your mistress’s image in society?“?
“I’m sorry, Harris. But, my mother never taught me to lie,” I added.
Harris face immediately turned pale, he held my hands tightly and pulled me in his embrace. I tried to struggle but he had held me tight as he began, “You are again taking me wrong, Darcy. I was just worried about the little girl who will suffer because of me. If you don’t want to do it, let it be. But, don’t say I don’t care about you because I do.“}
“My love and concern for you is not fake. I was really looking for you for years, Darcy. I…”
“Da Da… why are you hugging this evil woman?“}
Suddenly a soft but arrogant voice sounded from behind, cutting off Harris’s voice. His grip loosened and I immediately brushed him off my shoulders, before I turned back to look at the carbon copy of Cindy glaring at me with a pair of cold eyes.
“Only my Mama can hug Da Da like this. Stay away from Da Da.” She commanded.}
“Layla…” Harris tried to stop her. But, as soon as his gaze landed on her, the three years old girl immediately shifted her cold expression into a pitiful. Her eyes welled up with tears as she said, “Da Da, will you leave me and Mama for this woman? The uncles with cameras were saying that this evil woman has come to take you away from us.“}
“Layla, my little girl…” He called her name with the love and adoration only a father could offer as he wiped her tears, saying, “No one will take Da Da away from my little girl. I’ll always live with my little angel.“}
“With Mama too?” She immediately asked. Harris hesitated for a moment. He avoided eye contact with me as he replied, “Yes, with Mama too.”
The girl began jumping out of excitement and teasing me while making funny faces as she yelled, “Evil woman, get the hell out of our family. Da Da wants me and Mama, not you.”
I clenched my fists. For the first time I felt this angry on a little girl. But, I remained quiet. My focus was only on Ethan, who was playing not far away from us. I wanted to leave as soon as possible.
I turned to leave. But, Harris held my hands again, saying, “Don’t take her words on heart. She is just a child.“}
