Chapter 019
1281 Words
VALERIE 🎀
The door creaked open, revealing my father's personal maid. Her face paled and her smile vanished when she saw me.
"Ms. Valerie," she squeaked in a high pitched voice and I almost winced. "What are you doing here?"
I arched my brow at her ridiculous question.
"Why? Am I not allowed in my father's house?"
" N... No, I didn't mean that," She hurriedly said, her face turning red.
"You are blocking my path," I muttered, unimpressed.
" Oh, sorry." She shifted awkwardly almost tripping.
I walked past her without a word and the scent of my father's cologne hit my nose.
I eyed her suspiciously and noticed her skin was flushed. I knew all too well that it wasn't because she was embarrassed.
When she noticed I was staring, she lowered her head and I caught a glimpse of the reddish marks scattered on her neck. Love bites.
I scoffed. He's got to be kidding me.
I was about to lose my sanity and he was having the time of his life, sleeping with his maid.
"Where is he?" I questioned.
" W.. Who?" She muttered stupidly, her eyes blinking so fast that I lost count.
"The president," I replied dryly. "of course. Who else would I be looking for?"
Her mouthed parted slightly and her gaze dropped to the floor.
"He's in his room," She muttered timidly.
"Don't get too comfortable," I said, walking towards the stairs. "He'll get rid of you soon."
I took the stairs two at a time. My father having an affair isn't new. He'd bring his lastest conquest into this house which is why I moved out as soon as I turned eighteen.
I was tired of waking up each morning to unfamiliar women in our kitchen in dresses that barely cover them up.
I was twelve when it started and Cara was eight. I would often cover her eyes and ears each night when moaning sounds filled the hallway. But when I moved out, she refused to come with me.
I paused.
Cara. I wonder how she was doing and I hoped Michael was treating her well.
I got to my father's room and raised my hand to knock. But I stopped and pushed the door open.
His back was propped up with a pillow, his eyes hidden behind rimmed glasses as he typed away on his laptop.
His eyes shot up when I closed the door behind me and they slightly narrowed when his gaze met mine.
Wait, was he still expecting that maid?
"Valerie, what are you doing here?"
"Hello to you too, Father," I muttered dryly.
He took off his glasses and placed them on the bedside table before shutting his laptop.
"I hope whatever you are here for is important," he grunted in annoyance.
"I have a lot of things to do."
Yeah, sure. Like shoving his tongue down the throat of his so called personal maid.
I scanned his room and nothing really changed.
But I noticed something for the first time, he didn't have my mom's pictures in his room. Not even one.
"Valerie," He called out, a frown etched on his face.
I stepped forward and settled into the couch at the centre of the room.
I exhaled deeply and turned to face him.
"Have you found Cara?"
"Why would I ?" He replied without bating an eyelash.
I blinked, taken aback for a second.Cara was his favorite. I thought he would have turned the world upside down just to find her.
"Well, I don't know. Maybe because she is your daughter," I answered.
He leaned back and rested his head on the bed stand,his expression was unreadable.
"She ceased to be my daughter the moment she eloped with that lowlife." He said coldly.
I searched his face for any hint of remorse but there was none.
"Michael isn't a low life," I muttered before I could stop myself.
His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
The door was pushed open and I watched the maid from earlier walk in, her posture confident for someone in her position.
A sliver tray was placed effortlessly on her hands, holding a glass of water.
The silence in the room was deafening.
She strutted straight to my father and dropped the tray on the bedside table.
Her neckline was low and her boobs were splurging out.
I watched as my father's eyes raked her body hungrily and I almost gagged.
That girl looks the same age as Cara.
She turned and walked out, her hips swaying.
My father's eyes followed her till she was out of the door.
I cleared my throat and his eyes snapped back to me.
"Isn't she too young for you?" I asked and He merely just chuckled.
I need to leave here. The filthiness of this house choked me.
"You said mom died in a car accident right?"
" Yes, what about it?" He answered in a clipped tone as he reached for the glass of water.
His fingers curled around the glass as he raised it to his lips.
"Why didn't you tell me I was in the car with her?" I asked, scanning his face for any reaction.
The glass paused halfway to his lips and I saw it, the slight tightening of his jaw. The way he stiffened, I couldn't have imagined that.
"What did you say ?" He asked, returning the glass to the table.
"I remember being in the car with her" I said slowly, watching for any flicker of emotion on his face.
"You weren't. You were home with me." He said sharply.
My brows furrowed.
"But I—
"You were just a child," he cut me off, his voice low. "You wouldn’t remember anything clearly."
If I was home with him that day , then what was that?
Was it because I wanted to remember my mom so badly that my mind came up with those images.
" Why are you asking about your mother?" He asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion."She died a long time ago."
Or was my father lying to me? But why would he?
"If there's nothing else, I'd like to go back to what I was doing," He said, dismissively.
He opened his laptop and began typing away.
That was my cue to leave.
*****
Back at Zachary's Mansion, Rosa met me at the door, her eyes wide.
I stepped in and shut the door behind me.
"What's going on?" I asked.
" She's here," She answered,
I arched my eyebrows.
" Who....."
I trailed out as I saw the elegant woman few steps from me. Her back was turned but I could tell she's was stunning .
She turned when she noticed our presence and I gasped.
A soft smile warmed her features.
"Hello, Valerie," She said , her voice smooth like silk.
Zachary's mother.
I didn't have time to meet her at the Wedding.
"Wow," I muttered unconsciously.
I noticed I had just made a fool out of myself when she raised her eyebrow. I could swear she looked like Zachary that very moment.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, my face turning to a deep shade of red.
Her smile widened .
"It's fine. I get that all the time."
Of course she does.
She stepped closer and pulled me into her arms. She smelled like heaven and I immediately shut my eyes, wishing I could stay in her arms forever.
She pulled away, her gaze swept across my form and I shifted uncomfortably.
" You look just like your mother."
I stiffened. She knew my mother?
- Writer
