Love by Fate

Shadows from the past

Marion's reaction didn't go unnoticed. Daphne's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. What was Marion hiding?

"Marion, what's going on?" Daphne asked, her voice firm.

Marion sighed, glancing at Emmason before focusing on Daphne. "Let's talk about this somewhere else, okay?"

Emmason stood up, his expression understanding. "I'll go check on Natasha. Take your time."

As Emmason walked away, Marion leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "Daphne, that message... it's probably from Alex."

Daphne's heart skipped a beat. Alex. Her ex. The one who'd caused so much pain.

"Why would he contact me now?" Daphne asked, her voice shaking.

Marion's expression was grim. "I don't know, but we need to be careful. Alex isn't someone to be underestimated."

Daphne felt a wave of unease wash over her. She thought she'd left that life behind.

"What does he want?" Daphne asked, her mind racing.

Marion's eyes locked onto hers. "I think he wants to talk about Natasha."

Daphne's heart sank. Natasha. Alex's daughter. The one thing he had a right to know about.

The café seemed to spin around her. Daphne felt like she was walking a tightrope, and one wrong step could send everything crashing down.

"Let's go talk to him," Daphne said, her voice firm.

Marion's eyes widened. "Daphne, no! That's not a good idea."

Daphne stood up, her mind made up. "I need to know what he wants, Marion. For Natasha's sake."

Marion sighed, her expression resigned. "Okay, but I'm coming with you."

As they made their way out of the hospital, Daphne couldn't shake the feeling that she was stepping into a storm. And Emmason... would he be there for her?

Daphne and Marion made their way to the agreed meeting spot, a quiet café on the outskirts of town. Daphne's heart was racing, her mind filled with questions. What did Alex want? And how would she react?

As they entered the café, Daphne spotted Alex sitting in the corner, his eyes fixed on her. He looked... different. Older, harder.

Alex stood up, a smirk on his face. "Daphne. You look... well."

Daphne felt Marion's hand on her arm, a silent warning. She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

"What do you want, Alex?" Daphne asked, her voice firm.

Alex's smirk faltered for a moment, before he gestured to the seats. "Let's sit, shall we?"

Daphne and Marion exchanged a look before sitting down. Alex leaned back, his eyes roving over Daphne.

"I've been thinking about Natasha," Alex said, his voice low. "She's my daughter, Daphne. I have a right to see her."

Daphne felt a surge of anger. "You gave up that right a long time ago, Alex."

Alex's expression darkened. "I'm trying to be reasonable, Daphne. I want to see my daughter."

Marion leaned in, her voice cold. "You'll do no such thing, Alex. You're not fit to be around her."

Alex's eyes narrowed. "Watch it, Marion. I'm not the one who's been keeping her away from me."

The tension in the air was palpable. Daphne knew she needed to defuse the situation.

"Let's talk about this calmly," Daphne said, trying to placate Alex. "What do you want, exactly?"

Alex's expression turned calculating. "I want to see Natasha. Regularly. And I want you to move back to Kenya with me."

Daphne's heart sank. Move back to Kenya? With Alex? No way.

Daphne's mind reeled as she processed Alex's demand. Move back to Kenya with him? He had to be joking.

"No way," Marion said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "Daphne's not going anywhere with you, Alex."

Alex's expression turned cold, his eyes flashing with anger. "This isn't your decision, Marion. Daphne's my wife, and Natasha is my daughter."

Daphne felt a shiver run down her spine. Wife? She hadn't been his wife in years, not since she'd escaped his abuse.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Alex," Daphne said, her voice firm. "And you won't be seeing Natasha. Not if I have anything to say about it."

Alex's face darkened, his fists clenched. "You can't keep her away from me, Daphne. I'll fight for custody if I have to."

The café seemed to spin around her, the sounds and smells overwhelming. Daphne felt Marion's hand on her arm, a steady presence.

"We'll fight you, Alex," Marion said, her voice cold. "And we'll win. You're not taking Daphne or Natasha anywhere."

Alex's eyes narrowed, his expression calculating. "We'll see about that."

The air was thick with tension as Daphne and Marion stood up to leave. Alex's eyes followed them, his gaze sending a chill down Daphne's spine.

As they walked out of the café, Daphne felt a wave of relief wash over her. But she knew this was far from over.

"We need to get a lawyer," Marion said, her voice low and urgent. "Now."

Daphne nodded, her mind racing. She wouldn't let Alex take Natasha away from her.

As they hailed a taxi, Daphne's phone buzzed. It was Emmason. "Hey, how's it going?"

Daphne hesitated, unsure how much to share. But something about Emmason's kind voice made her want to open up.

"Hey, Emmason," she said, trying to sound calm. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Daphne's mind reeled as she processed Alex's demand. Move back to Kenya with him? She'd rather die. "No," she said, her voice firm. "That's not happening, Alex."

Alex's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're not thinking clearly, Daphne. I'm offering you a chance to give Natasha a family."

Marion snorted. "A family? You? Don't make me laugh, Alex."

Alex's gaze turned cold, his voice low and menacing. "Watch it, Marion. You're not helping."

Daphne stood up, her heart racing. "We're done here, Alex. You need to leave us alone."

Alex's eyes narrowed, his jaw clotting. "This isn't over, Daphne. I'll get what I want, one way or another."

As they left the café, Daphne felt a chill run down her spine. Alex was trouble, and he wasn't going to give up easily.

Marion grabbed her hand, her expression worried. "We need to be careful, Daphne. Alex isn't someone to be underestimated."

Daphne nodded, her mind racing. She knew she needed to protect Natasha, no matter what.

As they walked back to the hospital, Daphne's phone buzzed. It was Emmason. "Hey, how's it going?"

Daphne hesitated, unsure how much to share. But something about Emmason's kind voice made her want to open up.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft. "It's been a weird day."

Emmason's voice was concerned. "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"

Daphne glanced at Marion, who was watching her with a knowing look. "Yeah," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think I do."

Daphne took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts as she spoke to Emmason on the phone. "Emmason, it's about Alex. He showed up and wants to see Natasha. He wants me to move back to Kenya with him."

There was a pause on the other end, and for a moment Daphne wondered if she'd made a mistake sharing this with him. But then Emmason's voice came through, low and reassuring. "Daphne, I'm here for you. We'll figure this out, okay? You and Natasha are safe."

Daphne felt a lump form in her throat. No one had ever offered her support like this before. "Thanks, Emmason," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Marion hailed a taxi, and they climbed in, heading back to the hospital to check on Natasha. As they rode in silence, Daphne's mind was racing. What would happen next? Would Alex really fight for custody?

Emmason's voice came through the phone again. "Daphne, I'm coming over. We'll talk about this in person, okay?"

Daphne's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't sure if she was ready for Emmason to see her like this, but a part of her wanted him to be there.

"Okay," she said finally, feeling a sense of relief.

When they arrived at the hospital, Natasha was sleeping peacefully. Daphne sat by her bedside, watching her daughter's gentle breathing. Emmason arrived soon after, his expression concerned.

"Hey," he said softly, sitting beside her. "How are you doing?"

Daphne shook her head, feeling overwhelmed. "I don't know. I'm scared, Emmason. What if he takes her away?"

Emmason took her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "He won't, Daphne. We'll fight this. I'll be here with you every step of the way."

Daphne felt a surge of gratitude towards him. She wasn't alone anymore.

As they sat there, Daphne realized something. She was falling for Emmason, hard. But was she ready to trust him with her heart?