Taming Demi's Mom (ONGOING)

Chapter 24

{VICTORIA}

UPON opening my eyes, the light violet ceiling met my gaze. There was a chandelier in the middle of it. I slowly rose from the soft bed where I lay. I surveyed my surroundings. This place still looks the same as it did years ago before I left.

I looked beside me and discovered that Demi was no longer by my side. I wondered where she could have gone.

After a while, I decided to get up from my bed. I didn't bother checking my appearance in the mirror and went out of my room.

While walking down the hallway towards the stairs, I saw Mrs. Siobel holding a broom, currently sweeping the second-floor hallway. I smiled. I miss this old woman. She used to be like a mother to me since I live here.

"Mrs. Siobel!" I called out excitedly and quickly stepped towards her.

She looked at me, her eyes widening as she recognized me. She immediately broke into a wide smile. As I approached her, I hugged her tightly, feeling her warm embrace in return.

"Oh, you're already awake, Victoria. I still can't believe you've returned to the mansion," she said to me in the midst of our embrace.

I smiled. "I missed all of you," I affectionately told Mrs. Siobel. Then we broke away from hugging each other.

I looked at her entire figure. She has aged a bit. There is now a lot of white hair on her head, and she has acquired several wrinkles on her face. But she still looks strong and looking beautiful as ever.

"I missed you too, Victoria. I missed your delicious cooking. Fortunately, you and Liam have reconciled," the old lady said with a smile, causing me to pause.

Oh, right! I'm currently under the roof of the mansion of that heartless man. But why do I feel this way? I'm furious about what he did to me, but why do I feel like I know Liam and that everything happened between us was real and not just an act? Maybe he has his reasons? But what could that reason be, Victoria? I can't think of any good enough reason for him to do that to me. Maybe my feelings were just wrong.

"I didn't reconcile with him. I'm here because of our daughter and to fix the issues from the past," I stated directly. "Please don't tell Liam about this," I added. I didn't know why I had to say that. As if Liam would want me back in his life when, in fact, he made me leave.

Mrs. Siobel held both of my hands and gently squeezed them. "Is there really no hope of fixing everything between you two? You have a child. Why don't you give her a complete family?" Mrs. Siobel urged me.

A complete family? But the scenario playing in my mind is Jackson playing with my daughter while I watch them happily. As I think about Jackson, my chest tightens. I want to cry. I can't help but question what I'm doing now. Why did I let all of this happen? Why did it have to be Jackson, of all people, that I hurt?

I smiled at Mrs. Siobel. "I'll fix everything between us. But I won't go back to Liam as his wife," I firmly stated, earning a nod of understanding from the elderly woman.

"I understand whatever decision you make. I'll be happy wherever you find happiness," Mrs. Siobel agreed with me.

"Demi is in the kitchen with Liam. Your daughter is truly beautiful and kind," she informed me.

I laughed. "Who else would she inherit those traits from? Except from her kind and beautiful mother," I teased.

"I'll go to them first, and I'll come back to you later. You have a lot of stories to share with me," I bid her farewell. She nodded with a amused smile as she released my hand.

I hugged her one last time before I completely left her to continue what she's doing. I headed downstairs to the first floor. As soon as I reached it, I could hear the joyful conversation between Liam and Demi. I went to the dining area and saw Liam wearing an apron, feeding our daughter breakfast. Judging by his appearance, he probably the one who cooked our breakfast.

I couldn't help but smile. This scene was one of my dreams before. I'm happy for my daughter, seeing her joyfully with her biological father. Witnessing their happiness brings me joy as well.

"You're awake," Liam greeted me as he noticed my presence. Demi also glanced at me with her mouth full of pancake.

I walked towards them and sat on a stool next to Demi. "How was your sleep last night?" I asked my daughter, ignoring Liam's greeting. He should stop pretending like everything is okay, as if nothing unpleasant happened between us in the past.

Demi smiled at me. "It's fine, Mom. Dad cooked pancakes for us. Have some, Mom," she happily replied.

Liam offered to get me a plate, placing three medium-sized fluffy pancakes on it. I was about to decline, not wanting him to assume that I am accepting this wholeheartedly. I know what those three pancakes mean. He used to convey "I love you" with the number three. However, Demi was looking at me, and I didn't want her to think that her dad and I were not okay. I didn't want to spoil her happy expression right now.

"Thanks," I said tersely to Liam. He just stared at me, and the way he looked at me seemed filled with love, making me feel uneasy. Or maybe I'm just misinterpreting it? That's how he used to look at me before, but I later learned from him that he didn't love me.

"Demi, I'll be in the living room for a while, okay? I have something important to do. Stay here with your dad," I turned to Demi, and she nodded in agreement.

Carrying my plate of pancakes, I left the dining area. Liam seemed like he was about to say something, but I ignored him and continued on my way. Once outside, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I went to the sofa and sat down, placing the plate on the table in front of me. I suddenly noticed a vase in the middle of the table with fresh lavender tulips. A smile formed on my face involuntarily. It reminded me of Jackson and the day we first met.

"I guess you're new here?" someone spoke beside me. His voice was manly yet playful.

I faced him and what I saw was a bunch of flowers almost touching my face.

"Flowers for you, beautiful!" he said, waving the flowers in front of me.

I pushed the flowers aside and looked at him sharply. "Stop bothering me!" I said firmly.

Even though he didn't offer me these particular flowers, it's still him that I remember with every bouquet in a vase I see. I noticed that the flowers he was holding came from the vase on one of the tables in the cafeteria.

Stop it, Victoria! Now is not the time to recall happy memories with him! You need to restrain yourself because you might find it hard to resist and go back to him immediately.

"You're lost in thought," Sabel remarked. She sat beside me and took one of my pancakes. She's Mrs. Siobel's niece, and I've treated her like a little sister since then. I've missed this girl. As I observe her now, she looks like a fine young woman in her teens.

I smiled. "You've become a young lady, Sabel," I exclaimed. Time really flies so fast.

"Oh, you! Maybe you already have a boyfriend. But that's okay, as long as you prioritize finishing your studies," I teased her, which made her laugh.

"Oh no, a boyfriend is not my thing. I spend my whole day inside Sir Liam's mansion when I don't have classes," she jokingly replied.

She finished the pancake she was holding before speaking again. "Wait, let's go back to earlier. Who were you thinking about while looking at those flowers?" There was a teasing tone in her voice.

I couldn't help but feel my cheeks flush. Why does Jackson make me feel like a teenager who's in love?

"No one," I denied, but she didn't let up.

She tickled my side, making me burst into laughter. "Okay, I'll tell you," I surrendered.

I composed myself from laughing. It's amusing that even after four years, our close bond remains. It's also been four years since I haven't contacted anyone in this mansion. It's not that I'm angry with them or don't want to talk to them. Everything happened so fast that I chose to cut off ties with everyone surrounding Liam, especially him. And I haven't apologized to them for what I did.

"Sabel, I'm sorry for not contacting you all this time. I really miss the four of you, you, Mrs. Siobel, Terrence, and Lea," I admitted guiltily.

I saw tears welling up in her eyes. "I've been so mad at you! Even though I understand why you did it, I missed you so much too," she said dramatically, hugging me.

So many reunions are happening since I'm back here in New Orleans.