Taming Demi's Mom (ONGOING)

Chapter 13

{VICTORIA}

I WAS packing my things as well as Demi's belongings in an extra-large suitcase when the door of my room flew open. It was my Dad who entered. I smiled at him, but I knew that my smile seemed forced.

"Are you sure about your decision, my daughter?" Dad worriedly asked me. "You can leave Demi with me, just the two of us here, or maybe you can cancel your plans," he added.

As much as I want to, but I don't want to leave Jackson hanging. He's right beside me, so I have nothing to fear. And if our paths cross with Liam, I want to face him with Jackson by my side. I know Jackson won't abandon me. And maybe by then, we could have our closure for us to be truly free from our past.

"Don't worry, Dad. I will handle everything. If we meet again, so be it," I said with a smile.

"What about Demi? What if they meet?" Dad asked me.

I paused for a moment. I swallowed hard. That's what really concerns me. "Just trust me, Dad, with these matters," I said, even though I didn't know what I would do if that were to happen.

Dad gave me a hug. Then he helped me with packing. Afterward, I brought out the three suitcases containing our belongings, mine, Demi's, and Dad's, into the living room. I insisted that Dad should join us on the flight back to New Orleans, and stay at our former house with Lion. I just can't leave Dad alone here in Italy.

Dad and I found Demi engrossed in my cellphone. I could still hear the loud sound of the games she was playing.

I looked at my daughter. She used to always ask me where her Daddy was. And I would always tell her that he was in a faraway land and that when the right time comes, I would introduce him to her. At first, I really had no intention of introducing Liam to Demi. I was truly blinded by my anger towards him. But as time goes by, as I keep moving forward, I realized that it's not right to deprive Demi of knowing her real father. And then Jackson came into our life, and since then, Demi had never asked me about her biological father again.

Dad and I both sat down next to Demi, sandwiching her on the sofa. Demi looked up at us. She stopped playing and handed me back my cellphone. I exited the game she was playing and then I put my cellphone in my pocket of my ripped jeans.

"Grandpa, I'm so excited to go to New Orleans," Demi said excitedly and with a big smile to Dad.

Dad hugged Demi. He looked at me. By the way Dad looked at me, he was telling me not to let Demi meet Liam because he's afraid Liam might take her away from us. I feel the same way, but on the other hand, no matter what I do, Liam still has rights to my child because she is his.

But I doubt that Liam would encourage our daughter. It might be the opposite of what we're thinking. What if Liam rejects Demi and says he has no child? I wouldn't be surprised if he does that because money is all that matters to him. But if it were to happen, I would really slap him hard on his face. I didn't do any harm to him when he hurt me, but if he hurts the feelings of my daughter, I won't hesitate to do him harm.

We waited for a few more minutes before Jackson arrived. His car parked in front of our house. I started pulling out the suitcases one by one. He immediately came over to me and offered a hand to take them and put them in the back of his car. Dad and Demi were following behind me.

"Daddy Jackson," Demi exclaimed excitedly, and she hugged Jackson after he placed our large suitcases in the car's spacious compartment.

Jackson smiled at Demi. "My daughter is so beautiful," he praised her. I saw Demi giggle. She was wearing one of the dresses we bought last Sunday.

I assisted Dad to get into the passenger seat. Then I sat down next to him. Demi, on the other hand, was seated by Jackson at the shotgun seat because that's what my daughter wanted. Once Jackson was inside the car, he started the engine and we headed towards the airport.

"HERE comes my princess," greeted Jackson's Dad, Mr. Francesco Bianchi, with his arms wide open on my daughter.

Demi ran to him and hugged him tightly. He then lifted her up. I could only smile as I watched how genuine Mr. Francesco's smile was as he looked at my daughter.

There are bodyguards surrounding us here at the airport. Some of them were holding our luggage, and according to Mr. Francesco, they will take care of getting our things through security check and will also handle them and arrange them inside the plane. Jackson's dad led the way inside the private plane while still carrying my child.

This is not the first time I would be riding a plane, but it feels like it's my first time because of how different it is from regular planes. The interior is adorned with shining gold. Everything inside this plane exudes elegance and opulence. I feel almost embarrassed to touch anything here.

What do I expect? My boyfriend is a millionaire, and his Dad is a billionaire. I'm fortunate to have grown up in a somewhat affluent family, so I can manage to handle Jackson's overwhelming wealth to some extent. Because if I were a woman from a poor family, I bet I wouldn't be able to fit into this kind of life, and maybe I wouldn't have the courage to date such a very rich and handsome man, even though I love him.

But as I grew up as a teenager, after my Mom died, I experienced life's hardships, but we didn't become poor. More than half of our family savings were spent on seeking justice for Mom, but in the end, we got nothing. Just thinking about it still pains me, even though many years have passed.

Jackson guided me to the two-seat table. I sat across from him. I looked out the window. I could feel the plane starting to lift off the ground. It's dark outside, and the moon is starting to peek through the sky.

I'm contemplating how I'll feel when we arrive in New Orleans. I know within myself that I'm truly healing from the past, but I'm afraid that when we get there, all the pain and bitterness I experienced from my broken marriage might come back to me. I hope everything will turn out well.

I felt Jackson's hands holding mine, so I turned to look at him. He looks worried about me.

"Do you have a problem? You've been quiet and seemed deep in thought for a while," he pointed out.

I genuinely smiled at him. I don't want him to worry about me. "It's nothing, really. I'm probably just tired from the trip," I brushed it off.

He finally smiled at me and gently squeezed my hands. After a moment, he started massaging them. As I watched him, I suddenly felt guilty.

All Jackson knows is that I'm a single mom. He never asks about my ex-husband. And I don't know how to bring up the topic for us to discuss. We're just starting, and I don't want to remind him that he's not the first man I've loved. But I can't help but feel guilty because he doesn't know that my ex-husband lives in New Orleans, and he'll also be attending the same event.

"Let's sleep later after dinner. There are two rooms here," Jackson said with a smile, still continuing to massage my hands. What he's doing is really relieving.

After a while, a waiter came to serve our dinner. Some of the dishes I haven't tasted before. I've only seen them in brochures, and they are so expensive that I wouldn't spend so much money just on food. As a single mom before, I was very practical when it came to money.

Jackson and I started eating our food. I glanced at the back of Jackson to see what Demi was doing. She's still with her two grandfathers, and they're also happily eating their dinner. I could hear Demi telling them various stories, and the two of them would just laugh at my kid.

"Dad never had a daughter, so he's very fond of Demi," Jackson mentioned to me while eating.

"He will be a good grandfather to Demi and to our future children," I agreed.

I heard him cough, so I looked at him. His face was turning red. It seems even a mischievous billionaire like him can feel embarrassed.

I raised an eyebrow at him. His expression instantly changed, and a grin started forming on his lips.

"So you want us to make a baby now?" he teasingly asked me.

"I didn't say that!"