COMEBACK OF THE ALPHA KING

Chapter 10 Daddy's little girl

Paris was inconsolable. Riveting sobs ripped out of her, bouncing around the playground and drawing the attention of everyone present.

Unrestrained tears spewed out of her once radiant eyes, rolling down her cheeks in rapid succession.

"This is not my Daddy, you're lying."

Her active tears made her words incomprehensible, but Onyx picked up the babble.

She bit her lower lip, shooting King a puzzled look that communicated her alarm.

As Paris cried, shaking her head in refute, she kept pointing at King, repeatedly yelling out the same phrase.

All of Onyx's efforts to stop the little girl's unsolicited wailing fell on deaf ears.

There wasn't much King could do either. He stayed frozen, staring in perplexity, wondering how the little girl could unravel their lie in such a short time.

Onyx tried her best to mutter wheedling words to her daughter, but with each trial she made, Paris wept harder.

It was like the more Onyx tried pacifying her, the more aggravated she became.

Having no other option, Onyx tipped Paris's head into her chest, attempting to muffle her incessant sobs.

Her daughter's wild tantrums had made them the center of attention all around the playground.

While some parents had the decency to glance away, a majority of them gawked at the scene in pointed judgment.

Onyx was forced to shoot them a rueful look, wordlessly apologizing for her daughter's misbehavior.

She bounced on her feet, patting Paris's back in a failed attempt at soothing her. However, nothing she did could console the girl.

Helpless, Onyx looked up at King pleading with her eyes for rescue.

She had always known Paris to be observant, but never did she think she was this perceptive.

This meeting had taken her hours, days even, to plan, but Paris had butchered it in one second.

How could she take one look at King and call out her carefully crafted lie?

From all she could remember, King didn't utter anything exposing, neither did she.

Or had she? Onyx sifted through memories of the last few minutes, searching for what she might have said to raise Paris's suspicions.

She was still scanning for her fault when Paris made an unintelligible sound.

It was a snotty noise that deviated from her usual accusation.

"What?"

Onyx looked down at her, assisting her to raise her head so she could hear her.

"You said daddy is a soldier."

Her words rang out clear even though they were tear-filled. It wasn't a question; it was a challenging declaration.

Once again, Onyx glanced at King before nodding at Paris, dreading whatever the girl had to say now.

She knew whatever it was wouldn't be in any of their favor.

Without looking away from her mother's searching eyes, Paris pointed her tiny finger at King.

"He isn't wearing a uniform. That's not my daddy."

At this, a fresh wave of tears bubbled out of her.

This time, Onyx didn't have to shove Paris's head into her chest to suppress her upsetting sobs. The little girl did it herself.

She buried her in her mother's chest as deep as she could, soiling her shirt with snort and tears.

"Oh"

Onyx felt her tensed-up nerves relax. Her hands automatically pressed against Paris's back to comfort her.

Both she and King looked down at his casual wear, finally understanding the little girl's perspective.

Who knew a child's logic could be so simple?

Of course, she had pictured her dad as a soldier because that was the lie Onyx had painted for her.

Paris must have been dreaming up her dad in his uniform, so she expected him to show up in one.

Onyx frowned, cooking up the best way to persuade her daughter.

"Patis, yes, Daddy is a soldier..."

Because Paris hid her face, Onyx could only see the top of her head. She addressed it, hoping the mulish girl was listening.

"But Daddy isn't at work. He only wears his uniform at work."

Onyx turned to King for backup, but before he could say something, Paris's guttural tears pierced the air.

This time, it came out more angry and forceful than her previous tantrum.

She spilled out words neither King nor Onyx could make out because her reanimated outcry choked up her statements.

King had faced innumerable near-death affairs on the battlefield.

He had wrestled with countless formidable warriors and conquered them in one beat.

He had witnessed things. Gory details that'd make any sane human's blood curdle in horror.

But he was used to all these and hardly flinched in such situations.

However, today, things were different. For the first time in years, King felt fear.

His body registered an alien sense of panic that rendered his normally sharp brain cloudy.

This scenario before him unnerved him to the very bones, and he felt defenseless to it.

Paris's plangent wails sent an abnormal ripple of shock coursing through him. He wanted to do something but didn't know what.

This was his little girl, and her tears were too unbearable to withstand.

They made him weak all over, jamming him with the galling need to grant her solace.

Wracking his brain for ideas, he did the only thing he saw as credible. Take out his phone to text his assistant.

With unstable hands, King sent the needed text to Nova, then looked at Onyx.

"Give me a moment." He offered her a firm nod.

Onyx returned a terrified look at him, not believing he was going to leave her all alone to handle this.

She glared at him, sending him an unvoiced threat she didn't intend to follow up on.

King read her cranky charge, shaking his head at her to clarify himself.

"I'd be right back. I promise."

His gaze darted to Paris, and a nipping throe strengthened his resolve.

King didn't wait for Onyx's approval before he turned around on his heels, half jogging out of the playground.

Onyx stared after his retreating form, close to tears herself.

After the incident at the office earlier today, Onyx suspected King wasn't the type to throw such a cowardly move, yet she still thought about the possibility.

Her eyes burnt with hot tears as she tousled to keep them in place, knowing crying wouldn't help matters.

What would the other parents think if she burst into tears, just like her daughter?

They'd probably make her the sizzling topic of their merciless gossip for weeks to come.

Onyx could already picture what the topic would be. They'd talk about how incompetent she was as a mother.

How untrained her daughter was. How undesirable men found her, which was why she was a single mum.

All of the things Onyx had heard before. She had managed to ignore such nasty talks in the past, but right now, they were gnawing at her.

Mocking her as though they were the truth. Onyx knew they had heard Paris's open accusations, and she was certain they would find new jabs to throw at her from it.

This wasn't the first time it was happening. Everything these strangers knew about her was because of Paris's untamed display, just like today.

It wasn't always like this at first. When Paris was younger, she was compliant.

She asked little questions and was satisfied with all Onyx provided her.

Things changed when she started kindergarten. Paris began to ask questions.

Not just any random question, but questions about her dad.

Whenever Onyx tried to wave off these inquiries, Paris would point out how her friends all had dads, but she didn't.

Ridden by guilt, Onyx came up with a lie she didn't intend to make astronomical.

All she'd said was her dad differed from other dads. He had a special job that demanded his full attention.

Paris had asked if he was a soldier, and without batting an eyelid, Onyx had agreed to that.

This seemed to work on Paris for a little while until the tantrums began. Oh, they were horrible.

There were days Paris would look at her friends being dropped by their various dads and shrug it off, but there were those bad days.

Unfortunate days where she'd howl out her need for her dad, refusing to go to class if her dad didn't suddenly appear.

Onyx had contained most of those situations, using promises upon promises to persuade her daughter, but eventually, she exhausted her luck.

"I'm so sorry Patis."

She cooed, looking away from King's absence.

Her voice was thickened with punishing tears, but she fought against it, wanting to be strong for her daughter.

She had always been, but it turned out her best wasn't enough.

She felt like a failure, not being able to deliver such a basic need to her daughter.

Over the years, Onyx had put in all efforts to be both a mother and a father to Paris.

She gave her everything she could ever crave. All except this one important need.

At this rate, she couldn't even look at the parents around to apologize for this growing chaos.

She kept her gaze on the floor, bouncing around to curb Paris's limitless whines.

"Everyone has daddies, only I don't..." Paris choked out.

Onyx felt her heart tumble in a tormenting race, filling her with guilt for a crime she didn't commit.

There were so many remarks Onyx could say to that.

Several comments she could pass out to ease her daughter's anguish, but only three simple words rolled out of her.

"Patis, I'm sorry."

Her eyes were now overfed with tears and it was a miracle they weren't flooding out by now.

If Paris heard her mum's apology, it did not appease her.

"My friends call me a wild child because I don't have a daddy."

With each word she spoke, a crippling gush of tears accompanied it.

This admission carved a gaping void into Onyx's soul as she saw the vivid picture her daughter was painting.

She wasn't the only one being scorned by people. Her daughter was too.

"You are not a wild child, my Patis. You have a daddy.

Daddy is..."

Onyx trailed off, unable to complete her ascent. Daddy is where?

She didn't want to look in the direction King had gone because she knew what she'd find there. Nothing.

Paris shook her head aggressively into Onyx's chest then she raised her head and rested her chin on her mum's shoulders.

"I told them that. They said I was lying.

They said I'm a wild child and a liar. They..."

The rest of her words got swallowed up by a violent rave of hiccups.

Despite the hindrance, Paris continued to speak.

Half of her words became unclear to Onyx and when she later picked up something, it was a cutting question.

An untainted query that paralyzed her tongue.

"Where is my daddy, mummy?"

Onyx knew she had to stay strong for her daughter, but at this rate, she was losing it.

Her control had stretched well beyond its limit, and she knew she needed some sort of miracle to save her from this anguish.

Not wanting to burst into tears out here in the open, she decided to head to her car.

She'd strap Paris in and both of them could have a field day bawling their eyes out.

Just as she was thinking about this, Paris's disruptive tears stopped.

The abrupt silence confounded Onyx, but not as much as her hopeful question.

"Daddy?"

Onyx would have asked her what she meant if Paris hadn't just yelled in her ear.

"Mummy look! It's Daddy."

Every organ in Onyx's body lost its normal function at that announcement.

She whirled around with so much force, she almost sent Paris flumping to the floor.

Unbothered by the near accident, Paris twisted in her mother's arms, pointing out what she had seen.

An unplanned gasp ripped out of Onyx at the sight in front of her.

One drop of tear strayed from their welling bank, lumbering down Onyx's left cheek.

She let it have its freedom as she swallowed down a clutter of disbelief stuck in her throat.

King was back. And he wasn't just back, he was standing a few feet away from them clad in full military regalia.

He looked grand, martial, and astral. The world seemed to stop moving at that moment, paying deference to the magnificent soldier he made.

Not a single soul in the playground could take their eyes off him. People gasped and pointed. Children gaped and clapped.

Though dusk was soon falling upon the playground, King's regal presence drew out what was left of the sun's light to him.

"Daddy!"

Paris squealed, squirming and squeezing herself out of Onyx's grasp.

She broke free, barely allowing her feet to touch the ground, before skipping towards King.

Seeing his little girl stumble towards him, King crouched down, spreading his arms wide to accommodate her approaching weight.

Arms also outstretched, throwing out a delightful current of infectious giggles, Paris bounded into King's waiting hug.

"That's my daddy" She nuzzled into his neck, throwing her arms around him in a tight clutch.

Her arms were too small to encircle King's nape, but it gave the same effect as every other warm embrace.

King melted into an emotional mess as he scooped up his little girl, reeling in all the love she gifted him.

Her happy giggles vibrated through his core, healing the broken parts he never considered damaged.

It was then King promised himself he'd always make his little girl laugh like this every waking moment he spent with her.

The duo hugged for quite a long time, seemingly unable to hold back from each other.

Atlas, Paris, was the one to break the hug. She reared back from the hug merely enough to peek into King's gleaming eyes.

"I've missed you so much." She mumbled, raising her palms to touch his face.

Tears were pooling in her eyes again as she continued to speak.

"Why did you leave Mommy and me, Daddy?"

It was an innocent question that constricted King's throat. His brilliant smile dropped, and a depressing rain of guilt drenched him to his toes.

King knew Paris meant no harm with that question, but it still troubled him, loading him up with profound remorse.

He hadn't meant to be far from his little girl. If he knew about her, he would have done everything in his power to be close to her.

Oblivious to King's exertions, Paris continued to grill him with her boundless inquiries.

She had so much to say and didn't hold back on them.

"Daddy, will you leave mummy and me again?"

"Daddy, will you be picking me up from now on?"

"Daddy, will you tuck me into bed tonight?"

The queries were unending. King gave a positive response to each one of them, promising not only her, but himself to fulfill every one of them.

His smile slowly returned as Paris started to perk up at each response he gave her.

After a series of perpetual probing, she lifted one hand from his face, extending her pinky to him.

"Pinky promise?"

King furrowed his brows at Paris, taken aback by this. He peered down at her extended pinky and then looked back up at her.

It was then he caught the mischief in her gray eyes. King almost barked out a laugh when he understood this gesture.

Paris didn't trust that he'd fulfill any of his promises, so she was extracting some sort of assurance from him.

A seal she could trust and use against him if he ever failed in his words.

King grinned, locking his pinky with hers. His little girl was so clever.

"Pinky promises never to change for a hundred years."

They chorused, going through the ritual of the deal. After fist bumping on it, Paris squealed, clapping her hands in contentment.

Across the playground, Onyx laughed through her overflowing tears, watching this father-daughter moment.

It looked too real to be a lie. Even though all these were false, she felt no guilt about it.

Paris looked happy, and that was all that mattered to her. That was all she ever wanted.

She assailed her tears with the back of her palms, then strolled towards King and Paris.

The closer she strode to them, the wider her smile grew.

She never took her eyes off King as her whole being pulsed with gratitude for him.

"Hi"

She hugged herself, grinning at him. Paris shrieked, announcing their pact as soon as Onyx stopped in front of them.

"Mummy, look. Daddy will never leave us again."

The pride in her voice warmed Onyx. She caught King's eyes and whispered her gratitude to him.

Onyx wasn't sure if it was the tears in her eyes that made his eyes look glazed, so she cleaned off her eyes again, not wanting to embarrass herself.

By the time she was done, Paris was squirming in King's hands.

He understood she wanted to be let down, so he lowered himself to place her on the ground.

"Come, come, Daddy. I want you to meet my friends."

Paris declared the moment her feet touched the ground.

She spun around before King could give his response, bouncing across the playground to meet her said friends.

"Eva, Daisy, Lin-lin. Come see, my daddy's here."

Paris trotted towards a group of kids huddled together at the heart of the playground.

They had been watching the spectacle from their positions, but as soon as they saw her approach them, they pretended not to see her.

Just as Paris halted in front of them, still prattling about her dad, a boy from the group reached out to shove her.

King, who was right behind her, grabbed her before the boy's hand connected with her.

Because the boy had exerted too much force into his intended push, he stumbled on his feet at the missed contact, losing his footing.

King attempted to steady his fall, but the boy evaded his helping arm, collapsing into the hard ground.

His ballistic wails enveloped the playground the moment he hit the floor. The deafening noise he let out was more exaggerated than his fall.

Even though he avoided King's outstretched hands, King somehow managed to break the damaging effect of his fall.

He looked down at the boy, doubtful of his motive. Discarding his conviction about the situation, King bent forward again to pull him up.

As his hands brushed the howling boy, King felt a rough push to his side, followed by an aggressive accusation.

"Did you just hit my son?"