2. Daphne
1174 Words
Caitlyn, who was ready to jump, was shocked when she looked back and saw a little girl. Caitlyn's desire to jump and suicide instantly turned into concern for the little girl.
"Hey, sweetheart. Who are you? Why are you alone in this place? Where's your mom?" Caitlyn hurriedly led the little girl to safety. She did not want the little girl to be on the edge of a cliff like this.
"I think you looks like my mom," the little girl said with a smile.
Caitlyn needed clarification. Why was this little girl calling her mom? She looked around, and there was no one.
"I am not your mom. I am single. Who's your name?" Caitlyn asked. She then took the little girl away.
"Daphne," she said in her squeaky, childlike voice.
"Daphne. Good name." Caitlyn looked around for someone who might have lost her child this time. Instead, she meets Joseph, who is actually looking for Caitlyn. "Don't cry, Baby."
"Where have you been, Caitlyn? I was looking for you." Joseph looked at the little girl Caitlyn was holding. "Who is she?"
Daphne showed Joseph a displeased look. She even hid behind Caitlyn.
"Don't worry. He is Joseph, my friend. Can you tell me where your parents are? Why are you alone on the beach?" Caitlyn tried to get Daphne to talk.
Daphne looked at Caitlyn. She then smiled. "You are so pretty. I like you. You really looks my mom," Daphne replied.
Joseph was shocked and looked at Caitlyn with a suspicious look. Instantly Caitlyn shook her hand. She didn't want Joseph to get the wrong idea.
"No, I am not. I have never had a child." Caitlyn would be very worried about gossip if Joseph misunderstood.
Moments later, a group of men wearing black suits was seen looking around the beach for something. Caitlyn told Joseph to wait for her because she had to help Daphne find her parents.
"Kidnappers!" Someone shouted at Caitlyn, who was walking towards one of the cafeterias in the beach area.
Caitlyn stopped walking. She was extremely surprised by the call.
"What do you mean to call me a kidnapper?" Caitlyn did not accept the call. "I was just helping this girl."
"You took away a conglomerate's daughter. You must want to kidnap her and demand ransom, right?" said one of the men in black.
Caitlyn furrowed her brow. She looked at Daphne. "You're a tycoon's daughter?"
"My dad works for the Silvester Company," Daphne replied.
Caitlyn was surprised when she heard the name Silvester Company. It was the largest coal company in USA. They had many mines in different countries.
"How can you go to the beach by yourself?" Caitlyn asked, very surprised.
"Miss Daphne. We had to go back. Your dad is looking for you right now. He'll be very angry if you don't come back soon." One of the men in a suit approached Daphne and wanted to take her by the hand.
But strangely, Daphne avoided him. "Why are you always like this? Can't you see that I'm with my mom?" Daphne said in a stern voice.
The men in suits were astonished when they heard Daphne's words.
"Miss Daphne. You only have one father. You must understand that your mother is dead...."
"Hey!" Caitlyn suddenly interrupted one of the men in suits. "Don't say things like that to a child. You're hurting her heart!"
Daphne suddenly hugged Caitlyn tightly. "I don't want to be separated from you. Please, I want us to be together.
Caitlyn felt very indecisive. She didn't know this little girl. She didn't know what to say to Daphne to explain who she was. Caitlyn chose to kneel in front of Daphne. She touched her face while smiling.
"I know you miss your mom. But you should know that I am not your mom. I am single, and I am .... " Caitlyn's words were cut short when Daphne hugged her again very tightly. She even burst into tears.
"Please, don't leave me. I want to be with you. Dad is always busy working. He never has time for me. I'm lonely without you, Mom," Daphne whined.
Caitlyn was getting confused. So were the men in black suits. Caitlyn realized they were this girl's bodyguards. She was just a little girl, but her guard was too tight.
"I will contact Mr. Evans Silvester," one of the men said. He took out his cell phone and dialed one.
***
Thirty minutes passed since Daphne wouldn't leave Caitlyn. She took Daphne to a cafe. Meanwhile, the men in black suits waited in front of the cafe.
A luxury car pulled into the parking lot. Caitlyn glanced at the luxury car. She also noticed Daphne, who was busy eating ice cream.
A man got out of the car. Caitlyn knew who he was. He was Evans Silvester, the CEO of Silvester Company. His face was often seen in business magazines. He was quite popular among businessmen today. His company was ranked as one of the ten most successful companies in the United States.
Evans walked into the cafe with his dashing steps. His body is tall, and his clothes are very modest. He looked young enough to have a six-year-old daughter. But no one knew what his life was like. He never talks about personal matters in public.
"Daphne," Evans called Daphne's name with a flat expression. "We have to go home soon."
Daphne looked at Evans' face. She smiled, then got out of her chair and ran towards Evans.
"Dad, I have something to tell you. I met a woman looks like Mom," Daphne said with great excitement.
Evans raised one eyebrow. He then glanced at Caitlyn, who suddenly stood up and smiled at Evans.
"I'm sorry,my daughter has troubled you. I will bring her home soon," Evans said to Caitlyn.
Caitlyn was disappointed with Evans' muted reaction when he spoke to her. Meanwhile, Daphne tugged on her father's pants.
"I don't want to go home. I want to be with her," Daphne said. "If you take my mom to our and maybe I will go home."
Evans smiled at Daphne. He had to persuade her. "Honey. We agreed not to talk about it. Your mom was ...."
"No! I'm not going home without her!" Daphne immediately ran to Caitlyn. She hugged Caitlyn tightly. "I want her go home with me!"
Evans looked sarcastically at Caitlyn. He didn't recognize this woman. But why did Daphne really want that woman?
"What have you done to my child?" asked Evans.
"I didn't do anything. I just accidentally saw her by the beach. I was worried because she was alone, so I brought her here to look for her parents," Caitlyn said.
Evans looked at Caitlyn with a suspicious gaze. She then looked at her daughter. Daphne had never been like this before. She was never excited about anything. This was the first time she wanted to be with someone other than her father.
"Okay, you're going home with this woman," Evans said."
- Writer
