INTREPID

Bewilderment

Zoe's POV

work has been crazy,I started lecturing at one of the best universities in the country two years ago. I love my job so much, but sometimes it wears me out.I was rushing to go to the auditorium, I was invited to speak to the learners.I just hope it will not take long,its Emily's birthday and I promised to take her to the park.She turns six years old today,I just hate that she shares her birthday with her father,I can't help but think about him and what he might be doing on his birthday.

I sold my grandmother's house and settled in the city of Livingstone, I needed a fresh start.Everything has been going well, and I adopted a brother,his name is Jace.He is also my business partner.I opened coffee shop near my house,that's how much I love coffee.Jace also needed a fresh start,he was a big shot lawyer but his wife cheated on him that's what led to their divorce and his family disowning him.Whe he told me everything that had happened to him,I was terribly hurt for him so I offered him a room to stay in my shop as he was still looking for accommodation,his family took everything away from him.I think he was too broken to even think of what he wanted to do next, he stated helping out while living there and ended up loving the business and invested in my shop.Its a big shop now and we are doing great though he does most of the work.

He is a very good-looking guy with a heart of gold, and any woman can go crazy for him,including me.I don't know how his wife cheated on a fine man like him.We went on a few dates but we figured we needed family more than lovers and that's what we are.Emily calls him Dad,it makes me so happy because she needs that.He goes to school meeting with me as Emily's dad .I don't think we need to start explaining our relationship to anyone.Emily have her dad,I have a brother, and he has a sister and a daughter.

I think I was the last one to enter the auditorium, I went straight to an empty sit on the panel which was left for me.The presenter who had stopped speaking as I was walking in, life drained out of my face when I realized who it was.I gathered courage and walked to my sit.why now Mike? I wondered,my life has been peaceful for the past seven years,I swore never to see you again.

paid attention to what he was saying,he was encouraging students to learn how to manage their finances and live within their means.He gave an example of how he started his company when he was in the second year of university,he never asked for a big sum of money from his parents to his company,he saved up and opened an Internet cafe and that's how he has ended up a billionaire at his age.I f I didn't know how he stated his company,I would say,he is not telling the truth but everything he said,was the truth.

Mike finished his speech and took his sit on the panel.He practically faced my direction,he was looking at me like he has seen a ghost or maybe he is not sure that it's actually me.My name was announced as the last speaker of the day, I stood up and walked slowly to the front.I will not let his presence affect me, if he thinks I'm the same girl he mate seven years ago,he has another thing coming.I began to speak,good afternoon students?My name is Zoe Danielle,I am a lecturer at this university.I can not begin to tell you how my heart bleeds for the students that we have lost.All of us on this panel have been where you are right now and we all faced a lot of challenges just like you.I will not stand here and claim to know everything you are going through personally and collectively, I will tell you the challenges I faced personally.

The day went by so fast. After the presentation in the auditorium ,I could never imagine that I would break down on stage,especially knowing that Mike was listening to what I was saying made it worse.I went back to the office,I closed the door and cried like a child.Seeing him brought back a lot of hurtful memories. To be honest,I want him to hurt as much as I did.I really hope he could fall in love,then she hurts him just like he did to me.That is the only way he could understand what he did to me.But I doubt that could even happen,karma is not real. If karma was real,we would be afraid of hurting others.

Mike is a man who has achieved everything he wanted. He is the youngest billionaire in the country, and every girl would fall at his feet because money is not the only power he posses but looks too.Even if Mike did not make that much money,women would still be following him like bees looking for nectar.He has a family,what more can he ask for?On the other hand,my life revolves around my daughter,she is everything to me.I have a feeling Mike will soon find out about her,and I swear,I will give him hell if he tries to take her away from me.He is a powerful man,taking her from me would be easy but not when I am still alive.I quickly cleaned my face and rushed out after receiving a text from Jace.

I said goodbye to my colleagues and started walking to the exit.I took two steps at the reception,I saw Em talking to a man in a suit.I walked towards her and froze midway.I was overwhelmed after hearing her exchanging words with her father.I heard Emily say:I 'm sorry sir,I was looking for my mummy.whats your name princess?He asked her,my name is Emily rain Danielle,but my mummy calls me Em.I know he has put the pieces together,because Emily looks exactly like Mike's late sister,Emily.You remind me of my sister,he whispered. That's not true,because mummy told me that I look like my untie Emily, who passed away a long time ago.

Emily was talking too much,I quickly walked to them,when she saw me, she screamed , "Mummy! I lifted her and kissed her,she giggled,I missed you mummy,I missed you too baby,where is daddy?He is in the car,let's go and get my birthday cake,I want to see it.For a second I forgot that Mike was standing there frozen.I didn't want to look at him,I started walking then Jace walked in,Emily shouted,daddy I found mummy,I can see that princess.Hey,how was your day? I said goodbyes, and we walked out.

We had a wonderful birthday for Em,after collecting the cake,we went to the park where we spent the rest of the day.Emily was asleep when we got home,Jace took her to bed and he left.I took a long breath,sat on the couch,closed my eyes and everything that happened today came to mind.I know he knows that she is his daughter there is no denying he resemblance to his sister .Any way I will cross the bridge when I get there,right now, I need a shower and a good sleep.I took one step to check on Emily,I heard a knock knock on the door,maybe Jace forgot something.I opened the door to my surprise,it's three middle-aged men in black suits.Are you Zoe Danielle?yes.we are here to deliver an envelope on behalf of our boss.who is your boss?,I asked:Mr Shaw.

I guess it's time for war,Mike has just sent the the papers requesting custody of my daughter.The audacity of that man.I wasn't thinking he would react this quick.I don't feel well,my phone is too far from me,please God not again.I was pleading in my mind right before I hard an attack.I rolled on the floor for almost twenty minutes trying to breath,then it settled down slowly. I started having an anxiety attack when I was pregnant with Emily,I almost lost her.I haven't had an attack in the past two years.Let me prepare a visit to Mike in the morning.