Diehard Desire

Alone again

Ivy frowned at the man beside her. All throughout their ride so far, he was completely silent. Except when he dismissed her by saying he wasn't her daddy. He just went back to the phone in his hand. 

Not once did he look at the child beside him but Ivy's curious gaze was zeroed on his face. 

After studying him for fifteen minutes, Ivy found him to be strange. He didn't smile, didn't laugh, instead if anything, he had a constant scowl on his face. 

He put his phone to his ear and started talking in some different language. 

"Cosa vuoi dire che ha rifiutato? Gli hai detto che avevo chiesto personalmente che fosse fatto?" He hissed into the phone. 

He was silent for a few minutes before continuing, "Portalo al telefono. Digli che se non avrò sue notizie nell'ora successiva, se ne pentirà." He said in a suddenly calm voice. 

(What do you mean he refused? Did you tell him I personally asked him to do it? Bring him to the phone. Tell him if I don't hear from him in the next hour then he'll regret this.) 

Mr Salvatore just threw away the phone somewhere in the car. Ivy softly gasped at his action and watched the phone with a rubbernecking stare. 

She found his behaviour uncanny and unpredictable. 

Mr Salvatore looked outside the window but he saw from his peripheral that the girl was watching him. He didn't want to entertain the kid's thoughts so he just acted oblivious and didn't acknowledge her at all. 

He thought that after witnessing his exaggeration, she might stop her idiosyncrasy but how wrong could he be. 

"So, if you are not my daddy then what should I call you?" He heard the girl saying. 

He turned his head to look at her to see her watching him with her head turned to the side, resembling a clueless puppy. 

"You may call me Mr Salvatore." He enunciated calmly and he tried to conceal his annoyance. 

He despised kids and here he was left to babysit one due to one imbecile's lack of better judgment. 

It was inconceivable for him that he had to adopt this child due to damage control. There had to be another way but no, his consigliere thought that this was the easiest way out with almost no repercussions. 

Now here he was, sitting in a packed car with the annoying small human. 

"Hmm... Well, What is your first name?" She asked him again as if revolted by the thought of calling him by such a formal title. 

"It's none of your..." he stopped himself mid-sentence. He couldn't scare the kid just yet. 

He could judge by now that the kid was unquestionably stubborn so he decided to just answer her and pray that she will stop vexing him after that. 

"Hades." As soon as he told her his name, Ivy started giggling in a nonsensical manner. Salvatore narrowed his eyes at the clearly dim-witted girl beside him. 

After a few minutes of giggling humorously, Ivy finally calmed down only to see the man beside her glaring holes into her head. All traces of a smile vanished from her face as she looked at the raging man beside her. 

She didn't fear him though. 

Even though he looked like he was contemplating the thought of leaving her there on the street, she still didn't feel an ounce of fear. Instead she innocently raised her right hand towards his face. 

Hades's eyes that were previously zoned on the girl's face were now scowling at her dainty hand. 

He noticed with curiosity that the girl's hands were really small for a kid her age. As a matter of fact, she hardly looked a day older than 6, yet, he knew that she was 8 years old from reading her file. 

He watched as she scooted forward over on her seat towards him and reached out for his face. He didn't know what the kid had on her mind but he stayed still as the girl neared his nose. 

She lightly pressed his nose with her pointer finger making him furrow his eyebrows. 

"Boop." She made the weird sound from her pink, pouty lips as she pressed his nose. She saw him looking at her like she was crazy but she just grinned up at him in return. 

"My mommy says that every person has a button right here on the tip of their nose and if we press it when they are angry then their anger goes away." She explained innocently while tapping the tip of his nose. 

Hades didn't want to admit but he found the kid extremely adorable. He couldn't believe it that he, a man who detested kids, found the kid in front of him even mildly endearing. It was refreshing to find someone with that much purity and innocence. 

He felt pity building up inside him when he realised that the kid had lost both her parents at such a tender age. 

At the very moment, he vowed that he would do anything to protect her innocence from the world. She would be unreachable, untouchable to any hands that comes her way to soil her purity. He would protect and provide for her no matter what. 

He cleared his throat to get rid of his straying thoughts and noticed the scenery outside. He noticed that they had almost reached his estate and in a matter of a few minutes he would get the child off her back. 

He decided to break the pregnant silence in the car as he asked her, "Why did you laugh on hearing my name?" 

Ivy was admiring the beautiful view outside when she heard the voice of the man beside her. She turned around to look at him excitedly. 

She was glad that she had someone to talk to now, "My mommy told me that Hades is a mean man. I laughed because I didn't understand why your mommy and daddy would name you that." She answered his question with a toothless grin. 

Hades noticed that they had already entered the estate's property and chuckled slightly at the kid's words and her lack of front tooth. He shaked his head as the car slowly came to halt infront of his majestic mansion. 

He looked at Ivy with a small smile on his handsome face and brought his face closer to her, "I guess my parents knew I would grow up to be mean and scary." He told her darkly before the door on Ivy's side was opened. 

Ivy turned around to see the same man from earlier had opened her door for her. He gave her a small, affectionate smile which she returned eagerly. 

She heard another door opening and watched as Mr Salvatore stepped out of the car and nodded at the man making him scurry away instantly. She frowned as she jumped out of the car. 

The frown instantly turned to a bright smile that could compete with the afternoon sun's brightness. Her face lightened up like fireworks in the dark night sky. 

The men surrounding her, who were taught to always be alert to eliminate any threat, felt their cold heart melting in the sheer heat of her smile. Her contagious smile had their own faces warming up just the slightest. 

That however, didn't stay there for long. As soon as their boss rounded the corner they erected their stances. 

Their chest puffed out while their eyes remained downcast as if afraid to hold their boss's stare. Ivy was blissfully unaware of the change as she looked at the castle infront of her. 

She remembered watching such castles in the movies and books as the prince and princesses lived there. She questioned herself if her new guardian was the owner of the castle, didn't that make him a Prince? 

"Is this yours?" She asked Hades with her bright eyes focused on his face. 

Hades visibly flinched at the kid's expression. She looked positively awestruck. A part of him was also pleased that she liked it. After all, she would be staying here for a long, long time. 

"Yes." He simply replied as he passed by her without a second glance. 

He couldn't show his emotions infront of his men. They needed to know that he didn't care about the obnoxious kid and she was nothing but a nuisance for him. 

He kept walking ahead without acknowledging his staff that greeted him when he felt a small hand holding his own. He looked down at his side without stopping to notice Ivannah admiring the scene around her. 

She held onto his hand with a surprisingly strong hold and he let her as he didn't want to give his men the show of watching him struggling to get out of a kid's hold. 

Instead, he closed his hand over her tiny ones. Clutching her dainty, warm hands in his rough and big ones. 

Somehow Ivy's smile brightened up at his small action. She had to almost run to keep up with Mr Salvatore's step as he walked towards the huge double doors. She didn't mind at all. 

He had brought her with him and she liked him a lot. He didn't smile much but Ivy found him funny. 

She didn't like it though that he insisted on being called Mr Salvatore. Ivy found addressing him with such a formal name a little weird but complied anyway. All she cared was she had a home and a family. 

The entrance of the mansion was huge. Ivy felt like the stairs leading to the huge doors were too long. Mr Salvatore's fast pace wasn't too helpful either. 

Her small legs could only bear so much. She firmly put her feet on the ground and pulled his hand with both of hers and put all her energy in the task of stopping him. 

She knew if he didn't stop than the tall man would definitely drag her with him. Mr Salvatore stopped short on the stairway when he felt the kid tugging his hand weakly. He scrowled in clear impatience.  

"Will you slow down, Mister?" Ivy said, mimicking his expression with a scrowl of her own. 

Hades's eyes widened momentarily in surprise as his lips parted slightly at the kid's audacity. He had to admit that he both admired and was amused by the kid's courage. 

Every bit of amusement left his face as soon as he heard some stifled laughter behind him. His men were laughing at him because of her. He felt burning anger in his chest. No one dared disrespect him before. 

Who does the kid think she is? He bend down at his knee until he was at her level and looked her directly in eye with no trace of any humor on his face. His face had turned demonic with anger. 

"Listen to me and listen to me very carefully, Ivannah. Never, ever dare disrespect me again. Do you understand?" Hades enunciated each word as if talking to an infant. 

Ivy wasn't scared of what he said but his eyes, and the way he said it was enough to terrify her. She whimpered in fear. The men that heard the interaction flinched at the sound but knew better than to question their boss. 

Hades cursed under him breath as he looked at Ivannah's teary eyes. He wanted to scare her, not to make her cry. Another reason for him to hate kids. They cried so easily. They were just so frustrating with their constant whining and crying. 

He sighed, annoyed out of his mind as he got off his knee. He was more annoyed at himself than at her. How the hell did he not know how to deal with kids better when he had 4 younger siblings? Only god knew the answer to that. 

Mr Salvatore massaged his forehead as he felt the start of a terrible headache from all the mental exertion he had gone through the day. 

He left her on the stairs and headed towards the door. The guards instantly opened the door upon seeing their boss approaching. They had to be efficient and obedient if they wanted to live another day in the house. 

They bowed their heads as their boss passed by them without sparing them even a glance. They noticed the little girl following behind him quietly and bowed to her as well. They were curious as to who the child was but knew better than to ask questions. 

Ivy scrunched up her little nose as the two men bowed down to her. She didn't like it but decided to ignore it and follow Mr Salvatore for now. She was pretty sure she would get lost in the castle if she didn't follow him. All those thoughts left her mind when she entered the house. 

The scene infront of her was right out of a fairytale. Crystal chandeliers, shining marble floor, beautiful showpieces were strategically kept in the huge hall. There were lines of women standing at either side of the entrance. 

Just like the men outside they bowed down to her as well. She scrunched her nose again but rushed to stand beside Mr Salvatore as he talked to a woman. 

Ivy stood beside him and looked at them with curious eyes. The woman had her eyes downcast as she nodded her head to whatever Mr Salvatore was saying. She was beautiful, Ivannah noticed. 

Her dark chocolatey skin looked healthy and bright. Her dark long curls were tied up in a bun at the top of her head. 

Ivy noticed from her small height that the women had a pair of really dark, deep brown eyes. For some reason, Ivy instantly liked the women. She reminded her of her mother. 

"Ivannah, this is Grace. She will be the one responsible to take care of you." Mr Salvatore said looking down at her. Ivy instantly nodded her head and waved happily at Grace. Grace returned the gesture with a bright smile. 

Mr Salvatore left them soon after he introduced the two. Ivy frowned at his retracing figure. He didn't even spend time with her and showed her her new bedroom. 

A small involuntary pout made it's way onto her lips. Grace noticed this and bent down to look into Ivy's light blue eyes. She saw the seer innocence reflecting off of her and felt a surge of protectiveness for the little girl. 

"Hey, what's a pout doing on the lips of such a pretty little girl?" Grace said with an exaggerated fake pout of her own lips making Ivy giggle. 

"Do you wanna see your bedroom?" Grace asked with an affectionate smile on her face as Ivy squealed happily with an excited yes making Grace laugh. 

Grace guided the flabbergasted girl through the different hallways and stairways as she looked at the extravagant interior with wide eyes. 

Ivy didn't even notice when they reached the doors of her new bedroom as she tried to memorise the different pathways. Grace opened the doors to reveal a beautiful bedroom to her curious gaze. 

The room was completely white from the marble floors, the curtains, the bedsheets to even the chandelier on the ceiling. The only colour in the room was the peach coloured ceiling. 

Ivy squealed happily as she saw the huge bedroom with the king sized circular bed in the centre. She went forward and jumped on the fluffy bed and giggled as she bounced. 

After exploring every nook and cranny of the room, she turned towards Grace to see her standing at the door with a man by her side. She went up to them and grinned at Grace. The man beside her gave Ivy a small smile before looking towards Grace. 

"Ivannah, meet my husband, Frank. I'll introduce you to my daughter Iris later. She is the same age as you, I'm pretty sure you will get along well with her." Grace said to Ivannah kindly. 

"You have a daughter. Where is she?" Ivy asked happily, making the couple laugh at her excitement. 

"Yes, Ivannah. We have a daughter just like you. And you will meet her once she is back from school." Grace said happily as she touched the blonde hair on top of her head. 

"School? When will I get to go to school?" 

Ivy was immediately distracted as soon as she heard school. She couldn't wait to join back in her classes. She couldn't wait to meet all her friends and her teacher, Miss Andria. She was always so nice to Ivannah. 

Grace and Frank's smile dimmed a little before Frank got down on his knees in front of Ivy. He looked at her sympathetically and kept one of his large hands on top of her head affectionately. 

"You wouldn't need to go to school. School will be brought here to you, Ivannah." He told her trying to act cheery but he knew she would be disappointed. 

He understood that she needed to meet kids her own age and make friends but his boss was against the supposedly obstruct idea. Frank was proven right as immediately a look of disappointment and confusion took over her face. 

"Miss Andria will come here?" She asked innocently in confusion. If she did then Ivannah didn't mind, "What about my friends?" 

Ivy was about to question him further as to how that was possible but was cut short by the noise of a door slamming shut. She rushed towards the glass window and climbed onto the seat to look outside. 

Four black cars were lined outside as if preparing for someone's departure. Ivy narrowed her eyes and looked outside carefully as she saw men rushing to keep bags in the boot of the cars. 

She watched curiously as Mr Salvatore stood beside one of the cars with a phone to his ear. 

He ran his hand through his hair before signing something to a man beside him. She saw him mouthing something to him before a man opened the door of the car and he got inside. 

The door was closed behind him and the line of cars swiftly took off. She turned towards Grace completely confused as to what happened. Grace and Frank again gave her a look of pity making her more confused than ever. 

Ivy turned back to look at the now empty place and hoped for him to come back soon. She was sure he would come back but she wished it was soon. She didn't want him to leave her just like her parents. 

She didn't want to lose him too. 

"Mommy... Daddy..." Ivy heard a voice behind herself but didn't turn around to look at the intruder. 

She heard the happy family talking behind her back but her attention was focused outside hoping that he would come back. 

She felt another person getting on the seat beside her and turned to see a girl watching her with a bright smile on her face. Ivy was sure she was Grace's daughter but couldn't care about anyone around her at the moment. 

"We are gonna be besties." Iris said excitedly as she gave Ivy a side hug. Ivy just looked outside with a pout on her lips waiting for the car to come back. 

He would come back. He had to.