My "Goddaughter" Is His Secret Child

Chapter 2 Destinies Collide

"Don't bother. My house is in shambles. Vivi's catching some sleep," she exclaimed, leaping to her feet with such haste that her chair went tumbling, her voice tight with urgency.

I brushed off her concerns, firmly clutching her wrist as I led her away. "Don't be like that. I have an adorable dress for Vivi that I've been dying to give her," I insisted.

Our coworkers exchanged anxious glances, reluctant to step in.

I eased Yvonne into the passenger seat, locking the door as she settled in, trembling with anxiety. "Claire, what are you doing? You need to take a breath."

Ignoring her pleas, I revved the engine, plugging Emerald Avenue's coordinates into the GPS. She slumped back in defeat, realization dawning. "Claire, let's not do this today. We can talk later, please."

"Enough!" I snapped, pressing the gas pedal hard.

Beside me, Yvonne was consumed with sobs, her frame shaking uncontrollably.

20 minutes later, we reached a quaint townhouse. The iron gate stood slightly open, with warm light spilling through the grand windows. A child's trike, a blow-up pool, and a pink unicorn plush adorned the lawn.

The door swung open to reveal Mark in casual gray attire, a little girl nestled snugly in his embrace. His demeanor was soft, the picture of a nurturing father.

But the instant he recognized my car, his welcoming smile hardened, and he instinctively held the girl closer.

Yvonne dashed from the car, rushing to stand between us and Mark. "Claire, please! Leave the child out of this. Take your anger out on me!"

Her voice trembled with the ferocity of a desperate mother lion protecting her cub. The startled little girl erupted in tears amidst the uproar.

Yet, as her gaze landed on me, peering over Yvonne's shoulder, her fingers reached out eagerly.

"Mommy Claire, give me a hug!" she called.

My heart felt as though it had been crudely torn apart.

Yvonne habitually left her daughter at my house during the holidays, giving the excuse of late work hours, but I knew she was sneaking off to see Mark.

I lost track of how many meals I had prepared for the girl or how many outfits I had bought her. But she turned out to be the daughter of my closest friend and the man I cherished dearly.

Mark swiftly passed the girl to the nanny, who entered upon hearing the chaos, gesturing for her to take the girl upstairs. He then adjusted his pajama collar, stood tall, and exhaled softly.

He reached towards me, aiming to touch my face. "Coming here all alone at night? It's dangerous."

His voice carried a mix of reproach and genuine worry. If I hadn't known better, I might have thought he was being thoughtful.

I angled my head, avoiding his touch. "Mark, it looks like the overseas department was quite generous to you, gifting you a 2-year-old daughter."

His hand froze mid-motion, then effortlessly retracted as he shoved it into his pocket. "The company canceled the overseas mission at the last minute. I got back yesterday and hadn't had the chance to tell you."

His words were so steady. He then turned slightly towards Yvonne. "You know how tough it is for Yvonne to raise a kid all alone. Since her recent divorce, I've just been helping out. That's all there is to it."

His eyes were sincere and straightforward as he looked at me.