Too Late Mr. Sterling

Chapter 5

Elowen's POV

Alistair started glaring at me again. Whenever I came around while he was with Maisie, it was as if I had committed some terrible crime simply by being there. I knew he was counting down the days until he no longer had to put up with Maisie and me, and although he never said it in front of her, he always made sure I remembered it whenever we were alone.

"I'm only playing along for a little while," he had told me one afternoon while we stood beside the car. "Just a few more days, Elowen. Then I'll be free of you and your games for good."

I clenched my jaw but said nothing because there was no point arguing with him. He had already made up his mind about me, and no matter what I said, he would only twist my words into something else.

Later that week, Sterling Holdings held a big company celebration. Maisie had been begging to attend for days, and to my surprise, Alistair agreed to take her. I had no desire to go, but Maisie refused to go without me, so I quietly got dressed and joined them.

I sat in the backseat beside my daughter while Alistair drove in silence. Maisie, completely unaware of the tension between us, talked excitedly throughout the journey. She kept telling me about all the things she wanted to see and asking if there would be juice and snacks at the celebration.

The moment we arrived, Alistair excused himself to greet some of the senior employees, leaving Maisie and me by ourselves. Maisie held my hand tightly as she looked around the crowded venue with a wide smile.

"Can I go and get some juice, Mommy?"

I nodded and smiled at her. "Yes, but stay where I can see you."

Her smile grew wider before she hurried away towards the refreshment table. I watched her carefully, making sure she did not go too far, until a familiar voice came from behind me.

"Still tagging along like an unwanted puppy, huh?"

I turned slightly and saw Seraphina standing behind me with a mocking smile on her face.

"I would've thought you would know when to leave the picture by now," she added.

I looked away from her. "I'm here for Maisie. I don't want any trouble."

Seraphina gave a small laugh. "Oh, come on, Elowen. I'm not trying to cause trouble. I just want to have a little chat."

I ignored her and kept my attention on Maisie, who had already gotten her juice and was making her way back to me. I had no interest in whatever Seraphina wanted to say, but she was not willing to let the matter go.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be treated with disgust by the man you're supposed to be with?" she asked with a cruel smile.

I froze.

Before I could answer, Ottilie stepped forward with the same smug expression on her face as her mother. She looked me over from head to toe before speaking.

"You don't look anything like someone who belongs beside Mr. Sterling. You look more like his maid."

I swallowed my pride and turned to leave because I did not have the energy for another confrontation. I had learned that arguing with people like Seraphina only gave them more reasons to attack me.

Unfortunately, Maisie had already returned, and she had heard everything.

"Shut up," she said quietly.

I turned around and saw my daughter standing in front of me, her little face filled with anger.

"Don't talk about my mother that way."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow and looked down at her. "Sweetheart, you should learn to stay in your place. You're only a child."

"No," Maisie snapped, her voice shaking with anger. "You're mean, and your daughter is mean too."

Ottilie gasped as if Maisie's words had deeply offended her. She folded her arms and stared at her before delivering the words that made my heart stop.

"At least I have someone who wants me. Your own father doesn't want you."

I stepped forward immediately. "Enough. That's enough."

Maisie's expression changed at once. The anger disappeared from her face, replaced by hurt and confusion. She looked at me as though Ottilie's words had cut much deeper than she wanted to admit.

I glared at Seraphina. "Stop this. You should teach your daughter to be a better person instead of encouraging her to hurt other children."

I took Maisie's hands in mine and led her away before the situation could get any worse. I could feel her trembling beside me, and seeing her so hurt made my chest ache.

I tried my best to smile as I looked down at her. "Don't listen to her, Maisie. What she said isn't true. Your father loves you."

Maisie's lips trembled, and tears slowly filled her eyes.

"Then why is he barely around?"

The question broke something inside me. I cleared my throat and tried to hold back my own tears because I could not afford to fall apart in front of her.

"He's very busy, Maisie. Your father has a lot of responsibilities at Sterling Holdings. He's always dealing with work and important meetings, so sometimes he doesn't have enough time. Didn't you notice that he's been spending more time with you lately? He's just been busy, that's all."

Before I could say anything else, Alistair appeared with Seraphina and Ottilie beside him.

Ottilie's cheeks were wet with tears as she immediately reached for Alistair's hand.

"She said I'm not loved because I don't have a real dad," she cried. "She called me unwanted, and she said Mommy is chasing someone else's partner."

Seraphina sniffed beside her, looking every bit like a heartbroken mother who had just watched her daughter get mistreated.

Alistair's expression darkened as he looked at Maisie.

"Is that true?"

Maisie opened her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. "No, I didn't. She started..."

"Apologize," Alistair snapped.

Maisie's lower lip trembled, but she shook her head.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

Alistair's eyes hardened as he looked at her, and then his attention shifted to me.

"You've spoiled her. She's just like you, always playing the victim and trying to manipulate people."

I stepped forward quickly, unable to remain silent any longer.

"Alistair, don't talk about her like that. She did nothing wrong. They insulted both of us first."

Alistair glared at me fiercely before turning to Seraphina and Ottilie. His expression softened when he looked at them.

"Please excuse us. We need to talk alone."

Seraphina gave a pitiful nod and gently took Ottilie's hand before walking away with her. However, the moment Alistair turned his back, the two of them looked over their shoulders and smirked at Maisie and me.

I clenched my jaw and forced myself to ignore them. I turned towards Maisie and gave her a warm, reassuring smile.

"Baby, wait for me here, all right? Your daddy and I need to talk."

Maisie nodded quietly, and I followed Alistair out of the celebration and towards the side of the building. From the way his hands were clenched into fists and the anger written across his face, I already knew that whatever he was about to say was going to hurt.