Billionaire's Lover

Chapter 5

When they got home from the park, she immediately headed to the kitchen to prepare their dinner. She decided to cook tocino, knowing it was her daughter’s favorite, whom she fondly called "moon." The name always brought a smile to her face, as her daughter was like a bright light in the darkest of times.

However, even as she worked in the kitchen, her mind was still troubled by the question her daughter had asked earlier at the park. It was a simple question but one that carried so much weight. Her little girl had asked about her father.

“Why don’t I have a daddy like my friends do?”

It felt like a punch to the gut. She could feel her daughter's longing for a father figure, and that crushed her. She had done everything to raise her daughter on her own, to be both the mother and the father. But no matter how much love she gave, it seemed there was still something missing. And that something was a man who, whether he knew it or not, had a daughter. A daughter who would never understand why her father wasn't in her life.

After finishing cooking, she brought the food to the table and watched as her daughter happily ate. That sight brought her some peace, but her thoughts continued to wander. Once dinner was over and her little girl was settled in bed, she retreated to her room. She needed to talk to someone, anyone, about what was happening. She couldn't bear the weight of this secret on her own anymore. So, she picked up her phone and called her best friend, Gem. She needed to hear another voice to keep herself from spiraling into despair.

When Gem answered, her usual cheerful tone instantly lifted the mood. "Hey, girls! Sup?"

"We miss you already, and our little moonlight too!" Gem said with a hint of excitement in her voice. It warmed her heart to know that her friends adored her daughter just as much as she did.

"Hey, hmmm... Actually, I need someone to talk to," she said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. There was a pause on the other end, followed by a calm but concerned reply from Gem.

"What is it? I'm all ears."

She hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts before recounting everything. The question at the park, her fears, her confusion, and most of all, the news she had discovered the day before. She had learned from Gem the identity of the man who might be her daughter’s father. It was someone she hadn't seen in years, someone she had never expected to cross paths with again.

As she told the story, she felt an immense weight slowly lifting off her chest. There was something comforting about sharing her thoughts and fears with someone she trusted. For a moment, the storm raging in her mind quieted down.

"You need to tell him," Gem said firmly after listening to her story. "He has the right to know. And your daughter... she deserves to know her father."

"But what if he rejects us?" she whispered, the fear in her voice palpable. "What if he thinks I'm just after his money or something? I don’t even know if he’ll accept our daughter. I’m scared, Gem."

"I know you're scared," Gem said softly. "But hiding the truth won’t make it any easier. What if he’s been searching for you, too? What if he’s longing to know his daughter just as much as she’s longing to know him?"

She didn’t answer immediately, letting Gem’s words sink in. What if she was right? What if he did want to be a part of their lives? But the thought of facing him again, of telling him about their child, was terrifying.

Later that night, long after her conversation with Gem ended, she lay in bed wide awake, her mind buzzing with thoughts. She thought about the life she had built with her daughter, about the struggles she had faced raising her alone, and about the man who had unknowingly fathered a beautiful little girl.

There had been a time when she believed she could raise her daughter on her own, that she didn’t need anyone’s help. But as her daughter grew older, the questions started. At first, they were small, innocent questions. "Why don’t I have a daddy?" or "Can we have a daddy?" But as the years went on, those questions became more frequent and more difficult to answer. And now, her daughter’s innocent curiosity had become an aching void in both their lives.

She thought back to the time when she had met him. They had been so young, so full of dreams. Their relationship had been brief but intense. She had loved him, in her own way, but life had taken them in different directions. They lost touch, and she had never told him about the pregnancy. She had been too scared, too unsure of what his reaction would be. And then, life simply moved on.

Now, all these years later, fate had brought his name back into her life, and with it, the possibility of a future she had never dared to imagine.

But could she really face him after all this time? Could she tell him the truth about their daughter?

The next day, after dropping her daughter off at school, she sat in her car for what felt like hours, debating her next move. Part of her wanted to drive to his company, confront him, and finally get it over with. But another part of her was terrified of what might happen if she did. What if he didn’t want to see her? What if he didn’t care about their daughter?

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. It was no use. The fear and uncertainty gnawed at her insides, making her feel as though she was on the verge of breaking down.

Then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Gem.

"Hey, whatever happens, you’ll be okay. You’re strong, and you’ve already come so far. Don’t let fear stop you from doing what’s right."

She smiled at the message, feeling a small spark of courage reignite inside her. Maybe Gem was right. Maybe it was time to stop running from the past and face it head-on.

Gathering her resolve, she finally started the car and drove to the company where she knew he worked. It felt surreal walking through the doors, her heart pounding with every step. She had no idea what to expect, but she knew one thing for sure: she couldn’t keep hiding the truth. For her daughter’s sake, and for her own, it was time to finally confront the past.