My Mother's Husband Is My Sugar daddy

Chapter 8

Father Figure in Disguise

Miguel never set out to be a father figure.

He wasn't trying to replace Dotan. He wasn't even trying to be more than the overprotective uncle he had always been.

But somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, Adriana had made him her world and Miguel let her; at first, he was comfortable being a father figure, but as time went on, something grew inside of him; he wanted more.

"Uncle Miguel, I don't need a Dad anymore"

One evening, Miguel walked into the house, tossing his car keys on the counter. Before he could take another step, a small blur of energy slammed into his legs.

"Uncle Miguel!" Adriana squealed, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist.

Miguel chuckled, ruffling her curls. "Jeez, kid. If I knew you were this happy to see me, I would have come home earlier."

Adriana grinned up at him, her face full of pure adoration.

Luci, who had been watching from the kitchen, shook her head in amusement. "She's been waiting for you since she got home from school."

"Didn't even ask for me," Luci added, raising an eyebrow.

Adriana giggled. "Because I knew you were coming later, Mama. But Uncle Miguel was supposed to be home before dinner!"

Miguel sighed dramatically. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness. Should I kneel in apology?"

Adriana put her hands on her hips, pretending to think. "Hmm… yes. And also, you have to play with me for an extra thirty minutes!"

Miguel groaned. "Kid, you drive a hard bargain."

"But you love me," Adriana said sweetly.

Miguel smirked. "Yeah, yeah. I do."

Luci, arms folded, watched them with a soft smile.

She didn't say it out loud, but she knew the truth.

Adriana wasn't just fond of Miguel, she adored him.

And for the first time in years, she had stopped asking about her father.

Weekends had become something of a tradition.

Every Saturday, Miguel and Adriana had their "Uncle and Princess Day", where they did whatever Adriana wanted.

Some days, they went to the park, while other times, Miguel took her to a bookstore, letting her pick out new stories. But Adriana's favorite thing was grocery shopping with Miguel.

Luci never understood why.

"It's just the supermarket," she said one Saturday as Miguel laced up Adriana's sneakers.

"It's not just the supermarket," Adriana corrected. "Uncle Miguel lets me push the cart."

Miguel grinned. "And crash it into people."

"I do not!" Adriana gasped dramatically.

Luci laughed. "Just don't bring home more sweets. I swear, Miguel, she gets away with murder when she's with you."

Miguel lifted Adriana onto his shoulders. "What can I say? She's my partner-in-crime."

"More like a bad influence," Luci muttered, but she couldn't hide her smile.

Watching them together, Miguel pretending to struggle under Adriana's weight and Adriana giggling uncontrollably, made her heart ache.

Because Adriana should have had this with Dotan.

But instead, she had Miguel.

And maybe… that was enough.

One afternoon, Miguel pulled up outside the school, waiting for Adriana.

The moment she spotted him, she sprinted across the playground, waving excitedly.

"Uncle Miguel!"

"Hey, superstar," Miguel called as she jumped into his arms.

He lifted her easily, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Adriana squealed with laughter.

As Miguel set her down, a voice interrupted them.

"Adriana?"

Miguel turned to see a little boy standing nearby, watching them curiously.

Adriana turned bright red. "Oh. Hi, Liam."

Miguel smirked. So, this was the boy Adriana always talked about.

Liam's eyes flicked to Miguel. "Is he your dad?"

Adriana blinked. Then, to Miguel's shock, she said, "No. He's better. He's my Uncle Miguel."

Miguel's chest tightened.

Luci had told him before that Adriana never asked about Dotan anymore. But hearing it from her lips made something inside him twist.

Better?

Miguel wasn't better.

He was just there.

But Adriana didn't see it that way.

She grinned up at him. "Let's go home, Uncle Miguel!"

Miguel swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"Yeah, Princess. Let's go home."

That night, after Adriana was asleep, Luci found Miguel sitting on the couch, deep in thought.

She sat beside him. "You okay?"

Miguel exhaled. "She told some kid I was better than her dad today."

Luci stilled. "Oh."

Miguel ran a hand through his hair. "She doesn't even remember Dotan anymore, does she?"

Luci hesitated. "I don't think it's that. She was just… a baby when he died. She never really knew him."

"But she knows me," Miguel muttered.

Luci studied him. "Does that bother you?"

Miguel sighed. "I don't know."

Luci placed a hand on his arm. "Miguel… you've been more than an uncle to her. You've been there for her in ways Dotan never got the chance to. And she loves you for it."

Miguel stared at the floor. "Yeah. But I'm not her father, Luci."

Luci gave him a soft smile. "No. But maybe… you don't have to be."

But then, an unexpected change occurred.

Adriana, once a bubbly, energetic girl, had started becoming… quiet. She no longer rushed to Miguel when he came home. She barely spoke at the dinner table. And worst of all?

She started clinging to Luci in a way she never had before.

"Adriana, baby, what's wrong?" Luci asked one evening, stroking her daughter's hair as they lay in bed.

Adriana curled into her mother's side. "Nothing, Mama."

Luci frowned. "Are you sure? You don't play with Uncle Miguel anymore. Did something happen?"

Adriana stiffened at the mention of Miguel, her tiny fingers tightening around Luci's shirt.

"I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled.

Luci sighed. Maybe it was a phase. Kids grew up, they changed. But deep down, something felt off.

And it only got worse.

Luci was called to Adriana's school one afternoon.

"She sleeps in class?" she asked, frowning at Miss Helen.

The teacher nodded. "It started a few months ago. At first, we thought she was just tired, but it's happening every day now."

Luci glanced at Adriana, who sat silently beside her, arms crossed, refusing to make eye contact.

"Adriana, sweetheart, why are you sleeping in class?"

No answer.

Miss Helen hesitated. "She's still getting excellent grades, but socially, she's shutting down. She doesn't talk to her classmates much anymore. And… she refuses to participate in group activities."

Luci's stomach twisted. "Why didn't I notice this?" she murmured.

Miss Helen touched her arm. "Maybe she's seeking attention. Maybe she just needs more time with you."

Luci felt like she had been slapped.

It was true, she had been working long hours, trying to provide for Adriana. Was that why her daughter was pulling away?

She clenched her jaw and turned to Adriana.

"Why are you acting like this?" Luci demanded, frustration laced in her voice. "You sleep in class, you don't talk to Uncle Miguel, you don't even let him take you to school anymore! This isn't like you."

Adriana looked up, eyes filled with something Luci couldn't quite place.

"I just want to be with you," Adriana whispered.

Luci froze.

She expected defiance. A tantrum. But this?

Guilt punched her in the chest.

She exhaled, her anger melting away. She crouched beside Adriana, cupping her small face.

"I'm sorry, baby," she murmured. "I didn't realize you felt this way."

Adriana threw herself into her mother's arms. "Don't leave me, Mama."

Luci held her tightly, realizing just how badly she had failed her daughter.

Something had to change.

Adriana's withdrawal deepened.

She refused to ride with Miguel to school. Refused to let him pick her up. And whenever Miguel came home from work, Adriana ran to her room, locking the door.

Miguel noticed.

"Okay, what's going on?" he asked one evening as Luci stood by the stove, stirring a pot of stew.

Luci sighed. "I don't know."

Miguel leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "She won't even look at me anymore."

Luci bit her lip. "She's going through something."

Miguel frowned. "Is it because of me?"

"I don't think so," Luci said, though she wasn't sure.

Miguel exhaled, rubbing his face. "I don't get it. We used to be so close."

Luci looked at him, sensing his pain. "Maybe she just needs space."

But Miguel didn't look convinced.

And deep down, neither was Luci.

By the time Adriana turned nine, Luci had made up her mind.

She was done working long shifts. She needed to be there for Adriana fully.

One day, after visiting the bank to check her savings, Luci made a shocking discovery.

Dotan had left a trust fund for Adriana.

She sat frozen in the banker's office, staring at the documents in disbelief.

"He started putting money aside the moment you got married," the banker explained. "By the time Adriana was born, it had grown into a sizable amount."

Luci fought back tears. Dotan had always worried about their future. Even in death, he had found a way to take care of them.

That night, Luci sat Adriana down.

"How would you feel about moving to a new city?" she asked gently.

Adriana's eyes widened. "Really?"

Luci smiled. "Really. Just you and me. A fresh start."

Adriana hesitated, then whispered, "Can we go far away?"

Luci's stomach tightened. "Why far?"

Adriana shrugged. "I just want it to be you and me."

Luci stroked her daughter's hair, sensing there was more to the answer. But she didn't push.

That night, she started looking for new places.

When Miguel found out, he lost it.

"You're WHAT?" he shouted, slamming his hand on the table.

Luci crossed her arms. "I'm taking Adriana somewhere new. I found a good city, and I have the money to start a business."

Miguel's jaw tightened. "And I don't get a say in this?"

Luci frowned. "Miguel, this is about Adriana."

Miguel let out a bitter laugh. "That's funny. Because for nine years, she's been my family too. And now, you're just taking her away?"

Luci blinked. "Why are you reacting like this?"

Miguel clenched his fists. "Because I've been here, Luci. Every day. Every night. And now, you're leaving like none of it ever mattered?"

Luci's throat tightened. "Of course, it mattered! You've done so much for us, but Miguel—Adriana needs this. I need this."

Miguel's face darkened. "You're being ungrateful."

Luci took a step back, hurt flashing in her eyes.

"Ungrateful?" she whispered. "Miguel, I never asked you to take care of us. You did that because you love us. And we love you. But this isn't about you."

Miguel stared at her, his breathing heavy.

"I don't want you to go," he finally said, voice raw.

Luci swallowed hard. "I know."

Miguel's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Then why are you still leaving?"

Luci hesitated.

And for the first time, she wasn't sure if Miguel's anger was just about Adriana.

The day Luci and Adriana left, Miguel didn't show up.

Luci waited at the apartment, hoping he would at least say goodbye. But he never did.