The Shadow

Chapter -13 Daddy?

Robert stirred in his sleep when he faintly heard a disturbing click sound. He wanted to shout but suddenly little, gentle hands turned his face towards the right side and he again heard a click sound.

He blinked for a split moment and saw Cami giggling and taking pictures of him with herself, making a faint noise. He got irritated and wanted to yell at her for waking him up from his dreamless sleep, but then his intentions were interrupted by Cami’s voice.

"Good Morning Daddy" Cami said innocently and enthusiastically, touching his cheeks with her palms.
Robert groaned and covered his face with the pillow. Cami shook him and he absentmindedly asked her to let him sleep peacefully. Cami pouted and let him sleep for an hour. But soon she also slept again.

After a while, Robert again woke up but noticed Cami's head being circled by his arm. He tried to get up without waking her up but she snuggled into him. He huffed and noticed how she slept with her mouth open, and scrunched her nose after every ten minutes, just like him. He realized an imperceptible resemblance between him and her, but he didn’t analyze it more.

He patted Cami's head and immediately looked at the ceiling. After so many years he was again feeling something different except bitterness. What? Even he also doesn't know. Soon his phone rang and he quickly switched it off, as he didn’t want to disturb Cami. As he turned around, Cami looked at him intently.
" Happy Father's day, Daddy." she grinned with her glimmering eyes.

Robert wasn’t sure if he wanted to reply to her, so he simply smiled. Cami quickly got up and hugged him tightly. For a moment Robert got stiff, nonetheless, he let her hug him and she hugged him again, feeling her whole heart fluttering.

"So, you get ready and I'll be in the study room." saying this, he left from there without waiting for her answer and Cami got into the washroom happily, because she strongly believed that this day would prove herself to her father and would seal her relationship with him.

******
While Robert was reading files, Cami entered holding a comb in her hands, saying innocently, "Daddy, can you make a braid?"

He scoffed "Don’t you know how to comb your hairs?”.

She shook her head and informed him that Marina or Isabella used to do that. Robert instantly rolled his eyes irritated, as he knows Cami is lying. However, he gave in to her pouted face expression, and his fatherhood, sensitive side motivated him of combing her hair gently, wishing to be her real father, because her devotion and love were devoted to her biological father, who destroyed his whole life for good.

Cami, not knowing what her father was thinking, was utterly delighted, while Robert was combing her long hair. She indeed lied, because she wanted to feel a unique feeling, which all her friends have already felt when they used to tell her how their father messed up their hairstyles.

She also desired to feel this, no matter if Robert messed her hair or not. She desperately craved for his attention and care, so she would do anything for him, without foreseeing her ominous future.

She observed Robert struggling to make a proper braid. Cami helped him and when her hair was done, Robert started reading some files again. Cami looked at him tentatively and frowned. She went to him and closed his files, scolding him lightly "No...No...Daddy. Today is your day. You can't work today. Let's get ready. Today we will enjoy father's day."

Even Robert’s expression showed no interest in his work today as well. But he honestly didn’t want to spend his valuable time with Cami too. He was waiting for his biological daughter, Gabi, to return and take Cami away from here since he doesn’t want to create a scene because of Cami’s persistence of being around him and getting his attention. He has to admit even secretly that he internally admires her persistent spirit and her efforts, but doesn’t know how to deal with the situation properly without hurting her. He needs distance from Cami.