The Contract Marriage (Complete)

Chapter 19

"I killed my mom, she died because of me."

"What?"

"I'm a horrible daughter. That's why dad won't even look at me. That's why dad was never really at home, because his daughter took his wife away." She cries.

"It's nothing like that. You've done nothing! Your dad loves you, I've seen that." Ryouma tries to assure her.

"No he doesn't. He hates me, that's why he never talked to me. He was always away from home. The only conversation we used to have when I called him and he only answered with a yes and no." She says i between her cries. "I always thought that dad would forgive me for whatever I did if I became a good girl but I never knew the reason why he distanced away from me, but now I know that I can't be forgiven no matter what I do!"

"Hey listen to me, you've done nothing wrong Teresa, it was an accident. It wasn't your fault. It was an accident, you get that?" He cups her face.

"What do you know? I was there, it was my entire fault. I shouldn't have gone out of the house in the first place. It's all my fault. I should have died, why did she? Let me go!" She tries to push Ryouma away.

"Don't say such things! It wasn't your fault, relax Teresa calm down!" he tightens his arms around her.

She loses her consciousness; her whole body burning with fever.

Even in her sleep she mutters, "I'm sorry dad, I'm sorry mom."

Seeing his wife like that, Ryouma immediately calls his father-in-law but his phone was unreachable. "Where the hell is the old man when his daughter needs him the most?"

The whole night Teresa cried and asked for forgiveness. His wife who used to fight with him, who used to answer him back no matter how many glares he threw at her, seeing her break down like that Ryouma's heart ached.

Ryouma knew he had to do something before this girl killed herself crying. His secretary informed him that Eren Scarlet had returned from his business trip. Ryouma immediately went to meet his father-in-law in the middle of the night. The old man was neither at his home nor at his office. Where the hell did he go? Ryouma continued to search.

and here, Teresa dreamt of that day repeatedly every time she slept.

"She fought with her mom and dad and went out of the house. But she was kidnapped again.

This was the first time, she was all alone. The guys had guns with them that scared her even more.

On the confrontation with the kidnappers, there was firing which traumatized the little girl's mind. When the firing stopped and the kidnappers were caught, the cops took her to the police station where she waited for her patents to arrive. She ran to her mother who was on the opposite side of the road whereas her mother strictly warned her to not cross the road. She didn't hear a thing after all that she experienced that day, she just wanted to hug her mom and say sorry for their fight the other day.

Melissa Scarlet saved her daughter from the accident which took her life.

Teresa blamed herself for not listening to her mother.

Seeing her mother die in front of her eyes was too much for her and she fainted."

"Mama." She shouted and woke up and cried again.

Midori Carlton cried seeing her daughter in that state while Ryuu Carlton was still trying to reach his friend. It already has been 2 days Teresa broke down.

Few hours later,

Eren Scarlet finally returns home and stands shocked to find Ryouma waiting for him.

"You need to come with me and see your daughter." Ryouma grabs him by his arm and drags him out of the room.

"What happened?"

"Your daughter needs you. Didn't you tell me to take care of her? I need your help for that. You need to come home with me."

Eren doesn't move.

"Are you really being like this right now?!" Ryouma shouts. "I know you don't hate her, in fact you really love your daughter, I've seen it. She just needs to hear that!"

He still doesn't buzz.

"Do you really want to lose you daughter just like you lost your wife? Isn't she your only family left, didn't your wife left her in your care? and you're going to lose her just because of you're a coward?" Ryouma yells at him.

"Maybe you can leave your daughter in that state, but I cant stand to see my wife dying every minute because of your cowardliness. You have two choices, either you come with me on your own or else I will have to use force, I wont care about you being my wife's father or my dad's best friend." Ryouma grabs him by his shirt's collar and threatens him.

Ryouma's house

Ryouma opens the door of his room where his wife was still crying, seeing her daughter cry like that Eren's heart shatters into millions of pieces.

He runs to her side and hugs his daughter.

Teresa seeing her dad, cries and continues begging forgiveness.

The others leave the room, leaving father and daughter to sort out their misunderstandings.

"I should have been the one to die. I am sorry daddy. Please don't hate me, I'm sorry!" Teresa cries as she begs for forgiveness.

"I don't hate you, how can I hate my precious daughter?" Eren tightens the hug.

"But you always ignored me... I thought you didn't even want to see my face... you were never home..." She says in between her cries.

"I'm so sorry, I know I said some cruel words to you when your mother passed away, I immediately wanted to take those words back but you already erased the memory of the past. I distanced myself from you because I couldn't look at your face that reminded me of my failure of not being able to protect you and your mother. I was a coward and ran away from the truth. Even if I stayed home, I knew I would have only got avoidance Melissa took a promise from me to keep you safe and happy, I couldn't do both, so when i met Ryuu again I immediately kept a proposal of your wedding. I knew Midori and Ryuu would give you all the love you deserved which i couldn't give it to you." He looks at his daughter's face wiping her tears, "Please don't ever talk about dying, you are our treasure, you're the only thing i have left of hers. My wife left me, i don't want to lose my daughter, the second girl I've ever loved in my life. I wasn't here when you were in danger. I am the man who couldn't keep his promise to his wife neither could i keep my daughter happy. Forgive this stupid father of yours." Eren cries asking forgiveness from his daughter. "I'm sorry I was a bad father."

"No... I'm sorry..." Teresa hugs her dad.

***

The dad and the daughter sort out their differences, clearing out all the misunderstandings. They had lot to talk about. They had to cover up for the time they didn't talk with each other. Eren promised to face his daughter wholeheartedly. He made her sleep on his lap, singing her to bed just like the old times.

After few hours, Eren came out of the room.

Ryouma sat on the side of the bed, where his wife now slept peacefully. The guilt that she bore for past 10 years had been lifted.

Eren thanked the couple for taking care of his daughter.

"I knew you would give her all the love and care of a mother and father which she couldn't get. I was a little worried about her married life but now I know my decision was right." He said looking at his son-in-law sitting by his daughter's side.