SECRETS

Chapter Twenty-five

I am still lying on the floor, my body, soul and heart bruised. I hear a knock on the door before the door opens. He stands before me, staring at me. His eyes are sad and his face looks pale.

I don't know how long I've been here, burning in pain. It feels like forever.

"You really are my daughter, " he says, crouching beside me.

"Just because your blood runs in my veins doesn't make me any daughter of yours, " I respond.

"What have I done! I messed up big time, Christy. I had no idea. Please don't push me away. " He stretches his hands towards me but I move away from him.

"Christabelle, I'm so sorry. If I had known you were my daughter for one minute, If they hadn't kept this a secret from me, I'd have never done anything to hurt you. Oh No! What have I done? My sweet daughter. "

He moves closer to me.

"Get away from me, you monster," I bark.

He flinches and his eyes widens." I deserve it, " he murmurs to himself repeatedly.

"Believe me, Christy. If I had any idea that Sophia was carrying our child, things wouldn't have ended up this way. I, I thought I had nothing left for me to live for. If I had known Christy, " he says, his voice laced with so much emotions. "I'm so sorry my love. Knowing this now fills me with so much warmth. Knowing what I've done to you kills me, " he continues speaking, his voice breaking.

Can he just shut up and go away? He has caused so much harm already. I'm in so much pain. Can he just let me go?

"I'm sorry, my sweet daughter, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you, I swear. "

Something inside of me softens. Is it wrong that for a split second I feel a little relieved that my own father wants me?

"I don't care about any of this." I raise my hands up for emphasis. "if you really want to make it up to me, let me go back to my mum." If the pain I feel as I'm speaking is evident, I'm unaware.

"My love, I'm so sorry but I can't do that. "

I frown."Yet here you are claiming to care about me. "

"Listen Christy, Please just give me a chance. I do care about you so much. Let's get out of here, we'll treat your cuts, we'll travel far away where no one would ever find us. I won't ever hurt anyone anymore, I'll drop this lifestyle. You have given me purpose, Christy. I want to be a good father, I want to right my wrongs. Just give me a chance, a month at the least and if you still can't accept me. I'll let you go. Please Christy, please. "

There is no way I'm traveling far away with him, he's a murderer.

Funny isn't it? Years back I wished for this, for my father to come and take me away but now it's actually happening, it's not what I want anymore. I now understand why they say, Be careful what you wish for.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you." My reply is stern.

"I know I don't deserve it but please give me a chance to be your father. I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to anymore."

"Just let me go, that's all I want. "

He runs his hands swiftly through his hair. "I can't, Christy. I'm sorry. I need to know that I tried. One month is the least I ask, Christy. I've booked a flight for us, we leave in a few hours but first we'll head to the clinic. I'll give you some time with Jerry before we leave. You won't regret this, I promise."

He is insane if he thinks I'll willingly go anywhere with him. How can he do this to me, to Shan? to Jerry and still expect me to trust him?

"Christy," Jeremy's voice interrupts my thoughts. I didn't see him walk in. He runs up to me and hugs me which makes my body hurt more. I don't tell him it hurts because I like it when he hugs me.