Adopted by the Billionaire✔️

[31]

Ellie's POV

I didn't really understand what was happening at first.
One minute Daddy was standing at the front of the classroom, talking to everyone like he always does—calm, confident, smiling at me—and the next minute a man in a black suit walked in and whispered something to him.
Daddy's face changed.
Not angry.
Not scary.
Just... serious.
He looked at me once before leaving the room, and that was when my stomach started to hurt. I watched him walk out with the man, talking fast, using words I didn't understand.
I waited.
Maybe he'd come back.
But he didn't.
My eyes started to sting, and I blinked a lot, hoping no one would notice. Then the same man came back into the classroom.
"Miss Eliana," he said gently.
I looked up at him, and that's when the tears came. I couldn't stop them, even though I tried really hard.
"Is Daddy okay?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"It's alright," he said. "Your father is very capable. He has to go on a business trip."
"A business trip?" I repeated.
I knew what that meant.
Daddy leaves.
Daddy works.
Daddy comes back.
But then he said, "For a few weeks."
My chest felt tight.
"That's a long time," I whispered.
"So... Daddy is leaving me?" I asked, even though I didn't really want the answer.
"No," the man said quickly. "He'll be back."
I didn't believe him.
I'd never been away from Daddy before. Not like this. No warning. No goodbye.
"I want Daddy," I said.
Then I said it louder.
"I WANT DADDY."
I didn't care who heard me anymore.
More men in black suits came in, and one of them picked me up. I kicked a little—not because I was mad, but because I didn't know what else to do.
"You'll see your father soon," they kept saying.
But they weren't Daddy.
Miss Poppy told me maybe I should go home. The other kids stared, some of them whispering, some looking excited like this was a movie.
I hated that.
I screamed again, even though my throat hurt.
"I WANT DADDY."
They carried me outside and put me in the backseat of the limo. I saw Miss Cleveland standing near the door. She looked sad for me.
Eventually, I got tired of crying.
My head hurt. My eyes hurt. Everything hurt.
I stared out the window and wondered if Daddy was abandoning me. I knew he loved me—but my brain kept asking what if.
When we got home, I ran straight to Daddy's room. I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't say hello.
I climbed onto his bed and pulled the blanket around me.
It smelled like him.
That made my chest hurt less.
I fell asleep like that, holding onto the pillow, hoping Daddy would come back before I woke up

revision: 3.10.26