𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 {𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦}

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒

**A different POV for this chapter! DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!**

"Ms. Gomez you have a call on line three," my secretary Brandy said peaking her head in my office I nodded and picked up my phone. I knew exactly who it was. He had been trying to call me for the last few weeks and I just wasn't ready to have this conversation with him but I couldn't avoid it anymore it was time to face the music.

(B- Angelo- I-Hermione)

Hello?

You have a collect call from Angelo Ortiz an inmate at Clark County Detention Center do you wish to accept the charges?

Yes I'll accept

Hey Hermione?

Hey Angelo, how's everything going?

Uh fine I guess. I've been trying to call you for a while. I think it's way past time that we talked about what's going on with Mariah.

Yeah, I figured that's why you called. I've just been busy. What's on your mind?

I'm just curious as to why you've avoided your own daughter for months now Hermione. I mean shit you live in the same fucking town and you didn't even bother wishing her a happy eighteenth birthday.

I'm not avoiding her Angelo she made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with us and I'm not going to force a relationship if that's not what she wants.

*Chuckles* So if Veronica told you the same thing you'd completely leave her alone too?

-Silence-

Yeah, I thought so. She was upset Hermione everyone says shit they might not mean when they're upset. You really don't get how much she's gone through this year. Losing me and having to move back to a place she really didn't want to be anymore. You don't know how upset she was during the whole court bullshit with me. She thought her mom was a lawyer apparently one of the best around she thought you would have been able to help me plead my case. And you completely blew off her phone calls and texts. That doesn't mean you ignore your kid, Hermione. She called me the other day in tears because her mom didn't even acknowledge one of the most important days of her life so far. Eighteen is a milestone and once again she felt like she wasn't important to you.

I don't know what else you want me to say, Angelo. I'm sorry about everything maybe if I did get involved in your case you would be home now but what's done is done. And I don't know what I would do if Veronica acted the way Mariah has I really don't. And me not saying or doing anything for her birthday wasn't intentional it really wasn't it just slipped my mind.

When for once in your life will you just admit that Mariah has never been as important to you as Veronica is? Hiram hated my daughter's guts just because she was born differently that's not her fucking fault Hermione. You as her mother should have stood up for her but you never did. Do you understand what a slap in the face that was to Mariah? And that's complete bullshit that it's not intentional she's your fucking firstborn how could something so important just slip your mind?

That's not true at all and you know it, Angelo! Mariah means everything to me yes I messed up by not defending her but I can't do anything about it now. Hiram isn't here anymore I fucked up I know I did. And it seriously just did.

Then fucking show her that she means something to you, Mione! She needs her mom now more than ever it fucking kills me that I can't be there for her as much as I once was you're the only parent she has right now. You need to pull your head out of your ass and act like her mom. And you need to nip this shit that's going on with Veronica in the ass. I'm tired of hearing my kid complaining about how much of an asshole she is to her. Fix it with the two of you now before Mariah completely wants nothing to do with either of you. I don't want that to happen but I won't force her to keep trying with you if no effort is put in by you.

*Sighs* You're right Angel you're right about everything. From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry for everything. I know that I haven't been the best parent and you've been the most incredible father to our daughter and I'll forever be thankful for that. I promise you I'm going to do whatever it takes to fix everything alright?

I'm just doing my job as a father, really take the time to get to know Mariah she's an amazing young woman. She has a great head on her shoulders you'd be proud of the woman she's becoming.

I know and I have you to thank for raising her that way. I'm gonna make things right I promise you that.

Like I said I'm just doing my job as her dad. I hope so Hermione. I gotta get going so I'll talk to you soon.

I will. Keep your head up in there. I'll talk to you soon too.

**Call Ended**

After my talk with Angelo, I gathered my things and told my receptionist I was going to be out for the rest of the day. I walked outside and got in my car and just started driving I didn't have any destination in mind but I just needed to drive. Finally, after about a half-hour of driving, I noticed I ended up at Sweetwater River. I got out of my car and walked towards the river and sat on a rock near the water and just took a deep breath.

I took my phone out and went to my photo album I had one album dedicated solely to Mariah I began looking through the pictures and videos I had taken over the years and all the ones that Angelo had sent to me throughout her life. I remember finding out when I was pregnant with her I was beyond scared of being a teenage parent. I thought I was going to have to give up my ultimate dream of going to law school. If it weren't for Angelo taking everything on for me I don't even know where I would be now.

I know I've missed so much of Mariah's life and I would live with that guilt for the rest of my life. I wasn't the mother she deserved to have. I let Hiram put things in my head that was something he was a pro at. But I should have never let him speak ill of my daughter the things he used to say about her were completely disgusting and I should have put an end to our marriage in the early years of being together. I should have never let him put a wedge in the relationship I had with my firstborn. It might sound bad but losing him took the biggest weights off of my shoulders.

I let this animosity between my daughters and myself go on for far too long and it was time that I fix it once and for all. I couldn't continue to miss out on my daughter's life and I was going to keep my word to Angelo I was going to fix it no matter what. I needed my daughter back.  

**A/N- I apologize for taking so long to update this story. Life got in the way. I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter so let me know what ya'll think!**