“Stop it, Felix!”
My voice cracked like a whip, slicing through the tension in the room.
How dare he?
His presumptuous nature burned me like flames licking at dry wood,
Without hesitation, I stepped forward, pushing his wheelchair instead of metal.
Jane’s innocent voice rang out behind me, each syllable twisting
a
“What’s this game, Daddy? Why does Uncle Felix want to play with 1
him reaching for my daughter igniting something feral inside me
my
grip
on
the handles tight enough to leave bruises if it were his skin
Felix’s attempt to play with Jane’s emotions didn’t sit well with my teaspoon worth patience, so I questioned him furiously.
“What are you trying to implore, Felix?”
Felix feigned ignorance as if he weren’t aware of the emotional distress’s hazards and spoke casually.
“Why are you overreacting, Drielle? I stopped by to say hi to my daughter.”
The nerve of this man!
As Felix was reacting like there was nothing wrong with his conduct, I knocked some sense in his thick head through some logical facts.
“Your daughter?
How can you even call yourself Jane’s dad when you don’t even care about her health?
From kidnapping to explosion and then transfusion reaction, she went through immense physical and emotional agony.
Do you still think that this is the best time to inform her about the so–called paternity
test?”
Felix became serious all of a sudden, realizing his fault, but I wasn’t, in the mood to let him go easily. He had pressed my aching nerve.
“You did your best to destroy my life and used dirty tactics for public support.
But remember one thing!
I will never ever tolerate it if your minions even think about treating my daughter as a publicity stunt.”
Felix raised his head, the tears sparkling in his eyes elaborated an entirely different story.
“That’s what you think about me?
A monster who will harm his own blood?
I am thrilled to discover that Zoe has a sister, he won’t feel lonely now. So, I was in a hurry to share this news with Jane.”
He dug his nails in his arm rest, suppressing his inner turmoil and spoke bitterly.
“You are blindly trusting Bright, blaming me for everything bad happening to you.
But let me tell you one thing, Drielle!
It’s not the actual side of the picture; I have never intended to hurt you.”
“Yes!
You actually hurt her, Felix!”
Bright came out as the nurse attended Jane for medication, he steered.
“You didn’t even think once before tarnishing a lady’s honor, Felix. That’s what you truly are.
We all should be extra cautious whenever you are around.”
They stared at each other in a severe staring contest as if they would burn the world through ablaze eyes, sinking my heart, I hurriedly interfered to put a full stop to this madness.
“Jane is sick, so I don’t want any disturbance until her full
recovery.
After that, I will tell her everything by myself. You have my word, Felix.”
Bright also agreed with my decision and helped with the office work during our hospital stay, his role in managing my company’s workload spared me to spend more time with my Jane.
He went to his office and then supervised my firm’s issues in the evening, this double duty gave him only a few hours of rest at night.
But still, he always had an adorable smile on his face, soothing me with nifty words of affection. I secretly complained to God for this mix–up.
Why wasn’t he Jane’s biological father?
Bright was the man of my dreams and a perfect father figure for Jane, he didn’t even frown while working two jobs to provide the best care for my daughter.
That was what one could expect from a birth father as the blood was thicker than water.
However, these rules were reversed in my world!
The stepdad, Bright, managed to have some time daily to play with Jane at night after work, bringing gifts and flowers for her.
On the other hand, there was Felix, totally oblivious of manners.
He was bedridden, healing after his heart surgery, but whenever the doctor asked him to walk, he came to annoy me.
Like today, he took a walk in the corridor and commented on
my
condition.
“Are you going to buy medicines?
Alone?
What a shame!”
Some injections weren’t available in the hospital’s pharmacy, so I grabbed my purse and went out to buy them. It gave Felix a chance to mock me.
“Isn’t it the duty of a father to look after his child’s needs?
Oh, wait!
Jane’s real dad isn’t in the picture yet.”
Balling my fists, I hardly stopped myself from kicking his ass, and said,
“I have raised my daughter alone until now, Felix. I don’t need a man for
I was about to walk away when Felix grabbed my hand, speaking softly.
every task.”
“Don’t overexert yourself, Drielle. We can be a team to take care of Jane together.”