Billionaire Daddy

Chapter 39

The rest of the week goes on and I avoid watching the television or looking at any newspaper or magazine for that matter. All I see is mine and Xanders face on every type of media. Most of the news articles mentioned my incident and Mr. Castelle's arrest. I haven't seen any of the news outlets mention Carena and I would like to keep it that way until she's older. I don't like the paparazzi following us let alone taking a picture of her. According to Alizah and Trina, they said I shouldn't have to worry and that our story will blow over by the time I'm discharged from the hospital. 

It's already Sunday and they were both wrong. I'm cleared to leave the hospital but we all leave behind the building so we could avoid the eager photographers stationed out at the front of the hospital. I'm still not ready to go back to my office so I decide to get work done while I'm home. Xander didn't like the idea of me working while I was still recovering but I insisted. I would rather stay home so I could take care of Carena. Nina has returned and continued to help me around the house while taking care of our daughter. 

Our daughter has been off of her IV and her health is better than before. She has been more talkative whenever she's awake. We've also noticed that her eye color is hazel green just like her father's. Carena hasn't kept either of us awake at night but whenever we hear her cry Xander is always the one to go to her room despite my protests. I swear someday she'll be a daddy's girl because of this.

The following week Xander decides to go back to work and I continue to stay home to take care of Carena. I still have stitches from the bullet that hit me but they should be taken out the next day. While Xander is away I go to Carena's nursery to watch over her. Recently, I've been playing with her and reading to her whenever she's awake or before she goes to sleep. It's the afternoon and she's already resting. I continue watching her as I look over some paperwork that has to get done but I suddenly hear a knock downstairs. That's strange I wasn't expecting any visitors. I hear Nina get the door because she's the only one downstairs.

"Hello, what can I help you with?" Nina asks.

"I'm here to speak to Natalia." A familiar voice responds.

"May I ask who you are?" She asks.

"I'm her father." He says and I freeze.

"You're her father?" Nina asks as if asking for confirmation.

"Yes, and I need to talk to her." He says. Curiosity gets the better of me and I walk downstairs to meet the man who betrayed me. When I reach the door I can see my father who is dressed more casually than the last time I have seen him.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" I ask in confusion.

"I need to talk to you, Natalia, May I please come in?" He asks while glancing at Nina and me. In response, I nod and allow him inside. I let him follow me into the living room because I have no energy to stand or argue so instead I'll listen to what he has to say.

"You have a beautiful place, Natalia." He compliments.

"Dad, why do you need to speak with me?" I ask again.

"I know you're still angry at me and I get it but I want to apologize to you." My father says.

"Why now Dad?" I ask feeling the tinge of anger in my stomach.

"I couldn't find myself at the time we last met but ever since then I realized my actions weren't in the right place." He says.

"Really because I have warned you about my stepmother and stepsisters plenty of times but you consistently ignored me altogether." I throwback at him.

"I know but this time it's different please hear me out," He says before continuing, "I'm sorry for everything I put you through since your mother died. You see she was the only woman who I cared for and would give anything for but when she died in that accident I always blamed myself. I was at my small office and asked her to stay home to rest but she insisted on driving to your school to pick you up but I don't blame you for her accident either. It was my fault for her accident. When I met your, stepmother, I thought my grief went away and I threw myself into my work. In return, I completely ignored you in the process. I neglected you and I swore to your mother I would take care of you but I broke her promise. I didn't realize how messed up I was towards you until after we had last spoken. I knew I had to make things right for myself and most importantly for you." He explains.

"So What did you do to make things right?" I ask quoting him.

"I left your stepmother and stepsisters." He says.

"What?" I ask in disbelief.

"The next day I left her and I began the lengthy process of divorcing her. I realized she was not a wife to me she was a money-hungry person that I was never happy, to begin with. In the middle of the divorce, I learned through my financer that she was pulling money from the company without my knowledge. I should have listened to you back then. I'm truly sorry for everything." He says.

"I'm not ready to accept your apology because I don't think you have earned it. I will never forget what you and my stepfamily has put me through." I can never forgive him because he was never present in my time of need.

"Natalia I-" Before he can finish his thoughts, I hear a cry from upstairs and I excuse myself. 

When I reach Carena's room I see her crying and I can tell she's upset for waking up and not see anyone around. I gently rock her in my arms until she falls asleep.

"Is that your daughter?" My father asks while standing at the door.

"Yes, she is," I reply.

"She looks like Adella." He says referring to my mother.

"Yeah her full name is Carena May Reed," I answer back. I don't care how mad I am with my dad but since he knows my daughter exists he deserves to at least know her name.

"How old is she?" He asks.

"She's almost 4 months old," I respond.

"Is it possible that I can hold her?" He asks and I'm taken aback from his requests but since he knows her I can at least let him hold her for a minute. 

"Okay," I answer back and gently I move Carena in his arms.

"Carena," He whispers, "I'm your grandfather and I want you to know that I love you." He says and kisses her little forehead. 

As much as I want to not have any relations to my father I still find that my heart can't accept it. I know what he said to me was true about my stepmother and that he is genuinely sorry. I also can't hold a grudge against him now that he knows about my daughter. 

"Dad," I say catching his attention while he slowly rocks my daughter.

"Yes?" He asks while looking at me.

"I take back what I said earlier. I forgive you but I'm doing this for the sake of my daughter. She at least should know her mother's father." I say.

"Thank you, Natalia." He says smiling at me.

We have a long way to heal from the trauma I endured as a child but one thing we can stand together on is my daughter. She is our middle ground and our stepping stone.