Vanessa's sense was invaded by a strange scent. She blanked out for a few seconds before she was able to collect herself.
Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut and cursed under her breath. And she hesitated before looking up, only to be met by dark eyes staring straight at her. Tiny whispers broke once more in the room. And while Vanessa couldn't break away from the intense gaze, she was starkly aware of their proximity at the moment. "Mummy." Little Mara's voice came from her side. "If you want to sit on Daddy, you can do it gently. You almost hurt little Mara's arm."Vanessa gulped at her baby's words. Clearly, when she landed on the strange man's chest, her baby's hand was on the way. But somehow, the little girl was fast enough to get her hand out of the way. Stifled laughter sounded in the room. The clicking sound of a camera was now evident and the whispers were not so soft now. Vanessa cried inside. She had worked so hard to land this deal. The last thing she wanted was to offend anyone at this event. She hadn't even gotten her paycheck yet. Her baby's voice managed to have broken her out of the spell of the strange man's gaze. His look made her tremble and she straightened immediately, standing up to her feet. "Please accept my apologies, Mr." She collected herself and grabbed her baby from his arms. "Little Mara has a habit of taking any handsome man she sees as her father—" she cleared a throat and gave a nervous chuckle. "Not that I mean you're handsome," she corrected herself quickly. "But, well, it's all in her thinking. I know you will be kind enough to overlook this innocent act from a little kid." The people were once again hit by another surprise, including the assistant. No one was brave enough to speak so mindlessly to the president of G.I Conglomerate. This woman even went as far as saying she didn't mean he was handsome. She was surely seeking death. "Mummy." The little girl was confused at why her mother was also trying to take her away instead of jumping in excitement with her that she had found her Daddy. "Can Daddy come along with us?" "No, Baby." Vanessa shook her head. "We've got the wrong person, this isn't your Daddy.""You told me this was my Daddy." The little girl's lips trembled and her eyes watered. "This..." Vanessa's eyes darted to the man. He coincidentally happened to perfectly fit the description she had given her baby. But all those descriptions were only made up. As she couldn't provide the right answer to her baby regarding who her father was, Vanessa had no choice but to draw the perfect picture in her mind. "This isn't your Daddy." She completed her sentence and put on a sad look. "Now, let's get you home, Baby. Mummy has finished setting up the cakes."And with her heart thumping rapidly, Vanessa muttered another word of apology and flailed out of the hall, that deep scent lingering in her senses.Even after the chaos died down and other parents arrived to collect her kids, Alfred's eyes never left the door. Never had he been this speechless his whole life. At least, not many times at once. The drama that had just unfolded was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever encountered. He should be mad; the mother did not even apologize for his stained jacket or for tripping on him, but he felt a different feeling. Apart from feeling familiar, this mother and child also happened to intrigue him.How interesting.
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Two days later... Waterfall Apartment Building was located downtown where the working class citizens inhabited. And inside a room on the highest floor of the building, Vanessa folded the clothes scattered on the bed into a huge bag.She shared the same bag with her baby, so there wasn't much to park. And while her thought was occupied by making sure she packed everything before the sunset, Drake was seated at the small dining table, engaging little Mara in a conversation. Apparently, she couldn't stop talking about her newfound Daddy, and Drake was more interested in the little fiasco that had happened at the hotel even more than helping Vanessa out. Vanessa couldn't recount how many times he had made her daughter narrate the incident.And she couldn't be bothered by that, for her fears didn't come true.Vanessa had been afraid that after the scene her daughter had put up, she might get into trouble with the prominent figure. But she got her paycheck without any qualms and all was going well the way she had planned. If things continued going smoothly, she would depart this city by tomorrow and set out on her quest to find her parents. "You're stressing yourself out again." Drake finally paid her attention and helped her fold the last cloth inside the luggage. He had transferred little Mara to a couch who was now sleeping soundly. "As if you care." Vanessa rolled her eyes. "How could you say I don't?" Drake put on a pained look. "You know how much it pains me to see you push your limits." "This is far from my limits," Vanessa scoffed. All her life, she had been engaged in one work after the other. She never rested a bit even while she was pregnant. From the day her adoptive parents drove her out of their lives, Vanessa knew that she had to work hard, to fend for herself, and to also search for her real parents. "What if you don't leave this city?" Drake suggested. "What if you stayed back? Mara's desire to meet her father is getting stronger. Maybe you can focus on that instead."Vanessa slouched on the bed, facing the ceiling and she sighed. "You know I can't do that," she replied. Finding Mara's real father was never on her to-do list. In fact, she was afraid to do that.Any kind of man Vanessa's foster sister had plotted with that night was definitely not a good person. Finding him now would do her no good. It would do her baby no good either. And Vanessa had her reason for searching for her own parents. She had a strong belief that those recurrent nightmares weren't for nothing. They must have a connection with her past. "Is it necessary to go back?" Drake pressed on. "That place isn't a nice place, you know. I don't think it's going to be safe for her."Vanessa's eyes strayed to the couch where her baby slept soundly. She laughed softly and elbowed him. "Who told you it's not going to be safe?" She raised a brow. "Didn't we survive there as kids? Are you underestimating me now that I have a baby?"The town where Vanessa was about to go was the original place they grew up, where the orphanage was located. Vanessa was confident that she could find most of the clues she was looking for in that place. "What about little Mara's schooling?" Drake wa
She saw a convenience store ahead of them and she leaned closer to the driver’s seat. “ Can you stop over there please?” Vanessa points to the store. “ I need to get something” She added. Normally, the driver would’ve turn her down but seeing the way she spoke to him made him smiled. “ Of course” he said smiling. Vanessa looked at little Mara who was playing a game with the kids pad Vanessa bought for her on her third birthday. As a single mother, Vanessa make sure Mara lack nothing. Seconds later, The car parked in front of a convenience store and Vanessa turned to Mara. “ Baby, I’ll be back. Wait for me inside the car and don’t come out” Vanessa Said, She closed the door and walked inside the convenience store holding her purse in her left hand. Vanessa’s mind wasn’t at peace as she picked the things she needed, She knew Mara to be a wanderer whenever she was left alone. Vanessa stretched her hand to pick a bag of chips which was Mara’s favorite from the shelf and a
“ Go get her Whatever she wants to eat” He said to his Assistant who was so deep in thought. Alfred turned to him when he got no response. “ Are you deaf?” He jolted him back to the reality. “ Oh I’m so sorry” The secretary apologized. “ Don’t just stand there” Alfred Snapped and the Assistant made his way out of their sight. “ Don’t shout at him Daddy, I like him” Mara said Smiling. “ Alright, Daddy won’t shout on him again” He said smiling too.--------- Vanessa Remembered Mara whom she left in the car, she checked the watch on her wrist and it dawned on her that Twenty minutes had already passed by. She picked up the basket and pushed Tiana out of her way. “ We’ll meet again” Tiana said after her and Vanessa paused. “ We will never meet again, I hate you!” She said in Anger and stormed away. Vanessa was so Angry that she wanted to cry, She blamed Tiana for everything that had happened. Her life wouldn’t have been in rage if Tiana hadn’t did that to her but somet
“ You don’t have to, We won’t disturb you ever again I promise” Vanessa said apologetically. Alfred didn’t understand what she meant by that but he had no choice than to give Mara back to Vanessa not because he wanted to. He watched as Vanessa left the store holding Mara so tightly as Mara was trying to break free. She wanted to go with Alfred and not Vanessa and so, she cried as her mum took her out of the store. “ Sir, The meeting is in five minutes” His Assistant said to him and he sighed, Alfred was only starring at the Door Vanessa walked out of. An idea popped in to his head and he looked at His Assistant. “ Follow her and find out where she lives” He said and without hesitating, His secretary made his way out of the store. --------Vanessa had missed the flight, she wanted to cry but couldn’t because of Mara. She had longed and worked hard for that opportunity but she missed it and it was all thanks to Mara. “ I shouldn’t have Fed her with lies” She said to Der
The Aroma coming inside the room woke Vanessa up, she Looked around the room but it didn’t looked like the one she had been living in for years. She rolled her eyes, sitting down properly on the bed. “ Oh, it’s Derek’s house” She looked at the Alarm clock on a table beside the bed and it was 7:03am. “ Oh well, Nowhere to go” She sighed deeply and turned to Mara who was still sleeping soundly. She caressed her Smooth black hair smiling. Vanessa Entered the bathroom, she brushed her teeth , washed her face and came out smiling. “ I’ll continue with my work and start planning to leave This town again.” She said looking at Mara who was still sleeping. The door opened slowly and Derek peeped through the door, Vanessa found that funny she wanted to laugh but held it back so as not to wake Mara up. “ Are you up?” He paused when he saw Vanessa standing in front of the Mirror. “ Oh you’re Up, Good morning” Derek said entering the room. “ And Good morning to you too, Hope
“ I wonder what other things she fed you with. Anyways, let’s get going” He said opening the back door. “ But I want to go with Mummy” Mara insisted. “ Then I’ll go tell your Daddy that you said you don’t want to see him ever again” The Assistant said with a mischievous smile. “ But I didn’t say that” Mara Defended herself. “ Then get in to the car” The Assistant said, Mara looked around and then entered the car. “ You’ll come pick up my Mummy later, right?” She asked him as he closed the door. “ Of course” He said and walked over to the driver’s seat. Immediately he started the car, he saw Vanessa ran out of the house calling Mara’s name, He knew he would be in trouble if Vanessa saw him with Mara and so, He locked the doors and the windows. He started the car and drove past Mara who was standing beside a tree calling Mara’s name. Mara saw her mum, She shouted but Vanessa couldn’t hear or see her because the Windows were all tinted. “ That’s My Mummy, stop the car a
Chapter 11 “ Are you sure?” Vanessa asked helplessly and He Nodded his head. She sighed and supported her head with her palm. “ I hope so” ------7:05pm, Mara opened her eyes, she rolled on the bed and yawned. “ Mummy” She called sitting upright on the bed. “ Where’s Mummy? This isn’t our home. Mara came down from the bed , she wanted to go out of the room but the door handle was too high for her. “ Mummy!” She banged the door with her little fist “ Mummy!!” She screamed. “ Open the door!” Alfred who was working on some papers in the sitting room heard the sound, at first he wondered who that could be but then he remembered little Mara who was in his room. “ Oh, she’s awake” He said smiling. As he was trying to stand up, His maid came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and a cap, she looked at Alfred with fears Written all over her face. She didn’t know when the Assistant brought Mara in to the house and Amy too wasn’t in the house. “ Sir, did you hear that sound and
“ They found her?” Derek asked Worriedly. “ No Derek, I want to go check” She wiped the tears in her eyes and Derek sighed. “ I’m sorry dear, We’ll find her. But you should eat something before going” he tried to hold her and she moved back. “ No Derek, I have to look for Mara. She’s the only one I got” Vanessa cried. “ I know Vanessa, but…” She interrupted him. “ No Buts, Just go to work” Vanessa said walking out of the house. He felt so pity for her, he wished there was something he could do to bring Mara back to Vanessa. -------------- “ Mummy” Alfred turned around and saw that it came from Mara, he had totally forgotten about Mara’s mum and he felt so bad. “ What have I done?” He said looking at Mara who’s talking in her dream. Mara opened her eyes slowly, she moved her head to the right side of the room where Alfred was and their eyes met. “ Daddy, where’s Mummy?” Mara asked sitting upright, she rolled her eyes with her index Fingers and Yawned. Alfred didn’t