Always Been You

~Dante’s POV~

There she is, standing at the door as though she had seen a ghost. Did she think I wouldn’t find her even after bumping into my car? Maybe. My shoulders tensed as I stared at her. A pinch of annoyance washed over me, along with a slew of bottled emotions. My dark eyes were fixed on her, the woman who had stolen nearly 5 years of my life. We just stood there, staring at each other. No one said a word. We were just looking at each other. She looked terrified. She ought to be. I’m not here to eat; I’m here to claim what is rightfully mine. She looked confused.

“At long last, Bunny.” She backed up a few steps. She was trembling. Why should I care about how nervous I make her right now? I want my children and she is not going to stop me. I will take them away from her and let her feel how I felt all those years ago. I was a father without even knowing it. As if she could even go a day without them. Does she realize how difficult it has been for me to not see them since yesterday? I want to see them every day. They are entirely mine. “Are we going to stand here or will you invite me in?”

“C-come in, please.” She said, with a shaky voice. She escorted me into a sitting area. We came to a stop beside her couches. I watched as she nervously looked at me from head to toe as I plopped down on the couch. I sat and spread my legs wide and crossed my arms over my chest. She swallowed nervously and sat on the couch opposite mine with everything in her trembling. That is something I would not fucking miss. I had many questions for her. Quite a lot. She squeaked her head to the side, her lower lip biting.

“Do you want something to drink?” When I stared at her, my blood started to boil. How could she do this to me and act as if I’m here to drink? Well then, if she wants me to drink, I’ll drink.

“Scotch.” I roared. She nodded and stood up uncomfortably. She took a few paces before coming to a standstill.

“How about something a little less strong?” She said, looking everywhere but me.

“Scotch.” I roared. She didn’t push; instead, she swayed her way to one of the shelves and returned with a bottle of my favorite scotch and two glasses in her hand. She sat everything on the table. I wasted no time and poured the amber drink into the glass. Amber, just like her eyes. While whirling the drink, I sipped it.

“Start talking,” I commanded, and she bit her lower lip and poured a drink for herself. Now I’m left surprised because Lola never liked the drink before.

“If you were in my shoes, pregnant and rejected, what could you have done?” She’s making excuses, and that pisses me off.

“Start talking,” I stated again, my gaze fixated on hers, challenging her to fucking tell me yet another fucking excuse. She tried to reach for her glass. I chuckled at the back of my mind because I noticed that she was trying to act bravely by pouring that drink. She said nothing for a long, fucking painful minute. She swallowed the knot in her throat and fisted at the fabric of her skirt. She gazed up at me, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

Sorry!

Like hell, she’s sorry. Will her sorry bring back all the years? Will her apologies bring back the chance to see my children grow? Will her apologies make up for the missed pregnancy check-ups? Like hell, she’s sorry! When I looked at her, she was gripping her skirt and shaking hysterically. This woman does not merit my sympathy. I came all the way here for her to explain what led her to do what she did to me, and all she could say was ‘sorry.’ No explanation whatsoever. Does she think she can do as she pleases and get away with it without explaining? She should make me understand why the fuck she ran away with my children. Why am I even wasting my time with her?

“I’m taking my kids, and when you are ready to talk, you know where to find me.”

“Dante, please. I can explain.”

“Lola, start talking!” I said as my eyes drifted to the diamond ring I gave her on our wedding day. She may be my wife, but she does not have the authority to make decisions for me. She remained silent and started sobbing. “Crying won’t give me back the lost years, Bunny. I will give you 2 days. Tell the kids that they will be staying with me from now on. Make them understand. I think you are pretty good at that, considering you told them I was busy all these years. Don’t even think of running away from Bunny, because I will find you. I have more than one reason to track you right now, and if I do, I will make sure you don’t get to see them again.” I said this as I rose to my feet, but Lola quickly went down to her knees.

“Please, don’t take my children away from me.”

“They are mine too, Lola.”

“You didn’t want me.”

“You ran away, Lola. You didn’t give me the chance. We could have been a happy family. You took all that away from us. You forced me to sign the divorce papers while you were pregnant. You didn’t say a word, Lola. This is completely your fault. You ruined our lives. I will be taking the kids in 2 days’ time.” I started to walk away, but she grabbed me by the back.

“Please. I am still shocked. Give me time. I will tell you everything.”

“You don’t get to be shocked, Lola. I get to be shocked. I just found out I am the father of three children yesterday. I should be shocked, not you. Lola, you are the last person to be shocked. Two days and that’s all I can give you, Lola.”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t do this.”

“You have no right to ask me that, Lolita,” I said as I removed her grasp from my waist and walked out.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.