Chapter 6 An Argument

• Chloe's POV
• "Why do you not like my mommy, Ethan?"
• "Your mom... I like her. She... She is good." Ethan stammered, obviously taken aback by her question, and I stifled back my laugh.
• "Then how come you don't get her gifts as well?" Ariana asked curiously, looking a little sad, and I found it comical how Ethan was thrown off balance.
• "Your mom..." He pinched the bridge between his brows. "Your mom is a grown up."
• "Grown up love gifts too. Mommy loves it when Uncle Dylan brings her gifts." Ariana said, and I noticed the frown that formed on Ethan's face.
• "Who is uncle Dylan?" He asked her, his brows furrowing.
• "He is a friend to my mommy. Aunty Bonnie said that he likes her and mommy likes him too."
• "Ari, it is time for you to go to bed." I said quickly, before she would say more. "Come let me tuck you in."
• She shook her head. "I want Ethan to do it."
• Ethan's eyes widened. "Me?"
• "Yes. Don't you want to tuck me in?" She asked him cutely, her big eyes round in expectation.
• "Oh, of course I do."
• He then carried her to her bed, placing her down very carefully, while I stood at the door watching them.
• He covered her with some cute pink sheets, and bid her goodnight.
• "Is that all?" Ariana asked, and a laugh escaped my lips. Ethan looked at me with a frown on his face.
• "What do you want me to do for you, Angel?"
• "Mommy would have kissed me and told me that she loves me." She innocently told him, and his eyes bulged.
• "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." He then leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."
• It was strange hearing someone else say that to her apart from Bonnie and I. I wondered if he meant it. Maybe he did. I could see the adoration in his eyes. And it made Ariana happy.
• Ethan stood up to leave, but she caught his hand again. "Are you not going to read to me?"
• "Read to you?"
• "Yes. Mom usually read me stories before I sleep. Can't you read?"
• Now I burst into laughter, seeing how confused he was.
• "Are you going to ask for help now?" I asked him when he turned to me again. But I didn't wait for his response as I went over with one of her books.
• "Give me that." He said, taking the book from me, and I frowned. I then stepped aside to allow him do whatever he wanted to do.
• He began to read to Ariana, and soon she began to giggle. "You are too fast. That is not how to read."
• "See? Ari is right. You do not know how to read." I then took the book from him, and began to read to Ariana, while he watched me, totally annoyed. I smiled smugly, enjoying his annoyance.
• *****
• "Where is your financee?" I finally asked Ethan after Ariana had gone to bed. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go to the living room, and it wasn't too long after that he joined me. He sunk on the couch next to mine.
• "Why do you want to know about my fiancee?" He asked me instead.
• I shrugged. "She is your financee, and I kinda expected to find her here. Plus she might get angry if she finds me with you. I don't think I will like it if I find a grown woman in my fiance's house without my knowledge."
• "But here you are. Aren't you selfish?" He asked, tilting his head to look at me.
• "You call me selfish, but you are the one that took my daughter from me. What do you expect me to do? Stay away from her?" I sharply turned to him, not bothering to conceal the anger in my voice.
• "I took your daughter from you? I fucking took your daughter from you?!" His gaze bored into mine, and I the anger in them was palpable. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, not knowing what to expect. "You hid her from me for four years. Four fucking years, I had no idea I had a child, and here you are talking about me taking her from you."
• "Oh, you accept that she is your daughter now, huh?" I asked, despite the fear I was starting to feel. "Or is your DNA result out?"
• "Fuck the result, I know that she is mine. If she never fell sick, I was sure that you would not have told me!" He seethed, and I could feel the anger radiating from his aura.
• I recoiled in my seat, feeling guilty. "I wanted to tell you. I really did, but when I learnt that you were engaged, I thought I would come between you and your fiancee. I didn't want to ruin it for her."
• "Is that the lie you tell yourself? You were just selfish, and you will make up any lie for you to feel better. I will give you some time here with her, and after then, I will throw you out and you will never see her again."
• My heart beat quickened, and I got on my feet. "You can't mean that."
• "I fucking do." He got up as well and made to go in, but I followed after him and grabbed his arm.
• "Do you think she will be happy without me? She loves me, and she will look for me." I said, hoping that it would be enough to change his mind. But the fear and dread in my heart seemed to grow with each passing second.
• "She is just four. With time she will learn to live without you and forget about you. She will believe everything I tell her about you."
• "Ethan, I was wrong for keeping her from you, I know. I am sorry. But please, don't take her away from me. I can't take it, please." I eyes were already gleaming with tears even though I tried to fight them back.
• "You should have thought about that when you decided to keep her from me." He then pulled his arm out of my grip and walked away.
• I gripped my hair tight, thinking of things to do. Should I get a lawyer? That would cost a lot, and I had spend almost every penny I had on Ariana. Plus Ethan can easily pay the best lawyers.
• I walked to Ariana's room as I combed through my hair. My baby girl. She was sleeping soundly. I know that I would do anything for her, I will give up the world for her, but I didn't think I would ever have to give her up. Life would have no meaning anymore.
• I wiped my tears as I walked to her. I leaned in and a placed a kiss on her foreh
• ead, careful not to wake her up. I then turned to leave, closing her door gently.