Thank God I was sitting because otherwise, I'm sure I have already found myself lying on the floor. My hands and knees were shaking but I couldn't form any words inside my head. I was so shocked that left me motionless on my seat.
"I'm sorry, my baby. I know I was wrong that I just let you go without supporting you for the truth. I was a great coward that I didn't even put a fight to find justice for what he has done to you. And I was weak that I got scared and wasn't able to protect you. I'm sorry, my Belle."
Tears started to blur my vision but I couldn't still open my mouth to say anything.
"I know I can never change what happened and I can never bring back the past. And I also know that I don't have the right to ask for your forgiveness but I only have one wish before I die---"
A loud sob burst out my lips when I heard the word 'die' that I had to cover my mouth to prevent myself from choking from my own sobs.
"Don't cry, baby, please? I have already accepted it as my destiny and my punishment for what I did to you and to your mom. I wish I could go back to the time when you were born. When I first saw you and held you in my arms. That day, I promised myself to protect you, to love you and to give you everything you need but I guess I failed. Your father failed, Belle. I failed to be a husband to your mom and I also failed to be a father to you."
Since when it is difficult to form a word? It hurts to hear those words from him. The pain is slowly eating my strength and blocking my brain from thinking about positive things.
"I have only one wish before I leave and before leaving my last breath, it is to see you and to hold you in my arms again like I used to hold you when you were still my little girl. I love you, my Belle. I hope in my second life if ever God will give me the opportunity to live again on this earth, I promise to become a better man, a loving husband for your mom and to be a good father to you."
My whole body trembled when he finally ended the call. It's only then that I found my voice and I screamed. I screamed, hoping it would take the pain inside my chest, or at least lessen the agony that eating my heart inside. I suddenly lost all my strength and couldn't even hold my phone and dropped it to the floor.
"Arghhh!"
Why does fate, destiny or whatever you call it seems so unfair to me? All I wanted was to have a complete family, to have a mother who would run to me and embrace me whenever I fall, a father who would protect me from any harm that this cruel world could give, and a man that would love me and care for me the way a simple woman like me should love and cherish.
"Sophia!"
The door flew open and the face of worried Craig was the first thing that came to my sight, and second was the face of the last person I ever wanted to see at this very moment, Daniel Kelley.
"Oh, my God! What happened to you?" Craig was the first one to ask and they rushed towards my seat.
"Sweetheart..." Daniel tried to hug me but I swatted his hands and pushed him away from me.
A stream of tears ran down my face when I looked at him. Raising my hand, I gave him a clear signal to stop where he was.
"Don't touch me! And don't fucking call me sweetheart!"
"Sophia?" He and Craig uttered in unison.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, gritting my teeth.
Seeing his face today after hearing my father's painful revelation seems an extreme torture to me. My head hurts and I could feel my heart bleeding inside my ribcage. Suddenly, his image wearing only a towel that morning came across my mind that caused me to stumble, but Craig immediately grabbed my arms and helped me to stand still.
"Sophia, I'm sorry. Please let me explain. Let us talk."
"Sorry? Forgodsake! How many times do I have to hear that word today? Twice? Three times? Ten times? I'm fucking tired of it and I'm so sick of hearing that word!"
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