Page 30 of Overdosed: Her Dark Side
“Hey, little angel,” Shane’s raspy yet gentle voice echoed in my ears as he kneeled on one knee, extending his hands toward Hope.
She approached him hesitantly, glancing at me for reassurance. I nodded, encouraging her to go to him.
“I’m so happy that you’re here, you know?” Hope’s eyes beamed as she took Shane’s hand. “Can I hug you?” he asked warmly, and she nodded, wrapping her tiny hands around his neck.
A single tear escaped my eye. Then another, and another. Trying to hold back tears of joy and overwhelming emotion, I saw a solitary tear roll down Shane’s cheek as he embraced Hope. The sight... it was absolutely beautiful.
Hope and Shane formed a genuine connection surprisingly fast. Though she remained a bit reserved, I could sense that she was warming up to him. Of course, I knew it would take a few more days for her shyness to dissipate completely, but witnessing their quick bond, filled with playful moments and laughter, flooded my heart with overwhelming joy and love. Throughout the entire evening, Hope exuded vivacity and happiness. I noticed that Shane had an incredible talent for interacting with kids, so, he effortlessly bonded with Hope. It suddenly dawned on me that I had been wrong all along, and I struggled to hold back more tears. I was fully aware that those lost three years were something I could never give back to them.
After an evening charged with emotions, Hope had drifted off to sleep, and I carefully settled her in Shane’s bed. Seeking Shane, I found him on the balcony, his gaze fixed on the dark sky. “Shane?” I approached cautiously, my voice breaking. “Hope is asleep. I’ll wait until she wakes up, and then we’ll head back,” I informed him, sensing the distance in his attitude.
“Where are you staying?” he asked, his tone devoid of warmth as he continued gazing into the night.
“At a hotel. I’ll give you the address,” I responded, leaning against the balcony frame and crossing my arms against the slight chill in the air.
“I don’t want my daughter staying in hotels,” Shane declared, finally turning to face me. Our gazes crossed, but I couldn't discern any emotions from his inscrutable face. “I heard you moved out from Anders. I’ll give you the keys to one of my properties so you can move in there with Hope,” he asserted firmly.
“It’s not necessary.” I hesitated, feeling a bit overwhelmed as I tucked strands of hair blown by the wind behind my ear.
“She’s also my daughter, okay?” he sighed heavily, his voice low and stern. “I won’t let her live in a hotel.”
His piercing gaze never left mine, and after a moment, I relented, “Fine.”
“So, you’ve been telling her about me? Showing her my pictures?” he questioned, his expression devoid of emotion, and only in his gaze could I see a flicker of pain blending with something I couldn’t read, anger maybe.
“Yes, I have,” I admitted.
“So, you took her away from me, never intending to come back, yet you were telling her about me?” he pressed further.
My gaze dropped momentarily. “I know how it sounds, but I wanted her to know who her real father was. I didn’t plan anything. I was so confused. But at the same time, I wanted her to know her real dad, even if that meant only through pictures.”
I glanced at Shane, hoping he’d understand, but his harsh tone showed otherwise. “My lawyer will contact you regarding custody and the recognition of paternity.”
Lawyer. He will now be contacting me through lawyers.
In an instant, all my hopes crumbled. I realized there was no hope for us to mend our relationship. Everything we once had was now gone. We became strangers again, with nothing but shared memories. I couldn’t deny that it hurt, but I knew I did it to myself.
“I want to change Hope’s last name as soon as possible. If you cooperate, everything should be done within the next couple of days.” His tone was stern like never before. Not when he spoke to me.
The man I had never stopped loving was now pushing me away. And I knew it was my fault. We both made mistakes. Both were to blame. But I shouldn’t have run away. I shouldn’t have sent Callan to talk to Shane. I should’ve faced him myself. Clear all that needed to be cleared between us. And now, I wasn’t sure whether there was anything I could do to bridge the rift between us. Or if he’d ever be able to look at me again with the same love and desire he used to before all that happened. All that divided us.
“Shane,” I whispered.
“Listen, Melanie. I appreciate that you came here tonight and let me meet my daughter. Finally, after three years,” he said in a scoff. “But that doesn’t change that I’m furious at you. I’m in a position where I don’t know what to do next. And I…” he heaved, running his fingers through his unruly hair. “I don’t know if I could ever forgive you.”
All my hopes and dreams are shattered.
“I’m not saying that it’s only your fault. It would be cynical of me to blame you, but…” he heaved a breath, and I could see the pain on his face. “Too much has happened in the past three years. It all... added more and more bricks to the wall between us.”
He looked at me briefly, waiting for my response, but I couldn’t speak. I was too overwhelmed by emotions. I had ruined the chance to have a loving family I wanted for my daughter. A family I wanted with Shane. He gazed into the dark sky as if lost in thought. “Maybe you were right in saying it was just a wild physical attraction, and we were too blinded by passion and young to realize that.”
I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears welling up. The pain was piercing through my soul. Suddenly, I felt the warmth of Shane’s touch as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it in his.
Our eyes met, and I heard his deep, husky voice. “You will always be the mother of my daughter, and I’ll take care of you, both of you. I’ll make sure you have the life you deserve, but I don’t know if you could ever be someone more than that to me again.”
My heart tore apart in two. I didn’t want anything from him except for his love. “Shane, I don’t expect you to forgive me for everything I’ve done, but at least let me tell you my side of the story,” I pleaded.
But he released my hand and stepped away, his head hanging low in regret or defeat, perhaps both. “Just like you let me tell my side of the story three years ago?”
