Page 29 of Overdosed: Her Dark Side
Betty had left Malta for me, which I was grateful for. Hope had grown fond of her, treating her like a grandmother. I knew Betty didn’t have anyone back in Malta; her children and husband had tragically died in a car accident nearly twenty years ago, and she never started a new family. In a way, Hope and I became her family, and she became ours. I was grateful to have her along my rocky journey, always able to count on her support and help.
“Don’t worry, dear,” Betty said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I put Hope to bed and turned on the TV. I usually tried to deter her from watching, but I was too overwhelmed and needed a moment.
“I was thinking that maybe you don’t need to pay me in this situation, love,” Betty suggested as I sat on the soft couch next to her, running my hands through my head as I heaved.
“God, Betty, no,” I protested, setting my eyes on her. “There’s no way I would let you work for me for free.”
Betty sighed, offering me a warm, reassuring glance. “Dear, we’re no longer in Malta where you had a job, where you led a different life. Now, things have changed. You’re back to your old reality, you have no job now that you could support yourself with. Besides, you’re like family to me. Both of you.”
“I’ll find a job soon.” I smiled. “And I have some savings. Please, Betty. Don’t worry about it.”
“At least for a while—”
“It’s not up for discussion.”
I went for a walk to clear my mind. I felt lost. Utterly lost. I didn’t know what to do anymore. Deep down, I wanted to run to Shane, forget all that had happened between us, and salvage what was left of our love. At the same time, I couldn’t stop wondering whether I could trust him again. Although he fell in love with me later, at first, he approached me with the intent of harming me. Could I ever forget that? Could he forgive me for keeping his daughter a secret for three long years or plotting against him with his brother?
“God, give me a sign,” I pleaded, running my hands through my hair, swept by the moist September wind.
At that very moment, a family walked by. The father was carrying his daughter, the mother holding his hand, laughter and conversation flowing in the air. If that wasn’t a sign from the universe, I didn’t know what else could be.
Screw it.
I sprinted back to the hotel and took a quick shower. With my hair still damp, I hastily applied makeup, my heart pounding with the kind of rush felt before a date.
I felt alive again. The mere thought of a potential future with Shane made me feel alive again. After drying my hair, I styled it into loose waves. I dressed in a light beige, cashmere half-turtleneck and matching wide-leg pants. A gold necklace adorned my neck, and I left a trench coat undone for a touch of elegance.
For Hope, I chose a sweater-like dress. I wanted our outfits to match. I tied a black bow at her waist. Her hair was half-up, half-down.
I knelt before her, smiling. I looked into her eyes and kissed her forehead. “We’re going to meet your daddy,” I whispered. I quickly grabbed my purse, and we headed downstairs to hail a cab.
I stood at the entrance of Shane’s penthouse, gently rapping on the door. Hanging onto the hope that he hadn’t moved out, much like how he kept his old phone number just in case I ever called. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Never before had I felt such anticipation.
Eventually, the door swung open, and there he was. The man who caused my life to implode and the only one capable of mending it back together. Shane Vergoossen, my nemesis, my oasis. The villain and the savior. A walking contradiction and the only man I wanted to spend my life with.
“Hey,” I mustered. My body quivered, but my eyes… my eyes gleamed at the sight of him. “May we come in?” I spotted his surprise as he stood there, eyes widening.
“Of course,” he responded gently, his husky voice a soothing melody to my ears. Always. “Come on in.”
Now, after I knew the truth, seeing him felt surreal. But something was different about him. He wasn’t the same man I had left three years ago. I was aware that so much had happened. We had both changed. And yes, his deep ocean-blue gaze was still as captivating as before. But it was also colder. Distant. He didn’t look at me with the same affection as he used to.
“I’m sorry that I disappeared for the whole day, but I needed time to clear my head,” I explained as we entered his living room. The very same room where we had shared some of our happiest moments. It brought back so many memories.
“We’ll talk about this later,” Shane replied curtly.
I settled Hope on the couch and knelt to address her softly. “Hope, remember what I’ve been telling you about your daddy?”
Hope nodded shyly.
“Well, the right time has come. Do you recognize him? You’ve seen him many times in the pictures, remember?”
Hope merely nodded again, intimidated by the new situation, and I smiled, although my heart was racing so fast, I thought it would jump out of my chest. “Good,” I reassured her, gently caressing her cheek. “You can go to him. Your daddy can’t wait to hug you,” I said, guiding her toward Shane, who patiently observed us.
“Hi, Daddy,” Hope greeted shyly, and my heart skipped a beat.
Hearing her say those words for the first time and witnessing the involuntary smile that played on Shane’s lips, brought tears to my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I wiped away a tear, trying to compose myself.
