Page 75 of Arianna

Three dots appear on the screen; a second later, his reply comes through.

Tyrant: Look through the internships I suggested.

I smile not only because he will not give up on the matter of the internships but also because he replies to my messages in a matter of seconds and ignores her.

I could brag to Celene about it, but I don’t. Instead, I blow a kiss to my girl Ella who turns her small head my way as Benjamin leaves the room with her and a very angry-looking secretary.

I smile wider while I lean back on the sofa, and then I proceed to turn on the TV, where an old interview of Sebastian is playing.

He is talking about reparations in the city and how crime rates have lowered in the past three years.

I would never admit this to anyone but myself, but I could listen to the man talk for hours when he is in politician or lawyer mode. He is not only brilliant but tenacious as well. A man like him was meant to be on top. There is no doubt of that, not that he does not know that.

He knows he is brilliant and powerful, and the one thing that pisses me off more…gorgeous.

I watch with a frown on my face as he offers a flirtatious smile to the reporter who sat down to conduct the interview. The woman, as expected, blushes from her neck up.

I gag mentally and change the channel, having had enough of the blushing woman and the very obnoxiously flirtatious Sebastian.

* * *

A painful dream wakes me up once again for the second night in a row. I haven’t had them in a while, but every day that I get closer to Ella and find myself bonding with Sebastian might be triggering the memories of my past life back in Detroit. A shiver runs through my body, and I feel cold — colder than usual suddenly.

I slip the covers off my body and get out of bed. I grab my silk robe and slip it on. When I cannot sleep, I go to her. Sometimes I watch Ella sleep, just staring at her beautiful face, lost in the dream world, and I know that everything is alright.

Entering her room as quietly as possible, I move in the dark, guided by the glow-in-the-dark designs on the ceiling, and find my way to her bed.

It’s way past midnight, and Benjamin retreated to his room hours ago. Sebastian never came home. I don’t dwell on how that bothers me. What is he doing? Why do I keep wondering what he is up to? Ugh.

“Anna.” She is awake. Ellaiza might sleep like the dead, but only during the day. A smile breaks free, and I can’t contain it. I can’t ever seem to stay unaffected regarding this little girl. At night, I can be free to love her fully without fear and without her father finding out just how much his daughter means to me.

Because she is a weakness, one I don’t want anyone to exploit.

He doesn’t know that my days here start and end with Ellaiza. My beautiful girl took hold of my dead and cold heart and hasn’t let go since the first time I laid eyes on her. At first, I didn’t want to care. Not when I felt animosity towards her father, and I thought about freeing myself from him.

Not when loving someone makes you weak.

Not when loving her means, I’m betraying my sisters.

The ugly reminder of how everything ended still burns. It happened, and I can’t change it. I remind myself. I am what I am. I will never forget that either. “Anaaaaaaaa.”

“I’m here, baby.” I quickly grab the tiny bag I left here earlier and then move to where Ellaiza is sitting in bed.

This little girl’s room never ceases to amaze me. At night, it is even more beautiful than in the daylight. White walls with bright stars covering every surface of the room. Rows of stuffed animals and toys are neatly placed in every corner of her playpen. Right next to her bed, which sits in the middle of the room, there is a mobile with stars and the moon hanging from it. She loves it. I love watching her smile at the little stars hanging above her and her making grabby hands at them when she is fighting off sleep.

Always reach for the stars, stelina.

The painful memory attacks me without warning. I shake the thoughts away and focus on the little darling looking at me with a huge, naughty smile on her gorgeous face. This daredevil is spoiled, not only by her father and Benjamin but also by me.

She could bring a cold heart back to life. I love her fiercely, which weakens me, but I’m too far gone.

“Mommy.” Ellaiza whispers adoringly, breaking my heart and putting it back together at the same time.

My perfect girl.

You light up my world.

“I’m not your mommy, sweet girl.” This is our routine. She calls me mom, and I correct her, knowing I don’t mind it. I wish she were mine and we could run away to a place where it was just the two of us. “Mommy, up!” Ella giggles, kicking her chubby legs and lifting her arms.

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