Page 50 of Arianna

The baby girl has a full head of hair the same shade as her father's, and I find myself smiling when I notice the ringlet of curls framing her beautiful face. Unruly dark hair, blue eyes, and an adorable dimple on her chin.

This is Sebastian’s daughter.

Then I look at the bed, all the toys, and then around the room, noticing the white and silver decorations all over.

There are pillows in the shape of the moon and stars.

I am guessing by the looks of it that the theme chosen is astrology.

How…beautiful, yet odd for a child.

“Daddy.” The little girl whispers so softly that I almost don’t catch it. I lean closer and look at her, not knowing what this feeling in my chest is. I only know that it has left me breathless, and I cannot seem to look away from the kid.

Wet blue eyes look at me for a second before her tiny mouth breaks into a shy yet adorable smile.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

What is this feeling in my chest? Surely it cannot be– “Daddy.” The little girl wiggles around until she gets out of bed and stands, looking up at me. Huh. What a clever girl.

Blue, curious, and naive eyes meet mine. “Mah, daddy?”

Her daddy.

Sebastian.

I drop down to her level so she does not feel intimidated by my strange presence. I look into her eyes and tell her. “Your daddy is at work, darling girl.”

Darling girl. It just slipped out. The term of endearment my nonna used to call me.

The moment I responded, her entire face lit up. The more I say, the more she looks at me with a small smile on her face, and I find myself wanting to keep her talking to me. She stopped crying, and my chest doesn’t hurt now that she's no longer with tears in her pretty eyes. For some inexplicable reason, I engage with this child.

It just feels…right.

“And what is your name?” I ask her.

The little girl points up with her small chubby finger, making me look at the ceiling, and what I see steals my breath away just like the second I laid eyes on the small girl.

The ceiling is lit up, made to look like the universe with countless blinking stars and constellations.

In the middle of all of it, a name is written in stars.

Ellaiza.

“Ellaiza.” I look down at the girl while she stares back at me, nodding softly. “What a pretty name for a beautiful girl, yes?”

The little girl nods as if she agrees with what I am saying. I find myself smiling from ear to ear, and she does too.

She is not only stunning but smart too.

The infuriating jerk’s genes run strong.

“Diwty...” She scrunches her face and squats as if she is uncomfortable, and I recognize that look anywhere.

Her diaper is full, and it is chafing her.

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