How To Act Gay [LiLo]

[9] The Secret.

"What is it?" I asked bluntly, getting tired of her acting nervous and scared bullshit.

Bella's eyes darted all around her house and she wiped her palms on her jeans, then looked up and locked her green eyes with mine.

"You-- we have a child," she blurted out, but it was loud enough for me to hear.

I froze in complete shock, her words failing to process through my mind.

"What the hell Bella!" I forced out after almost a minute. "What the fuck do you mean by that? You can't be pregnant! We've literally met years--"

"Liam please. Listen to me," Bella snapped, as I stopped my questions and glared at her back. Her glare softened as she looked back down at her hands.

"Her name is Casey. She was born around the time we broke things off in '12, and that year was the last time we slept together," Bella told me, as I took her words in, my body still frozen in shock as my mind worked a mile a minute.

Last time. We had had sex at a New Year's party in 2012, and that had been the last time. After that, Bella had suddenly broken off things with me without an explanation, disappearing off the face of the earth for a whole year, and it was now becoming clear.
"What-- that means she's--"

"She'll be three in September or August I think," Bella nodded, comforming my thoughts that the child was indeed mine, and I was just gaping at her as she avoided my gaze. She couldn't even remember her birthday?

"What the actual fuck, woman!" I boomed, springing to my feet. I had a daughter, I was a father and I didn't even know! I felt like I was being pulled in all directions and simultaneously punched with the force of the news as well as the sheer amount of happiness along with indescribable rage towards the biťch sat in front of me.

"Liam--" Bella started in that same warning tone of hers, but I quieted her with my icy glare.

"No. You do not fūcking get to say anything!" I almost growled, my fists clenching at my sides and I glared at the woman in front of me, who had the cheek to look exasperated and not at all nervous like she was acting before.

"I had-- have a daughter. For three years. Three fucking years. I missed three years of her life and you thought to tell me just now?!" My voice boomed across the hollow apartment, and Bella shook her head.

"I did it for a reason!" She protested, and I laughed humorlessly, crossing my arms.

"Do enlighten me. What was your golden reason that forced you to keep a child hidden from her father for three years?!" I spat at her.

Bella stood up from the couch, meeting my eyes as she stood ramrod straight and tensed. "You don't get it Liam. My career was just taking off. A kid would have tied me down and ruined my single carefree girl image. And I knew you would have never let me get rid of it so I ran away," she confessed, as I instantly felt sick with the thought that she had contemplated the possibility of ending a life, of ending the life of my child.

"But I couldn't do it. So I went through with the pregnancy and I had the kid. But--"

"You are such a self-centered bitch," I spat at Bella, who glared at me.

"How was I selfish, you asshole?! I didn't go through with the abortion! I risked ruining my modeling career by having it!" She yelled, and I shook my head in disbelief at how there was a point in my life where I actually loved her and envisioned a family with her.

"Don't you fucking dare call my child an it, you bitch!" I growled, my hands itching to hit her. My thought scared me for a second as I was strictly against ever harming any woman.

"Your career. It's all about your fucking career! Your figure, your modeling! And to think that having a baby would have actually matured you!" I went off, running my fingers through my hair in agitation.

"You're the one who knocked me up you bastard! What did you expect?! I was only twenty, my career was taking off, I couldn't let a kid tie me down," she huffed, and I just shook my head in anger and disbelief, at a loss for words.

"Why did you keep her away from me?" I asked, drained.

Bella bit her lip, her demeanor doing a complete 180°. "I accept. That was kinda wrong of me. I just didn't want anyone to know that I had a kid and I thought if you knew, you'd announce it to the world." Was she really that stupid?

"That's a load of bullshit. Why tell me now then?"

"Because now I know you'd never want the kid to be associated with me and so won't out me and trust me I don't want to be in her life either," Bella shrugged non-chalantly, and I stared at the woman in utter disbelief.

Tears formed in my eyes at the thought of the daughter I never knew I had, who grew up with an absent mother obsessed with her career who doesn't give two shits about her, and also kept her father away from her.

I cursed loudly, kicking at a vase placed in the side, making it smash into pieces at the impact.

"How could you be so heartless?" I accused at her, and she actually looked guilty for once, looking away.

"I made a mistake, so let me fucking fix it will you?" She scowled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I know I'm a shitty mother. She always stays with my sister or her nanny. I know next to nothing about Casey. Hell I don't even know the color of her eyes!"

She took a deep breath, sitting back down on the sofa as she covered her face with her hands. "I can't raise her, I never attempted to. My career is too important for me Liam. I was being a selfish bitch for keeping you both separated just to maintain my image and I-I'm sorry," she choked, and I felt no empathy for her.

"Where's my daughter?" I asked, my heart still aching, wanting nothing more than to meet her and hug her tight, letting her know that she did have a father who would love her more than his career, even give it all up for her.

Bella rubbed a hand up her arm, as if to keep herself warm from a chill. "She's in New Jersey. Lives there with my sister," Bella said, and I shook my head.

"I'm going to visit her right now," I said, itching to get home and book the first flight to New Jersey to see her. Thank God I knew where Bella's only sister lived as I'd visited her with Bella when we were together. She was a nice woman, and I was somewhat relieved that my daughter lived with her.

"Liam--"

"What?" I spat, hating her more that I have ever hated someone in my life.

Bella took a deep breath. "I'm giving you full custody of Casey because I can't take care of her. The only condition is that I have no relation to her or to you. She has your last name too. I'm sorry, I was being--"

"Save it. And trust me. I don't want her anywhere near her so called mother," I spat. "And when?" I asked curtly.

She sighed. "The lawyers will be up tomorrow."

"Fine. Because I'm flying to see my daughter today," I said, turning on my heel and stalking out of her apartment.

"Liam?" Bella called one last time, and even if I couldn't even bear to look at her right now, I inclined my head a little.

"I remember now. She has the softest chocolate brown eyes. Exactly like yours," Bella said with a sad smile, and I had no idea what to feel, let alone respond to that, so I turned around and made my way towards the elevator as fast as I could, my mind still reeling with all the overwhelming information I just recieved.

I was a Dad. I had a three year old daughter who I'd be getting full custody of and who I'll be meeting soon. I still couldn't believe it.

I wanted to see a picture of her so bad, and thought of asking Bella but decided against it. It would be better if I saw Casey myself, for the first time ever.

-----

So, plot twist? Liam is a dad!

The first day of shooting in the next chapter! xx