Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 50: Excruciating

Liam's gaze shifted to the doorway, spotting his father standing there. Excitement ignited in his eyes, prompting him to leap off the bed and sprint towards Daniel. Crouching down, Daniel welcomed Liam into his arms, lifting him securely. Standing up, father and son embraced each other as if reunited after years apart. Daniel, feeling a sudden lightness, as if the weight of the world had lifted, sighed in relief.

After a few minutes of heartfelt embrace, Daniel walked towards the bed, settling down with Liam still on his lap. Liam, cupping his father's cheeks with his little hands, expressed, "I missed you so much, Dada." Daniel smiled warmly, placing a tender kiss on Liam's head, responding, "Well, I'm here now, and you have so much to tell me, right?"

Liam nodded earnestly, brimming with excitement. "Mommy told me not tell you that Belle and Meher had gone because it was surprise. But now you home, so I can give you surprise, right?" Liam asked eagerly.

Daniel couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart as Liam innocently revealed Seher's departure, echoing the news he had just heard from Amelia. She explained that Seher's six-month contract had ended, and she had chosen to move out and be on her own, no longer wanting the job. Fueled by anger, Daniel confronted Amelia, questioning her involvement in Seher's decision. Despite his fury, he chose to trust Amelia's assurance that Seher had made this choice a few days ago, and she had no hand in her leaving. Truthfully, Amelia admitted she didn't try to stop Seher or force her to leave the job or Mitchell Mansion. Trusting her words, Daniel acknowledged that deep down, he had sensed this day approaching. He had hurt Seher, broken promises, and now, she had left, taking a piece of Daniel's heart with her.

Daniel turned his attention towards Liam, inquiring, "But why did they leave, Liam?" Liam just shrugged his shoulders, responding, "I don't know, Dada, but Belle promised me that she would take me to the park to play with Meher." Excitedly, Liam continued, "And you know what?" Clapping his hands, he shared, "I went to Belle's new home, and I slept in Belle's room with Meher and Belle. Belle made lots of food, and there were..." Liam paused, recalling the names of the people he had met, saying, "I don't remember the names, Dada, but there were big people there."

Curious, Daniel asked, "Big how?" Liam widened his eyes, explaining, "Very, very big like you, Dada. There was one big man who was very scary, but then he gave me a hug, and he was just like Santa. Meher was even calling him Nanu. And there was a very nice lady, she fed me my food, and Meher was calling her Nani. And there were two other people. One was a man who looked like Prince Charming. He was very pretty, and there was one girl also, Dada. She was also very pretty. And Belle gave a big hug to Prince Charming, and she also cried. But I don't understand what they were talking about," Liam said, shaking his head with a frown on his face.

Daniel frowned, contemplating how Seher had seemingly established a new home and made new friends, leaving him with numerous questions about the duration of her planning. Recognizing that he could only extract limited information from his son, he decided to visit Seher in the morning. However, he was uncertain about her whereabouts and how to find her. Daniel had a gut feeling that Amelia might know, considering Liam's sleepovers at Seher's house. Determined to get the address, he acknowledged that Amelia likely had the information and would need to approach her for it.

As he kissed his son on the head and resumed his movie, Daniel left Liam's room and headed to his study. Despite having no work, he felt the need to get some rest and try to quiet his mind, which was racing at a million beats per minute. The promise of divorce lingered in his thoughts, yet he found himself not entirely certain. Was it the 15 years they had spent together? The deep love he felt for Amelia? Or perhaps some confusion in his own mind that allowed him to perceive her elaborate efforts as a means to stay with him? Chuckling at his own musings, Daniel acknowledged the necessity of seeking therapy, realizing that Amelia's actions had no valid excuses.