Lies covered in love

Chapter 12-Peck (Hazel)

As we're pouring the pink cake batter in the cupcake molds I hear someone come in. I look behind Eleanor who's siting on the counter liking a spoon that had some batter on it clean. My father stands there with watery eyes.

"Dad?" I start "wh-what are you doing here?"

He quickly wipes a fallen tear away before responding. "I ah- Nicholas invited me for dinner."

"Oh- okay" I say biting down a smile. I haven't seen my dad in some time and I'm happy he's here. I put the mold on a tray and into the oven before setting the timer.  "Mon Dieu, tu feras une belle mère un jour." (You're gonna make a beautiful mother one day) I hear him say under his breath with a proud tone. Was that French?

"You look just like your mother." He states loud enough for me to understand him. I stop my movements. He's never mentioned my mother before. Sometimes when he's drunk he'll say things like 'your mother was amazing' or 'she would've loved you' but that's about it, not too mention he barely even got drunk when he knew I was in the same area.

"Mister, what's your name?" Eleanor asks with pink batter decoration her mouth and then some.

"Uh- Daniel Larsen. You can call me Dani. What's your name sweetheart?"

"I don't wanna call you Dani."

"Uhm-okay" he says looking surprised by the bluntness of the toddler.

"My name is Eleanor, most people call me Ellie or Ella."

"Well it's very nice to meet you Ell-" he gets cut off.

"You can't call me Ellie or Ella Daniel." She says with such a nasty tone I have to laugh. I giggle a little and see my dad's eyes soften when he catches my facial expression. I can't remember the last time he's seen me genuinely smile. The smile lingers on my face when Anna knocks on the side of the open passage.

"Foods read-" she stops cold when her eyes land on my father. "Uh girls you go ahead and go to the dining room, me and Daniel will clean up." She says with an unreadable expression on her face. The maids go as well, clearly taking the message. I wash Ellie's face in the sink quickly and lead her to the big dining room. It's not like the one I ate in the first night. This room is big and lavish, built for having guest and even royals over. I see everyone bunched up at the end of the table. I sit Ellie down on the seat next to Lorenzo and sit on the other side of the table. Looking around the table I notice everybody's there except for the parents and Nick.

Antonio -again- catches me looking around from next to me. "You looking for someone Hazel?" He asks as if he knows how my feelings have been feeling fuzzy about a certain brother of his. I look over to him. "Nope." If you don't show them suspicion they won't find you suspicious. A lesson I learned a long time ago.

"Right well I'm sure you wouldn't react badly or at all if I told you Sofia beat Nico up to a pulp and put him in a coma." He whispers under her breath so only I can hear. My eyes snap to his and fear creeps into my mind. Is he safe? Is he okay? How long for? My blood drains to my feet and Antonio bursts out laughing. "God I was kidding, he went to buy Ella a new toy she said wanted before she left." He takes a bite of his food before turning back to me. "Well Hazel Larsen, looks like you picked the wrong brother." He says while I glare at him like my life depends on it. "Oh come on, it was funny." He nudges my arm with his earning a sarcastic smile from me.

"So Antonio, how's the race track going?" Lorenzo asks interrupting our conversation. Antonio's face looks confused as his eyebrows furrow and his mouth frowns. "Why do you wanna know? Nico's the only one I tell business to. Plus hasn't mother taught you it's rude to bring up business at the dinner table." He replies.