Holding Her, Loving You

Chapter Eighteen: Fighting for Lia

Cesc sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, it had been a week since Daniella had left the country and had taken their daughter with her; the footballer wasn’t sure what was going to happen but he didn’t want to lose Lia like this.

The footballer shook his head as he headed up to the apartment where he now lived with Belina and their son, he loved being able to spend more time with Alejandro; he had missed out on so much that he knew this time was important to bond with the six year old especially with his birthday coming up.

Cesc unlocked the apartment front door and headed inside, he tilted his head as he looked around knowing that Belina was home; their son had football training after school so he wouldn’t be home until late.

“You’re home early,” the brunette said as she stepped out of Alejandro’s bedroom, she smiled at him knowing that he was stressed about the fact that Daniella had taken Lia like that; she was offering him all the support that she could while he struggled with what had happened.

Cesc smiled at her as he set down his training bag and walked towards her, he wrapped her up in his arms as she sighed and held him close; the last week had been hard and the press were all figuring out that not only had Daniella fled the country but the footballer had gotten back together with his ex-girlfriend.

“How was training?” Belina asked curiously, she worried that he wasn’t resting and she wished that there was something more that she could do to help him in some way.

“It was fine,” Cesc said shrugging as he looked down at her, he was determined to keep her from finding out that a couple of his team-mates were far from pleased with what he had done; everyone knew that things with Daniella wouldn’t last because of the age-gap but he had jumped so quickly into his relationship that he hadn’t had change to adjust.

The brunette pulled back and looked at him, she knew that he was keeping things from her and it worried her that there was something going on that she didn’t know about; especially when it came to his team-mates, she doubted they were all pleased that they were back together again.

Cesc kissed her softly hoping to ease her worries, he didn’t want her worrying about anything when he knew that he had made his choice and it was her; he wasn’t going to make a mess of things this time.

Belina closed her eyes, she knew that if the press were reporting on their relationship it would only be a matter of time before they heard from her mother.

***

Elie Taktouk smirked as he stared at his ex-wife, he wasn’t surprised that she had come to him when things with the footballer had fallen apart; Daniella had never been alone and now that Cesc had gone back to an ex-girlfriend, she needed him again.

“What is it you want?” Elie asked as he stared at her, he smirked knowing that this was his chance to punish her for what she had done to him; he had been humiliated by her when she had been caught cheating on him with Cesc.

The first inkling that Elie had of the affair was when he had opened his morning newspaper back in June 2011 only to be greeted by the sight of Daniella sharing a sun lounger with Cesc on holiday in the south of France and it had made him sick to the stomach.

“I need your help,” the Lebanese asked as she sat down, she was there to collect the children and had asked to speak with Elie, she had gotten a letter from Cesc’s lawyer and she knew that if she didn’t have help then she’d have to go back to Barcelona with Lia.

Elie snorted as he sipped on his drink, he stared at her suddenly amused at the situation that was now in front of him; she had cheated on him without a second thought and now she needed his help.

“Please Elie,” Daniella said as she wondered what she could do to guarantee his support, she knew that she had to do something if she wanted to keep Lia in the country with her.

“You know… I’ve thought of a million ways to make you suffer for what you did to me,” the millionaire businessman said as he watched his wife, he knew that he had planned to get her back for what she had done to him; they had been happily married or so he had thought and she had destroyed their family.

Daniella swallowed as she stared at him, they had fought a lot during their divorce and she knew that she deserved his anger for what she had done to him; but she was sure that deep down in still love her in some way.

“I see you for what you are Daniella… a gold-digger, I loved you once but no more,” Elie said knowing what she was hoping for and he wasn’t going to change his mind; he wanted her to suffer for all the pain and for taking his children with her when she had moved to Barcelona to be with her lover.

The Lebanese swallowed as she stared at her, she needed his support and if he turned her away then she would lose Lia; she looked at him hoping that he wouldn’t do this to her.

“Get out of my home Daniella… I will support my children and only them, not that brat you’ve had with your former lover,” Elie said smugly as he watched her face fall, he knew that she expected him to take her back after what she had done but he had no interest in her or the child that she’d had with Cesc.

Daniella swallowed as she got to her feet, she could see in his eyes that there would be no changing his mind about any of this and there was nothing that she could say that would make up for the mess that she had made.

***

Daniella swallowed as she looked down at the letter in front of her, she was a little surprised at how quickly it had come but she knew that it meant trouble for her; she had taken Lia without a second thought and now she had to deal with the consequences of what she had done.

“Mum?” Maria asked as she approached Daniella, she knew that whatever that letter contained was trouble; they had left Barcelona in such a hurry that she knew it was from Cesc since they had taken Lia with them.

Daniella had turned in desperation to her ex-husband for help and he had done nothing more than laugh in her face; she had a feeling that she had deserved it after what she had done to him but she had no other options if she wanted to keep Lia in England with her and her siblings.

The Lebanese sighed as she looked at her eldest daughter, she knew that if she didn’t find a way to keep Lia in London then she was going to have to return her to Cesc; she frowned knowing that she couldn’t allow that to happen.

“It’s nothing just a letter from my lawyer,” Daniella said as she forced a smile, she didn’t want to worry her children but she was in a lot of trouble for what she had done; she knew that if she didn’t return Lia soon then it was only going to get worse.

Maria and Joseph shared a look knowing that their mother was trying to protect them, they could tell that she was in a lot of trouble and wished that there was something that they could do to help her; Cesc had turned his back on all of them when he had broken up with Daniella.