Annette's POV.
Red and Ryker fell asleep too early so I left their room and went downstairs to the kitchen. Elijah was eating while reading something on his Ipad.
"How are you doing?" I asked, taking a seat.
"Fine." He answered.
"What are you reading about?"
"Nothing important." He replied.
"Good." I smiled. "So..."
"What do you want?" He locked his Ipad and looked at me. "I know you want something."
"I heard there is going to be a party for the employees at your company." This is harder than I thought. I am so scared of asking him to take me with him.
"So?" He is such an asshole.
"Umm, can I attend the party?" I feel so stupid right now. I wish I just got dressed for the party and tell him I am his plus-one when we are in the car.
"You are not invited." What a rude guy!
"I know that." I told him. "But I can go with you as your plus-one."
"What?" He laughed. "And who said I want you as my plus one?"
"Well you can't go alone, you need a partner that's why I am your plus-one."
"I don't need you." He said. "I already have a plus-one but even if I didn't, I would never take a shameless woman like you. You are below my standards."
"Who is your plus-one?" I asked.
"You will see the headlines when I take her to the party. Now will you excuse me, I have to go to bed early." He got up and left me in the kitchen.
"I am your fiancee." I shouted. Why does he have to have a big ego? Can't he just forget I hurt him once? It's not like I will hurt him again.
I cleaned the kitchen before going to bed. I hope I don't have a nightmare or else Elijah will throw me out of this house.
I fell asleep and woke up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare but Elijah didn't come to my room like last night so I went to check on him and the kids.
I checked the children's room first because Ryker was crying. I gave him the milk on the table so he stopped crying.
I went to Elijah's room and he was sleeping. I can't believe Elijah is sleeping through everything today. I switched the light on just to irritate him but he didn't wake up. He really is tired of me.
"You really going to ignore me." I walked to his bed and pulled the blanket. "Where did he go this time of the night?"
I left his room and went downstairs to look for him but I couldn't find him so I decided to wait for him to come home.
An hour later someone opened the front door so I got up.
"Where were you?" I asked Elijah.
"This is my house, I don't answer to you." He replied.
"Well, since we live together don't you think I deserve to know when you go out late at night."
"You only live here because my dad asked me to allow you to see the kids and as for 'you deserve to know'." He smirked. "You don't deserve to know anything because you are a nobody to me but since you are awake I might as well tell you." He said. "I went outside for some fresh air."
"You were outside for hours just for fresh air."
"Well, your nightmares are not helping." He snapped. "I can hardly sleep in my own house so maybe if you move out of my house, I won't need to go out for fresh air."
"Sorry." I mumbled but he ignored me and went upstairs. I can't stop myself from having nightmares so maybe I should just go visit the orphanage Kathleen grew up in and maybe that will help me find closure and I won't blame myself for her death.
The next day I went to my parent's house since Elijah is staying with the kids for the day.
"Hey, dad." I greeted my father who was sitting on the couch.
"Hey, Annette." He said. I can't believe he stopped calling me those cute nicknames.
"Dad, how are you?" I sat next to him.
"Dad." Meghan came downstairs, interrupting us. "I have to go to the library so I will see you later."
"Okay, princess." He said and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Stay safe."
"I will." She smiled. "Bye Anne." She added.
"Bye Meg." I said so she left the house. "So Meghan does the kiss and tells you where she's going." I smiled. "She definitely became the good girl."
"Meghan turned into you."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"She is the caring honest kid, something you used to be."
"I still am, dad." I said. "I know I lied about my death but Grandpa didn't give me a chance and mom didn't know I was faking my death at first, she only found out after a while and she couldn't do anything about it because it was too late."
"I am not angry about that anymore." He said. "I am just trying to get used to my little kid being alive." He smiled. "I know I act a little different but Annette I am really trying to be the father that raised you. I am blessed to have you back and I love you Kiddo but just give me until tomorrow to be the father I used to be."
"No, dad." I said. "I love you just the way you are and I don't care if you are acting a little different. I will always love you because you are my dad and the best father in the world." I hugged him.
"That's the Annette I raised." He said. "Very kind and always telling people to be the way they are."
"I really miss you a lot while I was away. There were days I felt like calling but then I knew gran--."
"Annette." My mom came downstairs. "When did you come here."
"She just came now, while you were dressing." My dad replied. "You can talk to Annette later, let's go for your check-up." Oh my god! Check up? But mom isn't even pregnant. I have to help her out.
"Check-up can wait, my daughter is here and she looks like she came here for a very important reason." Mom said.
"Well, I was thinking of moving back in." I wanted to talk about Kathleen and having nightmares about her but now I have to make it a bit more dramatic to stop dad from taking mom to the hospital.
"But why?" My dad asked.
"I just think I don't need to be in Elijah's house." I mumbled.
"Elijah and the kids need you. You can't just abandon them again." My dad said and my mom nodded agreeing with him.
"Your kids missed you a lot so please don't think about leaving them again." Mom said.
"But I get nightmares and when I get them, I wake everyone up." I said.
"Nightmares about what?" Mom questioned.
"That's not important mom. What's important is the fact I wake everyone up so maybe I can move back in or sleep during the day and stay awake during the night."
"Then when will you spend time with your kids?" Mom asked.
"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." I mumbled.
"Did Elijah say anything that made you upset?" Dad asked.
"No, dad. Elijah just told me the truth. My nightmares give him problems so I can't stay in his house anymore."
"Annette you are not the only one with problems." My dad said. "Elijah used to go missing some nights when you were not around. He also had a hard time and would not sleep for a day or two so don't think you are a burden."
"What do you mean, went missing for some nights?" I asked.
"Sofia said he would leave the children by her sometimes because he just wanted to be alone." Dad said.
"And what time would he return?" I asked my father.
"Early in the morning."
"There was also this one time where he had bruises and Sofia thought of getting him help because she thought he was hurting himself but we found out Elijah was picking a fight with people whenever he was drunk." Mom said.
"I won't move out of his house anymore. I will try and help Elijah stop fighting." I don't believe Elijah fights with random people, I think he is fighting in some club and he has a match on random days that's why he doesn't go missing the same nights. Last night, he must've been in a fight.
I went back home and Elijah opened the door for me. I went inside and Red and Ryker were playing with toys, next to each other.
"I am sorry about what happened." I said and he looked at me, confused. "I am sorry I disappeared and left you with the kids."
"I don't want to hear it." He said. "So stop reminding me of what you did to me."
"I never meant any of that to happen. I didn't know I would go---."
"Stop it!" He snapped. "I forgave you for shooting me in the chest but I'll never forgive you for pretending to be dead and breaking my heart and my children's hearts so stop wasting your breath."
"One day, you'll understand." I mumbled before going upstairs. I know he will forgive me one day because deep down he still loves me. I am still the girl he fell in love with and I will show him no one will separate us ever again.
I can't wait for the party because whoever is his partner, I will make sure I gave her a hard time.
*Don't forget to vote, comment and share please*