~*~
JAYDEN
"
I knocked on Ashley's door for the one millionth time today.
Why is she not opening up?
More importantly, why didn't I take her damn phone number?
Goddamnit!
Where could possibly be at 7:51pm.
She's a mother for f**k sake couldn't she be more responsible?
How about you check where she works?
Oh.....
I walked over to the elevator and as soon as it opened, I saw Ashley.
Her once neat bun, was all messed up and the first two buttons of her navy blue shirt was undone which showed a little too much cleavage.
Focus Park.
"Not you." She whined as she passed me and walked towards her apartment.
I growled lowly and walked behind her. "Where were you?"
"Work." She fumbled for something in her bag.
"Where's Jordan?"
"With someone." She pulled out her keys and opened the door.
"Who? Please tell me she isn't with that Kyle guy."
"No, she not." She turned the lights on and put her bag on the kitchen counter.
"Then where is she?" I questioned.
She picked up a glass and went to the sink. "She's with a friend and she's spending the night."
"Is your friend a male or a female.?"
She drank the water. "Naomi."
"Mrs Sanderson?"
"Yes."
"She knows ab...."
"Jayden please, I've had a long night and I'm really tired." She said in a faintest voice. "Jordan is in good hands."
Wow.
She didn't even yell at me.
"Sorry."
She nodded and loosened her bun which made her moan a little.
F**k!!
"Why are you starring at me Jayden?" She tilted her head at me.
I blinked multiple times. "I wasn't..., uhmmmm, never mind. I'll leave." I turned to the door.
"I was about to FaceTime Jordan." She picked her bag up. "You can stay if you want. I just need to take a shower first."
"Sure, I'll wait."
She just walked into corridor and I sat on one of the couches.
~*~
ASHLEY
"
What was I thinking?
Why didn't I just let him leave?
I am so damn stupid.
After putting on my Pajamas (the ones with pants of course, no way I'm wearing booty shorts in front of him), and a bra of course, I went back to the living room.
Jayden didn't even notice when I entered because he was starring at one of Jordan's baby picture.
She was wearing a strawberry pink dress with a cat ear headband and giving a cheesy smile with a few teeth.
"She was less than a year in that picture." I finally gained his attention.
"She actually looks alot like you here."
"Why'd you say that?" I sat on the couch.
He turned the picture again. "The cheeks. You both have fluffy cheeks."
I unconsciously flushed and my hands automatically went to feel my cheeks.
Damn you Jayden.
You're not supposed to affect me like this.
He wasn't lying though, my cheeks were really fluffy.
He looked at a much more younger picture of Jordan. She was about a week old in that photo.
She was wearing a blue overall and her hair was covered with a white knitted cap.
His fingers trailed down and picture, I couldn't see his face but I could tell he was smiling.
I picked up my phone and FaceTimed Naomi.
"Hi Naomi." I said.
"Dearie, how are you?"
"I'm good."
"You don't look good, you like a panda."
"Really?" I rubbed my eyes.
"Have you eaten?"
"Yes." I lied
"Liar, I'm pretty sure you've only had coffee." She frowned.
Caught red handed.
"When you pick Jordan tomorrow, I giving you real food."
I heard Jayden chuckle lightly.
"Yes Naomi, I want to speak to Jordan. Actually, someone wants to speak with her."
"Oh.". She looked curious. "Jordan!" She yelled and the camera shook a little before she placed it somewhere stable and left, and Jordan appeared.
"Hi mummy." She said.
"Hey Sweetie. How was your day?"
"I met a boy."
"What?" Jayden and I said at the same time with the same expression on our faces.
"Who's that?" Jordan poked her face into the camera.
Jayden came behind the couch and squatted and then showed his face.
"Jayden." Jordan squealed. "What are you doing at my house?"
"Hey pumpkin, your Mom invited me over and who's the boy you met?" He rasped.
"Oh he's name is Edgar." She said dreamily.
"How old is Edgar sweetie?" I persuaded.
"Oh he's 7. His birthday was last month."
Oh, he's a kid.
Jayden and I sighed in relief.
"He is really cute and his eyes are blue. Like really, really blue. And guess what?"
"What?" I asked.
"He has chocolatey skin." She squealed.
Looks like someone has a crush.
I heard footsteps around followed by a chuckle.
"She hasn't stopped talking about Edgar all day." Naomi appeared on camera again. "Oh, hey Jayden."
"Hi Mrs Sanderson." He smiled timidly
She gave us the 'you have alot of explaining to do' look.
"Mummy, why did you invite Jayden to your house at night?" Jordan quizzed.
"I'd also like to know." Naomi smirked.
Uh oh.
"He...."
"She....."
"We..."
I shut up the same time Jayden did and Naomi began laughing.
"You guys are acting like children."
"We needed to talk that's all." I said.
She eyed me suspiciously. "Okay, round up, it's almost Jordan's bed time and she has school tomorrow."
"But Aunt..." Jordan shut up when Naomi gave her a slight glare.
"I don't like sleeping early." She mumbled.
"We'll talk tomorrow sweetie. G'd night."
"Good night Mummy, Good night Jayden." She waved.
"Night pumpkin." Jayden said before the line went dead.
Jayden stood up and shoved his hands in his pocket.
"How's the planning going?" He asked.
"Huh?"
"For the launch?"
"Oh, it's great. Everything's good."
Awkward silence....
"I, I should get going."
"Yeah. You should." I said.
"Oh, Ashley."
"Yeah, I kinda need your number, for you know,...., emergencies." He stuttered and handed me his phone.
"Oh, okay." I took his iPhone and put my number in it.
After taking his phone from me, he walked away, without waiting for my response.
~*~
JAYDEN
"
"Goddamnit." I cussed as I missed a punch.
My opponent threw a kick and I dodged it and I retaliated with one of mine.
I was hit again and I had a very low life bar and my opponent's was average.
I gave it my all and then....
KO!
VICTORY!!
I smirked as I took off my head band and the the bands on my knuckles.
I tossed them on the white couch.
I walked to the kitchen and took a bottle of water and drained it contents.
I played just two rounds and my heart was thumping faster than a....
"Sir." Jin came over to me.
"What?"
"Dr Lance said you should please come for your appointment today."
"Tell him I'm fine. I'm very busy." I snapped.
"Sir, you haven't gone for any check ups since...."
"Jin. I'm fine." I stated as I headed for the stairs.
"He told Mr and Mrs Park that you've been ignoring his calls." He said faintly
"Damnit. That bas....."
"Mr Park wants to speak with you." He said. "He asked me to give him a call when you were less busy."
"Do I look less busy to you?" I asked.
Technically, I was free.
I just didn't want to have this conversation right now.
Jin didn't say anything else. "I'll give my dad call Jin."
I ran up the stairs and went to my room.
Picking up my phone, I saw 5 missed calls,4 from Pain in My Ass (that was Dr Lance.) and one from Aunt Irene.
Oh no.
Aunt Irene was my dad's only sibling Her real name was Isuel but Americans had trouble pronouncing the name so she switched to her middle name, Irene, given to her by my late grandmother, the woman who gave me my American genes.
Aunt Irene had one rule and it was very simple.
I don't care if you're at the centre of the universe, but I give you a call, I expect you to answer at the first ring.
So basically, I was f**ked.
I rang her again and she picked up immediately but didn't say anything.
"Auntie?"
"Why didn't you answer my call Jay?" She said in a very stern voice.
"I'm sorry auntie I was, uhmmmm, ...., Busy."
Please buy it, please buy it.
"That is not an excuse Jay."
"I'm sorry auntie." I rubbed my neck.
There was a brief silence. "Why didn't you tell me you where back?" She questioned with a happy voice.
"I was going too."
"You were going too? My goodness, that was the first thing you were supposed to do when you landed. How long have you been back?"
Lie Jayden.
"3 days."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I took care of you for over a decade and you didn't think it was necessary to give me a call?" She said exasperatedly.
"Auntie...."
"Don't auntie me. Jayden Taeyhungie Park. I'm very displeased with you."
And she just had to use my full name.
"I'll make it up to you. I could come for tea."
"You promise Jay?"
"I promise Auntie."
"When?"
I needed to have dinner with Ashley and Jordan this evening, a dinner date with Katherine tomorrow night and the the launch was the day after that.
If I postponed the dinner date with Katherine any longer, it will be bad for business.
"Sunday." Which was five days from now.
"I'll be expecting you Jay." She deadened the line.
~*~
I waited patiently at Ashley's door. I already gave her a call about 5mins ago and she said she was on her way.
Not long after that, Ashley and Jordan came in walking hand in hand.
When Jordan spotted me, she gave her mom a look like she was seeking permission and when Ashley gave her a brief nod, she left her grip and came running to me.
I picked her up and twirled her around.
"You're in my house. Again!" She squealed.
"Your mummy and I wanted to talk you." I smiled.
Ashley opened the door. "About what?" She tilted her head, something she tends to do often.
"We'll tell you after you've taken a bath, now come here." Ashley spoke for me.
I put her down and she pouted. "I'm not leaving." I assured her. "After you take a bath, you'll give me a tour of your house right?"
She beamed and nodded vigorously. "Good, now hurry up so you can give me that tour."
She rushed to her mum and pulled her to the direction of where I assume is the bathroom.
~*~
"And this is my princess collection." Jordan pointed to a shelf filled with similar looking dolls. "I currently have 15 dolls, only 45 more to complete my set." She smiled happily.
"Your dolls are really pretty."
"Thank you."
Just then, Ashley came in wearing a dark blue nightgown with a matching night jacket which she clutching close to her chest. She was also wearing cute white flip flops.
Her hair was a bit damp making it appear more brown than blonde.
"Dinner's ready Sweetie. I made ramen."
"Ramen." She squealed and quickly dashed out of the door.
Ashley chuckled as she left and as she turned to me, she gulped.
I had discarded my suit jacket and I was down to my black sleeve with the first two buttons undone.
When she noticed she was starring at me, she quickly turned away and brushed the invisible hair on her forehead to the back of her ears.
She cleared her throat. "We should start the dinner."
"Yeah we should."
"Mummy!!" Jordan called.
"Coming sweetie." She replied as she left the room and I went with her.
~*~
ASHLEY
"
"Sweetie." I said.
"Yes mummy."
"I have something to tell you." I pushed my plate away from me.
"What is it?" She shoved her spoon into her mouth.
I looked at Jayden and then her. "Uhmmmm, well, you remember when I told you that, uhmmmm, that your daddy, sorta like, died....."
"Yeah?" She urged.
"Well, he isn't dead."
She looked at me like I was the dumbest person on earth.
"I'm confused." She said while dropping her spoon in her plate.
I gave Jayden a 'help me' look but he ignored me and stirred his food.
Stupid A**hole.
I sighed. "Your daddy is alive sweetie."
I couldn't read her expression. It was a mixture of happiness, curiosity and confusion.
"Then where is he?" She asked faintly. "Did he not want me?" Her eyes were starting to tear up.
Jayden looked up from his plate and he was not happy but he didn't say anything.
"He did want you, it's just..... well, he....."
"I'm your daddy pumpkin." Jayden finally spoke up.
"What?" Jordan exclaimed and looked at me. "Is that true mummy?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you tell me he was dead?"
He shattered my heart sweetie.
I didn't respond so she turned to Jayden. "If you're my daddy, why didn't you come for me? Did you not like me?" Her voice was cracking a bit.
Oh no.
Jayden got up, came to where Jordan was seated and got one knee. "Pumpkin." He cupped her cheek. "If I had known about you I would have never left you. But your mummy didn't tell me."
Great work Jayden.
Put the blame on me.
I gritted my teeth and turned away from them.
"Why didn't she tell you?"
"Your mummy and I got into a fight and she was pretty mad at me, so I left."
"Where you mean to my mummy?"
Jayden gave me a glance but I looked away. "Yeah, I was. But I hope she understands that I'm really sorry." He said more to me than Jordan.
I folded my arms and rested them on the table.
"Mummy?"
"Yes sweetie?"
"Are you still mad at Jayden?"
Of course I am.
I don't think I can ever forgive him.
"I'm not." I said simply.
Jayden and I knew that was I lie. A f**king lie.
"So that means Jayden will live here now?"
"Well not exactly he w......"
"Yes." Jayden interrupted me.
Jordan smiled and launched herself at him.
"I'm so happy you're here." She said.
"I'm happy too pumpkin."
As much as I hated to admit it, seeing Jordan reunite with her dad warmed my heart.
╔═════ஜ۩۞۩ஜ═════╗
Well, this chapter was longer than I expected.
Thoughts anyone?
Do you guys think I should change Jordan's reaction when she found out Jayden was her dad 🤔?