I stood there, frozen in place staring into hard hazel eyes, with my heart beating and clenching in pain and my mind running wild with a thousand questions. Why was he here and what was he doing here? Had he found out about Winter? I mentally thought to myself still staring into those hypnotic eyes of it.
The last thought was reason enough to make all the blood in my body turn cold. No, no way in hell had he found about Winter, and even if he had, there was no way I was going to allow him near her, no.
Taking in a deep breathe, I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping beyond anything this was just a crazy dream or some illusions my mind was conjuring up. I opened them again to still find hazel eyes gazing intently at me. Ohhh no, this was no dream, Yale truly was standing right in front of me, in the flesh, looking exactly as he looked the last time I had seen him, four years ago.
The reality of it all hit me full force, making me gasp out in shock as my mind transported me back to that faithful night, that night he broke me, that night he made me feel worthless, that night he had treated me like a piece of trash. My hands balled up into fist as I relived that painful memory all over again, igniting the anger and rage I had buried away.
On unsteady legs, I took a step back not wanting to be an inch close to him. It was too hard, too painful to even just look at him. I swallowed past the lump in my throat before walking past him to head to the bathroom. No I wasn't going to run like some scared wounded animal, I hadn't done anything wrong and to me he was good as dead.
You are past this. This is just a bad dream.
You are past this. This is just a bad dream.
I mentally kept chanting to myself with each step I took, blinking back the tears that had built up.
"I would have forgiven you if you had come back crawling on your knees begging." I heard him say which made me stop dead in my tracks.
Forgiven me if I had come crawling on my knees begging? Was he serious? Did I hear right? Come begging?! For what? Something I didn't do? Something I was framed for?
He still believed I had betrayed him like that, after I had showed him the part of me that I kept only to myself? I wasn't going to explain myself to him, maybe the old Santa Faye would have, but not this Santa Faye. I wasn't that naive, insecure and docile girl anymore and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of replying him.
Letting out a shaky breath, I resumed walking towards the restroom almost blinded by the tears that had pooled underneath my ears. I got into the safe confines of the restroom before the dam broke free. The tears I had been holding back freely fell from my eyes as I crumpled to the floor sobbing. Why was the universe trying to play a cruel joke on me, and why was I seeing him after all this years?
Wasn't I past this, hadn't I cried enough and hadn't I been through enough pain? I mentally thought to myself as I felt my heart constrict making it hard for me to breathe. I started hyperventilating, with my breathe coming out in short gasps. Ohh God was I having a panic attack? I frantically thought to myself as I got up from the floor feeling lightheaded.
Hands on the wall for support, I made my way over to the settee in the restroom to sit myself down taking in deep long breaths to steady my fast beating heart. I kept on doing this for a while till I felt my breathing return to normal and my heart relax.
I needed to get out of here, from this place and far away from him. If just seeing him for a brief moment could affect me this way then how was I going to survive the night with him in the same room. I thought to myself as I got up to go stand in front of the mirror, luckily my makeup was still intact except for a little mascara smudge. Grabbing hold of a tissue I dabbed at the smudge staring at myself in the mirror.
"You are okay Faye, everything is fine." I consoled myself with every dab.
And why was I even trying to leave, everything was fine, wasn't it? And this was just a brief moment of weakness, I had work too hard into building myself up into a strong woman and he was not going to make me cower in fear and panic. I finished cleaning the smudge on my face and smoothed the wrinkles on my dress before brushing a hand over my hair. Everything looked okay, well my physical appearance did, except for my eyes which were now red and puffy.
I gave myself a small smile in the mirror before stepping out of the restroom. Taking in a deep breathe, I straighten my back before making my way inside.
Judo waved his hand my way from where he sat, signaling me to come stand by him when he saw me. Slowly, I made my way over hardly aware of the stares that were coming my way. I reached where he was and took my purse from him.
"Hey, are you okay? Have you been crying?." I heard Judo asked after a while but my mind was galaxies away to reply him.
"Faye?!" He called out again.
"Mmm....I'm fine." I lied, covering it up with a smile.
He gave me a quizzical glance for a moment but left me after that to attend to something on his phone not asking me any further questions.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I would like to officially welcome you to this year's fundraiser. My name is Ruby Wilson, Chairwoman for this charity." We all heard my mother announce from the where she stood on the platform.
She paused for a while waiting for the applauding to stop.
"To start off the event, I would like to contribute a priceless piece of art I love and cherish to this year's auction. Santa Faye Wilson, can you please join me up here." I heard my mother say out making me lift my head to where she stood, smiling and pointing at me.
I sat there confused as to what was going on here since I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. People clapping and smiling my way made it even more uncomfortable for me. Why was she asking me to join her on stage? What was this woman up to this time? Judo nudging me gave me the boost I needed to boldly make my way through the crowd all the way up to the platform.
"What are you up to mum?" I whispered into her ears when I gave her a hug.
"What do you mean sweetheart?" She whispered back with a smile before letting go me to return to her speech.
"Mum, don't do this." I whisper to her but she ignored me.
I stood beside her with a smile, still plastered on my face looking straight at my brother Judo who had a stupid smirk on his face.
"I know many of you young men here have been pinning for her attention, well this is your one chance to spend the rest of the evening in her delightful company and to have dinner with her tomorrow evening. Bidding st......."
"One million." A voice bellowed from the back making everyone gasp out in surprise.
My mother hadn't even finished her sentence or even started the bidding and there was already an offer? A very generous one at that. Who in his right mind would bid one million dollars just to be in my company? I was so curious and shocked that I even forgot that I was bickering with my mother. My eyes searched the crowd hoping to find out who this "crazy" person was.
"Woow, the bar has been set." My mother said with a chuckle looking through the crowd to also find who it was.
"Any other offer?" My mother asked but there was no response only murmurings.
"1.2 million." I heard a nice looking guy from the left offer, raising his glass to me.
"1.5 million." Another offered from some where across the room.
"1.7"
"Two million." The voice came again making every one gasp out again, for the second time.
Who was this person at all? I wondered to myself frantically scanning the crowd.
"Going once, going twice, given!" My mother laughed at her own joke of replacing "sold" with "given" before others join in.
My curiosity finally came to an end when I heard people clapping for the tall dark figure that was emerging from the back making me also join in. My mother made her way down to meet the person who apparently had just won.
"Ahhh Mr Adkins-Benenati ladies and gentlemen."
My heart drop to my stomach when I heard my mother call out that name which made me stop clapping. It was him!!! And how the hell did my mother know his name? I thought to myself as I felt the blood drain from my face.
No way in hell was I going to spend the rest of the evening in his company or have dinner with him. I had to get myself out of this situation, but how? I thought to myself fidgeting with my hands.
"2.3 million." I yelled out which made everyone stop talking and also made my mother stop to turn and look at me.
"What?" My mother asked in confusion.
"I'm bidding on myself. 2.3 million." I said, looking straight at Yale who now had his gaze on me.
"Honey, you can't do that. It's not allowed. Besides the bid is over."
"Three million." Yale challenged not taking his eyes away from me.
"3.1 million."
My mother scrunched up her face when she heard me utter that amount out, she made her way back to me leaving Yale all alone.
"Are you crazy? What are you doing?" She whisper-yelled, taking me by the hand and turning us away from the inquisitive gazes of the crowd.
"I'm bidding on myself."
"You can't do that, besides I'm not going to allow it. Mr Adkins-Benenati already won. And doing this is an insult to him. He's one of our biggest donors. Why are you even bidding on yourself?"
"Because I want to. I want to spend time with my own self."
"No, the art does not bid on her own self and besides he already won. Why are you behaving this way? He's a nice person. It's just for tonight and tomorrow. Please Faye, if not for anything please do this for those less privileged kids with cancer." My mother argued getting a little worked up
"Fine mum." I caved in blinking back the fresh set of tears not wanting to take this further. My mother still didn't know who Winter's father was and I wasn't about to make that big revelation to her, that he was the same person standing right in front of her.
We turned back around after that with a broad smile plastered on my mother's face and a blank expression on mine.
"I hope you two enjoy each other's company."
Yale gave a curt nod before stretching out his hand to help me down, I just stood there, watching it like it had thorns on it. I'd roll over the floor before taking his hand, that hand that had brought me so much pleasure, held me up when I was down and had wiped away my tears.
And that same hand that had hurt you.
I heard my conscience say to me making me snap out of my thoughts. My eyes flew from his hand to his face then back again before getting down on my own. I walked right back to where I stood earlier, only to find Judo gone. When had he even left? I searched around for him hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
He was my plan B to get out of this and he was already gone? I pushed back a tendril of my hair away from my face, feeling more agitated and anxious than earlier, I was definitely going to die tonight. Yale came right at me to stand beside me.
"I didn't just spend all that money to have you ignore me." He muttered, forcefully grabbing hold of my hand with a cold look on his face.
"Let go of me Mr Adkins before we make a scene." I cooly said keeping all the rage I was feeling in check.
It seemed as if he didn't hear what I said because he still held on to me. He loosen his grip a little but didn't let go and before I could even utter another word he was already pulling me towards the exit against my will.
Thankfully people were busy looking at arts and writing down their offers to pay any attention to us. We got outside only for him to slam and pin me against the wall, trapping me against it.What the hell did he think he was doing and who the heck did he think he was?
That was it.
Yanking my hand free from his, I pushed him back from me with all my strength. I couldn't kept it in anyone, I wasn't past this as I thought and I wasn't going to let him treat me like his property.
"Don't you, I repeat, don't you ever touch me again, do I make myself clear. And stop acting as if you owe me or know me because to me you are dead and will forever be." I venomously spat out to him with my breath coming out in pants.
He stood with an unreadable face but his eyes told he was clearly surprised by my "new" behaviour. Yeah you got it right Yale, this is a whole new me.
"I see whoring yourself around has made you bold and confident. Tell me, does your husband and family know about your tendency to jump into bed with unknown men?" He asked in a clipped tone.
"What?" I muttered out totally confused about what husband he was talking about. Had he seen me with Judo earlier? And was he the one he was referring to as my husband?
"Don't act innocent, that card played out a long time ago."
"I don't have time for this." I rolled my eyes at him and turned to leave.
"Or maybe I should kindly tell your husband to get a DNA test. Who knows, that bastard child might not be his." I heard him say which made me turn into stone from where I stood.
I turned around and marched straight to him with fire in my veins. The palm of my hand connected to his cheek even before I could think. How dare he call my daughter, his daughter for that matter, a bastard. At that moment all I wanted to do was scream out to him and tell him the truth, that the sweet child he'd just called a bastard was his owe but I withheld myself. I was going to make him pay for his words.
Wiping at the tears that were streaming down my face, I stared at him for a moment, pitying him, for calling his own flesh and blood a bastard, he had just made the second biggest mistake of his life and he was going to regret it soon.
I took my phone out of my purse amidst silent tears to order myself an uber out of here because I couldn't deal with this anymore. My heart was hurting too much and my resolve and strength were weakening.
It didn't take long for the uber to arrive and I was very grateful for that, I wanted to just get home to my safe haven, my daughter.
All through the ride I kept staring outside the window thinking about what he had said. Him knowing that I had a child kept bugging me, was it just a wild guess or an assumption?
Did he already know? No, no that couldn't be possible. He had clearly referred to her as a bastard. And how in the world did he find out I had a child? Was he stalking me? That couldn't be possible either, he was too arrogant and egotistical for that.
"I don't mean to intrude but are you okay." The driver asked.
"I'm not okay." I admitted to the truth still gazing out the window.
"Well If you wanna talk I'm a good listener."
"Do you ever wish you could just disappear to a quiet serene place? Just you and the one person you love most in the world?" I asked with my voice breaking with each word.
"Everyday."
"I wish so too, I wish so too."
We fell back into silence with him focusing on the road and with me a million galaxies away. How I wish my wish could come through.
My phone vibrating in my purse drew my attention to it but I made no attempt to take it out and answer it. I stared at it till it stopped only to start vibrating for a second time.
"Are you not going to get that?"
"It's probably my mum, calling to ask me where I am."
"Crazy mum huh?"
"Yeah." I muttered with a small smile.
He pulled out in front of my house after some minutes. I reached into my purse and pulled money to hand it to him.
"No charge." He said when he saw what I was doing.
I lifted my head to protest, and that's when I saw the handsome face of my driver. He had sandy blonde hair with deep blue eyes and a chiseled jaw, he really was good looking and from the short span of time of talking to him, I could tell he was a kind person.
"No, I insist." I offered back
"How can I take money from a beautiful woman." He said with a grin which made me smile. Wooow, he was also a flirt.
"Thank you ummm....."
"Adam."
"Thank you Adam, for everything. I really do appreciate it."
"It was my pleasure...."
"Santa Faye."
"Santa Faye? Like the capital of Mexico?"
"No, Faye as in F.A.Y.E" I explained as I grabbed hold of my purse.
"Well thanks again." I said for the last time opening the door to get out of it.
I watched as he drove off waving a goodbye to him before heading inside the house. It was weird how I had felt so comfortable and at ease talking to him, I thought to myself as I took my keys out to open the door. I stepped inside the comforts of my home, taking off my heels and throwing my purse down as I made my way straight to the stairs.
Distant noises coming from the living room made me direct my steps there instead. Holly was spread out on the couch asleep with an almost empty bag of chips on her chest . Sighing to myself, I turned off the tv before taking the bag off her chest.
She awoke, startled only to sit up in the couch.
"Faye, is that you?" She groggily asked, squinting her eyes at me.
"Yeah."
"But why are you home early and where's your mum and Judo."
"I left them there."
"Your eyes are red and puffy. Have you been crying?" She stood up and rushed to me, fully awake now.
"I'm fine."
"No, you are not fine. Tell me, did something happen?"
I nodded my head yes, too emotional to speak. She engulfed me in a hug, rubbing my back to comfort me. We stood there for what seemed like eternity with me sobbing and her holding me.
"I saw him, Holly. And I wasn't strong, I crumbled." I cried out after a while.
Holly let go of me to look at me in confusion.
"You saw who?"
"Winter's father." I plainly stated.
"What?! That asshole, did he say or do anything to you? Does he know about Winter?" She asked giving me a glance over.
"Yes, I think he does. But he doesn't know Winter is his daughter. He called her a bastard. And I think he's been stalking me." I explained further wiping the tears off my face.
"Wait, so you mean to tell me, he had the nerve to call Winter a bastard? What the f**k!!!" Holly cussed out getting angry herself.
"And you just stood there. Why didn't you tell him the truth?"
"No, I didn't just stand there, I defended my daughter and no, I didn't tell him the truth. He doesn't deserve to know the truth, he's not worthy of it." I let out getting agitated myself.
"For once, just tell me who he is, please. So I can teach that son of b*tch a lesson."
"You don't have to worry. I'm going to teach him a lesson myself. When the time is right."
"You better let me in on it when you do." She said coming to hug me again.
We both fell silent after that, with my head on her shoulders enjoying the comfort she was providing.
Later That Night
I awoke from my sleep and sat up in my bed, sweating and panting with my hair all over me. I hurriedly scurried out of my bed practically running towards Winter's room with my heart thudding inside of me.
A cry of relief escaped from me when I opened her door to find her peaceful asleep in her bed. It had all just been a nightmare, my daughter was still here with me. Yale hadn't taken her away. I made my way towards her bed to lift her limp body into my arms and take her back to my room.
I needed her close to me tonight, to hold onto her to chase my worst fears away. We got to my room and I gently laid her down, covering her with the sheets before taking my place beside her.
Yale would never ever take her away from me, not in reality or in my nightmares, I was going to make sure of that and I was going to make him regret his mistakes, I thought to myself as I pulled my baby closer to me, feeling much more at ease and better.
So this is what I think the characters in the book would look like. I do not own any of these images and have no copyrights over them.
This is what I think Judo Wilson would have looked like if he was real👇🏾.
Ruby Wilson a.k.a "Gigi" but with whiskey brown eyes
Holly Lander 👇🏾
Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed the update and thank you all so much for 3000 votes😱😱. You guys are the best and I love you all so so much.
Keep on voting and commenting as usual, they get me so happy☺️.
Until the next update❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.
PS: comment your favorite song.