ANASTASIA


    I stared at Amie, her gaze boring mine as she awaited my response.


    I had no idea what to say. I couldn''t tell him that Aiden wasn''t his dad, not anymore. Not after he''d hinted at it. I couldn''t tell him that he wasn''t her dad thenter in the future inform her that the man I''d told her wasn''t her father was her father.


    That would be stupid and it would be lying. I always tell her not to lie, what example would I be setting?


    Besides, Aiden probably wouldn''t even want that? It might anger him. And I couldn''t risk him going back on his words.


    But was it the right time to tell her? Physically, she was suffering, it would be unfair to put her through the emotional turmoil that the revtion would bring her. It was one she would have to go through some day, no matter my decision today, but I couldn''t make it now. I didn''t want it to be now.


    She knows Dennis as her father. I would like to keep it that way.


    "Mom? Is daddy sick?"


    My lips curled into a tight smile and I smoothed her hair. A loose strand followed my fingers and I swallowed.


    "Daddy isn''t sick. He''s fine."


    Her brows pooled together in worry. "Then where''s he?" Her voice trembled slightly. "Why hasn''t hee to see me? I miss him."


    "Amie?" Aiden called as he sat up. He nced my way briefly before he settled his gaze on Amie. "Actually, there''s-"


    "Can we talk?" I blurted and all of them, Amie, Aiden and the nurse, turned my way.


    I licked my lips and managed a smile to cover the panic on my face. "We should talk outside."


    Aiden looked like he was going to refuse but he seemed to change his mind as he nodded and got on his feet, eager to get the talk over with.


    I turned to Amie. Her brows furrowed in suspicion and confusion as she looked at me.


    "I''ll be right back." I pressed my lips on her forehead, nodded at the nurse and followed Aiden out.


    He leaned against the wall that faced the door, his brows arched. "Tell me, Anastasia, what is this talk about?"


    I could feel the anger oozing of him. His face looked calm, well poised, but from his tone, it was clear that he was trying hard to keep a hold on his temper.


    "Can we walk farther a bit, please?"


    Without a word, he took a few steps ahead. When he stopped and waited for me to catch up with him, I knew nothing I said would move him farther from where he had chosen to stop.


    I took before him and rubbed my palm together. I thought of how to start... how to pleasantly tell him that I didn''t want his daughter to find out that he''s her father yet.


    "I don''t want to tell her yet," I blurted. I couldn''t find a better way.


    Perhaps, I could have said, ''You''d be a great father but I don''t want you to take up the role yet?'' Yeah, no.


    He stared at me long. The neutral expression on his face gave nothing away.


    He finally looked away, kept his gaze on the floor for a few seconds.


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea."


    "Aiden, please 1-"


    He looked up, exasperated. "What better time would it be than now?"


    "Growing up, Amie insistently asked about her dad." I swallowed and looked down."I used to tell her that she didn''t have a dad. When I got married to Dennis, she easily and happily epted him as the dad she''d always wanted." I looked up and prayed that Aiden would sympathize with me. "She is very happy with Dennis as her dad, Aiden. I don''t want to strip that away, not now. Not in this state in her life."


    "So what are you insinuating? I would make her sad as her dad?"


    I could swear that his voice trembled.


    "You know that''s not what I mean. It''s just..." I sighed. "How do you think she''d be convinced that Dennis isn''t her dad anymore but someone whom she''d never met? How easy would that be? I don''t want anything that would make the pain she''s currently going through harder to tolerate."


    Aiden walked away from me, his fingers slowly wove into his hair all the way to the back until he gripped his nape.


    From where he stood, he turned to face me. I could see the tight line around his lips. "So what now? You are not going to tell her?"


    "I will," I said firmly as I walked to


    him. "I promise you, Amie will know you as her father and I will do everything in my power to make her ept you. Just not right now Maybe after everything has been sorted out."


    He scoffed. "Maybe! Wow."


    “Definitely. After everything is sorted out, I''ll tell her.“


    Aiden stared at the wall before him for a long while. I was already wondering if we''d stand here till nightfall until he nodded curtly.


    "I''ll be on my way."Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Then he dug his hands into his pocket and turned and walked off without even sparing me a nce.


    I folded my lips in my mouth and looked up at the ceiling to stop the oing tears. I sniffed and pressed my fingers on the corners of my eyes to clean the tears that escaped.


    I returned to the room.


    The nurse smiled my way. "I was just making my way out."


    After she left, Amie crossed her arms over her chest. "Who is that man and where''s daddy?"


    "Daddy is fine."


    "I want to see him," she whined stubbornly.


    My smile remained on my face. "Let''s call him then."


    I grabbed my phone from my bag and facetimed Dennis.


    Amie and I watched as the phone rang until it stopped ringing without a response.


    "He must be busy," I said in a small voice, my hands trembling as I tried his line again.


    My throat felt clogged with tears. I know he wouldn''t pick up.