AIDEN


    I should have listened to Ana. I should have simply remained hidden when I followed her. I shouldn''t have fought those men. I should have controlled my anger... Most importantly, that short pause, those few seconds where I stopped and told her that I was her dad, I shouldn''t have. I should have hauled her right out of there to safety. If I hadn''t misused those seconds, perhaps Amie would still be here. But I was so selfish, yet I imed that I loved and cared for her.


    Dennis had been right. He cared for her more than I ever would. He grew with her after all. He groomed her and watched her grow right from birth. I could never love her more than him.


    There were so many things that I could and should have done differently, done better but it was toote now.


    She was dead.


    As I stared at the only picture I''d taken of the both of us when she was still in the hospital, It still felt so hard to believe.


    It had just been barely a year since I found out that she was mine, since I could hold her and watch herugh and smile and bug me about meeting herself and now she was gone?


    I let out a mirthlessugh. How funny.


    Was this how cruel death was? Wrapping its biting icy hands around those who didn''t deserve it, curling itself around them until they were drained of every breath and life they''ve gotten in them.


    I remembered thest time I saw her before her death, at her party. Her brows were furrowed so cutely, her arms folded across her chest as she red at me. "Where''s my friend?"


    I hid my smile as I answered her. "She''s here?"


    Her brows unknitted and she blinked, her arms falling to her side. "Where?" She nced behind me.


    "Right here," I insisted. Then I added, "With you."


    She frowned, looking at me like I had two heads. "What are you saying, uncle Aiden? Where''s she?"


    I crouched before her and pressed one of my palms to her chest. "Right here, sweetie. You are your own true friend."


    Then she looked at me like the dumbest person in the whole wide world before she hissed and stomped off.


    I chuckled to myself and watched her go to Dennis and say something to him. I knew she was mad at me. I had intended to win her smile back with the doll house I had promised her when she was still in the hospital. And just yesterday, I got a call that the huge doll house I ordered had arrived in the country. A big fat joke.


    I still hadn''t gotten back to them. What was I supposed to do with it now? Stuff her dead body in it?


    "Maybe I could give it to my child, the ibe Sharon carried," was the thought that urred to me this morning. Perhaps, it would forever keep the girl I barely knew in my heart and memory. "Dennis," I heard her voice before I even felt her hands on my arm. "Please, you can''t remain here forever."


    Maybe, I can.


    I didn''t want Sharon to worry so I''ve been forcing food down my throat. But she stillined that I was confining myself to bed.


    It had been days since her death and I just felt paralyzed, stuck to bed. It became even worse when I called Ana and Dennis and neither of them would pick up. Eventually, Ana''s phone became switched off All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Come on, I have your bath ready,e take a bath."


    "How''s the baby?" I asked instead.


    She sighed. "He''s fine. I also cook-"


    "I''ve told you to stop doing these things. Just call the maid instead."


    "I don''t want a maid in the house anymore. Besides, I don''t want anyone to see you in this state."


    "I couldn''t protect her," I finally said.


    There was afortable silence between us.


    "Sharon, I''m her father and I failed to protect my own child!"


    "It wasn''t your fault," she said and I heard her sniff.


    I turned to her and sighed. I sat up and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "You''re crying again." I had been so surprised to return home that day to find Sharon crying profusely. I was surprised that Amie''s child hit her this hard. But then, Sharon had always been so sentimental even though she always tried to hide it.


    She sniffed. "It just hurts to see you this devastated. I''m sorry." Then she put her palms on either side of my face. "But I want you to know it''s not your fault, okay? It was meant to happen."


    Her words echoed in my head. How many of the misfortunes in my life were ''meant to happen''?


    I didn''t believe her one bit, but I nodded. "Thank you," I said as I hugged her.


    Within a millisecond, she pulled away and got off the bed. Then she pulled my arms. "Come on. Come go take a bath and eat."


    And I did as she said. I took a bath and ate. Then I refused to wallow in self pity. The guilt, I suspect, will forever be there but I won''t let it put me down.


    I decided to fight for her. I had failed to protect her, done so many things wrong, but this, I''d do right.


    One if those men I beat up had pulled the trigger on that gun, a bunch of them definitely nned her abduction; I shall bring each one of them to book. Not just to book, but to their own deaths. "That, I promise you, Amie," I whispered as I dialed the inspector''s contact.


    For the next few days, I threw myself into the investigation that Imenced again, leaving no room for guilt or the ache in my chest to foster abd hurt more.


    I needed answers. Who? And why Amie?


    Was there a chance that they''d return for Ana and Justin like Dennis has suspected?


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