Annika Remo, a beautiful and innocent young woman, hides a painful past while living with her unsympathetic uncle and aunt, relying on her fantasy novels to escape. Unbeknownst to her, her uncle has put her on a dangerous blacklist. Matteo King, the...
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Annika King
3 years later
"Diego, stop giving her chocolate. She's hyper enough already!" Diego was still spoiling my daughter, despite my attempts to stop him.
"She likes it." I could hear him argue. I rolled my eyes playfully, knowing that Diego had always been a softy when it came to Rue.
"That doesn't mean you should keep feeding her! It's too much sugar." I give him a stern look. "No more chocolate for now, okay?" I say, trying to sound authoritative but failing as a giggle escapes little Rue's lips.
"Please, mommy." Rue's little voice cut through the playful banter, and her little hands reached up towards her uncle Diego, pleading for more chocolate. Diego looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Come on, just one more piece won't hurt," he said, his voice full of mock innocence. I shook my head, trying to maintain my parental authority, but deep down, I couldn't resist the bond between uncle and niece.
"Fine, one more piece." I said, giving in.
"Yay!" Rue cheered, clapping her little hands excitedly. She was only three years old, but she was already so smart and energetic, just like her father. She had Matteo's eyes and my curly brown hair. She had the best qualities of both of us, and seeing her grow every day was a joy.
"Thank you, Mama," Diego replied, a cheeky grin on his face. He turned back to his niece, holding up the chocolate. "Here you go, bubbles. Say ahh." Diego said as he held up the chocolate for Rue.
Rue's little lips parted, and her tongue peeked out as she leant forward to take the candy from her uncle's hand. But before he could, Diego pulled back and popped the chocolate into his own mouth. "Gotcha," he teased.
"Not fair!" Rue whined, her lower lip quivering. "You tricked me!" she stamped her foot. I couldn't help but laugh at the adorable pout on her little face.
"It's just a game, bubbles," Diego said, patting Rue on the head. She crossed her hands around her stuffed bunny and scowled at him, her eyes brimming with indignation. "I don't like this game," she declared, her voice filled with determination.
I watched as she turned away from Diego and marched towards me, her tiny feet stomping against the carpet. "I'm going to tell Daddy. He will kick him in the ass for eating my chocolate." I couldn't help but chuckle at Rue's determination, marvelling at the innocence and fierceness in her young spirit.
As she approached me, her pout still intact, I kneeled down to her level, trying to hide my amusement. "Oh, sweetie," I said, trying to soothe her frustration. "I'm sure Daddy will handle it, but let's not use that language, okay?" Rue scrunched up her nose, contemplating my words, before nodding reluctantly.
She was always a father's girl, looking up to him with admiration and trust. I couldn't blame her, as he had always been her hero, the one who could fix anything and make all the bad things go away. I gently brushed a strand of hair behind Rue's ear, hoping to distract her from her chocolate woes.
