Chapter 16: Daughter

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Chapter 16: Daughter

Christian's POV

I stare at Anastasia, dumbfounded. Mila is my.. daughter? The thought seems foreign to me. Maybe she isn't. It's always me assuming too much.

Anastasia looks at me.. knowing exactly what is going on in my mind. She always had this ability to tear my thoughts naked with just her gaze. She knows i've put pieces together. She know my inner turmoil. She knows that I know. But she makes no move at all.

It is just us now, our gaze fixated on each other, trying to read each other, trying to get the answers to the unasked questions. The world around us is ignored, i want answers and she knows that.

Mila's voice disturbs our stare. "Mommy?", she shakes Anastasia, but that word is enough to send shivers down my spine.

"Anastasia?", I whisper.. clearly not being able to find my voice. Even through the loud chatter of people around us, she hears me and whips her head towards my direction.

"Not here", she says in a timid voice and takes Mila's hand and starts walking past me, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Huh?

"Anastasia!", I catch upto her.

"What?"

"Tell me.. yes or no?", I emphasize on the two words.

"I don't know what are you talking about", she says dryly, but in reality, its the opposite. She knows exactly what am I implying to.

"Don't play with me", I say in a low voice and I hear her gasp.

"Not here, please", and I sigh.

I make a quick call to Taylor to come pick us up. Apparently, he parked the car outside instead of leaving. Good.

"You are coming with me", I say to Anastasia and she doesn't argue but nods slightly.

As we near the car, I see Taylor eyes bulge a little. He doesn't say anything but I can see his face change to that of displeasure. He has always been good with hiding his emotions but i've been with him for longer than he can remember.

I hear Anastasia mutter a "Hi" in a soft voice, barely audible to which Taylor nods stiffly. Oddly, he doesn't react when he sees Mila. I expected him to be shocked or surprised or anything but not a straight face. Wait.. does he..

I shove that thought to the back of my mind. Taylor wouldn't do that, right? He would tell me if he knew something but then again he is been acting weird lately.. Jeez, i'm over thinking a bit too much.

"Escala?", Taylor asks as we sit in the back seat. Mila is currently sitting in the middle, between Anastasia and me. And I don't argue. I need my space.

"Actually, Hotel Palm View, please?", she looks at me rather than Taylor.

Taylor looks in the rearview mirror discreetly and and I nod a slight yes.

"You are staying there?", I ask. I figure she doesn't have a place to stay here.

"Yeah..", it looks like she wants to elaborate more but she doesn't and neither do I encourage her to go ahead.

As Taylor drives to the hotel, I cannot help but steal discreet glances towards Anastasia and Mila.

It is the first time that I look at Mila closely that I can point out the similarities. Like Mila said earlier, her eyes and hair are the same colour as Anastasia. And her features.. Holy Shit she actually mirrors me! How dumb could I be to not notice it before?

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