We meet again

RIX’s P.O.V.

Even in the happiest moments of my life, when I see this man before my eyes, I can't help but feel useless again.

These overwhelming emotions flood my mind without any warning.

What the hell did I do to deserve this?

"Why are you with Harold?" he asked, his voice cracking.

Maybe it won't be so bad if I let him believe what he wants. After all, he shattered me into pieces years ago. It won't hurt to hurt him a little.

I didn't respond and turned my gaze back to Adonis.

"Mom, I'm fine! Don't worry. Mr. Handsome here already helped me!" Adonis exclaimed, instantly easing my mind.

Harold furrowed his brows, narrowing his eyes. "What did I tell you to call me, Donny?" Harold asked.

Donny acted as if he was thinking, then raised his fingers and said, "AHA! I remember. You told me to call you dad instead of uncle."

"D-dad?" I heard Apollo whisper behind me.

What was he doing here in the first place?

"Yes! That's correct, Donny! Now don't you ever forget that, okay?" Harold said, trying to remind my son of the things he had always dreamed of.

Donny furrowed his brows. "But you're not my—"

Before he could finish speaking, I interjected. "Let's go inside our home, Donny. I'll give you your medications."

I pulled Donny away from there and entered the hut.

"Wait!" Apollo exclaimed, gripping my arms. "You're joking, right?" he asked.

I looked at him nonchalantly, from head to toe, and said, "You're joking too, right? Showing up after four years, acting as if we're still together."

I shrugged off his hands and continued to move away.

I don't know what happened after that. If Harold tried to say something that would surely haunt Apollo's mind, I don't even care.

Or do I?

"He's my dad," claimed Donny, as if he was so sure of what he saw. "I think he's the person you kept introducing to me before, Mom! I'm sure it was him."

I took a deep sigh.

It makes me anxious when a child tries to explain certain unexplainable details in their life, things that are difficult for their big hearts and little minds to accept and understand.

But perhaps I can tell him a few things, instead of letting him grow up wondering what happened to his father.

"So, your father is him, right? But he has a different life now. You don't have to force yourself into his life, okay? Let's give him some rest. He needs that. Just because we are his family doesn't mean we have to interfere with his already improved life."

He smiled at me. "I got it, Mom! It's not right to ruin someone's life just because of your own needs. Besides, I don't need a father when I have so many others! There's Mr. Handsome, Uncle Seb, Uncle Michael, and Uncle Harley! And I also have a little sister with another mother."

As I brushed his hair, I felt a lump in my throat.

I tried my best not to burst into tears again.

I can't show my weakness to the person who brought me into this plan. There's no way I'll let Apollo see my tears.

It may seem impossible, but maybe it's not. I've done it before—I can leave him alone again.

"Let's talk outside!" exclaimed Apollo, pulling my arm closer to him, and urging me to leave the hut.

"What's wrong with you?" I complained.

But he's not responding.

Apollo continues to walk outside of the hut, perhaps still searching for a perfect place for us to talk quietly and alone.

Since Apollo couldn't find the perfect quiet place, I decided to change the situation. Instead of him pulling me, I took the initiative to call him.

We stopped walking near the shore.

"Since we've come this far, tell me what you needed to know," I began.

He takes a deep breath. I can sense through his eyes that he's trying to gather his lost courage.

Am I that difficult to face?

"First of all, why did you leave me that night?" he asked.

"Is that the first thing you wanted to know?" I chuckled. "Well, what could I expect? It's you, after all. I just wanted to leave you. That’s all. Why are you asking for reasons?”

His face turns red. I can feel the heat, but not because of romantic excitement, but rather because of anger.

Jeez. He’s like tobacco now.

"You know we had a contract. You were supposed to stay for the whole 6 months—"

Before he could finish his statement, I interrupted him, saying, "So now it's clear what you're after. You want me to pay the compensation fee, right? How much do you need me to pay? I'll get it ready as soon as possible, just name the price. Don’t bother I won’t give you a hard time.”

He moves closer to me. "That's not what I wanted to know. It's not what I'm after. You left me dumbfounded with no idea of what happened to you! You don't know how far I've come just to see you, to find out where you've been! You made me suffer, worrying about your well-being!"

"Why is it my problem now? Is it my fault that you felt the need to look after me? Tch."

He shakes his head. It seems like he's now pissed off about everything he had gone through for me.

"I know it's not your problem. But I think you have a part in it."

"You broke the agreement we had before. You promised to take our relationship to the next level, but you missed out on many things you never did. Because of you, I finally learned that promises are meant to be broken,” I said, still claiming the old reasons I told him before.

His face wrinkles. "Come on, please don't use those old lines."

"Just tell me your purpose for wanting to meet me," I said, trying to end the increasingly lengthy conversation.

"Who is the child you kept calling Donny, my son?" he asked.

I looked away, pretending I didn't know what I was talking about. "He is my son."

His face displayed perplexity, and confusion was evident. I was certain he felt a rollercoaster in his stomach.

"Is he my son? Please don’t deny it. Charis had already told me before you were pregnant."

Now, I couldn't help but laugh. "If she tells you, are you just trying to find me now? Four years ago, you left me to live alone. And now you act as if you want to meet me? As if you're a father?!"

I clenched my fist, feeling a sense of danger swirling around my head.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know what I know, Apollo. Let go of everything I've known before. Just because I came back into your life doesn't mean I'll let you back in."

Before walking away, I looked at him from head to toe. I promised myself I would never fall in love with this person again.

I just hope I won’t prank myself.

Turning my back to him, each step grew heavier.

It became increasingly difficult to pretend I didn't care.

As I distanced myself, I could feel his hands now.

"I still need you. Please don't tell me you've settled with that Harold."

A ticklish sensation filled my chest, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach because of the initial assumption that he was getting jealous.

But as a mother, that wasn't what I needed.

I wiped my hand clean of him and said, "Please be clear about what you want. I don't want to get the wrong idea again."

Then I continued walking away from him.

It sucks to see him in this state.

"Rix!" Charis exclaimed as I approached my house.

"Don't start with me, I'm not fine."

Charis and Harley have decided to leave our hometown. Since Harley easily adapts to new environments, we have chosen to venture out together and start a new life here.

Harley has learned a lot in the club, especially becoming a talented bartender.

So now, he has decided to help him create his own mini cafe here. Many people have become interested in his coffee, so we have started a small business of our own...

"What made you angry today? It seems like ever since you became pregnant, you've been constantly grouchy. It's like you were destined to be with Mr. Grouchy," Charis teased.

Harley burst into laughter.

"How can you insult my friend like that, Charis?" Harley asked.

Now, not only me but Charis’ face also creased with laughter.

"It seems like we're all slaves to the ones we love. Once it’s about them who started the commotion, irritation becomes a part of our lives," I remarked.

Charis agreed and jokingly threatened to beat up her husband.

Meanwhile, their daughter came in, together with my son, carrying a large jellyfish, and brought them to us on a big plate.

Yuna, Charis’ and Harley's three-year-old daughter, approached me and spoke up. "Auntie, look what we got for you! Donny said you'd like it because you're feeling irritated."

"Ah! I told you not to tell my mom. She'll get mad at me!" Donny quickly intervened. "Look at her now, she's fuming mad. Smoke is coming out of her ears and nose. She's like a kettle!"

"How dare you say that to my face!" I exclaimed playfully.

I chased my son again, but we both knew it was just for fun.

Yuna laughed, knowing that the three of them had put Donny in danger—which happened to be the fun part.

"Mom, stop it! Tell Dad if you keep picking on me!"

Dad? Tch. Who told Donny to call Apollo, Dad?

Harold entered the room. "See that? Daddy, look at Mom. She's causing a ruckus again, making everything a big deal as if everyone cares about it."

I don't know why, but I felt disappointed that it wasn't Apollo here who Donny was referring to as Dad.

Considering I specifically told my son not to talk about his father or call him Dad, I felt a twinge of sadness.

"Why are you calling Harold, Daddy?"

Oh god…

It was Apollo.

I thought he had left.

Donny stared into his father's face as if trying to memorize every angle.

I panicked. What if he realizes that Donny looks exactly like him?!

Oh god, I'm overwhelmed with worries.

"What brought you here, dude?" asked Harley. "Are you planning to disrupt my friends' lives again?"

Apollo replied, "It's not about having fun, okay? I want to fix everything between us. I want to make things right with my wife."

Charis laughed. "Bro, who are you calling your wife? Have you forgotten that you and Beatrix were just in a contract relationship? Have you forgotten that you're the one who hired her? So please stop acting as if it was all real. Nothing actually happened in the past."

Apollo gulped. "I'm sure you still have doubts about whether I'm telling the truth. But honestly, for four years, I've been searching for Beatrix after you told me she was pregnant."

Charis panicked as she responded, "Did I say that? I never told you about my best friend's condition!"

Harold interrupted, "Don't call it a condition. Beatrix didn't have any serious complications when she was carrying a baby.

Taking care of a baby is one of the most challenging things I've ever done in my life.

But it's also one of the happiest moments I've ever experienced, sharing it with someone else in the whole world."

"I'm not trying to portray Beatrix's situation in a negative way. Why would you think that?"

Harley interrupted, "Well, of course, he would. You always wanted to have Beatrix for yourself."

I rolled my eyes as Harley, Charis, and Harold continued to talk normally as if Apollo wasn't there, right in front of them.

Now I didn't have a choice because while the three of them were still busy with their petty things, Apollo was at the door, ready to pull me away from that mess.

Apollo knelt down before me.

"I'm sorry."

Ouch...

"I'm sorry for what I did before. I was jealous. I couldn't control my feelings especially when it’s jealousy consumed me. All I ask for is a little patience. Is that too much to ask?" he continued.

I let my hands move closer to his cheeks, only to give him a hard slap.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at my hands.

"Those apologies are years too late, and I don't need your sorry anymore. I’m doing perfect So don't try to ruin my life. Just go away. I don't have to repeat myself. All I want is to be free. Just leave me alone.”

---

I thought it would be that easy to push Apollo away from me.

As I tried my best to keep Donny away from his father, it seemed that blood was indeed thicker than water.

Their bond was undeniable. They clicked as soon as they met. What could I expect? Apollo’s face is written all over Donny.

It wasn't such a bad idea after all, because at last, Donny had a father he could introduce to his classmates.

Although Donny was doing his best not to reveal his true identity to his father, I could see it in his face that for him, it felt like he was finally complete.

I don't know where Apollo was staying while trying to reach me and Donny, to win me back. I also didn't know how Harold managed to come here to my hut every day, no matter how far the city was from here because that’s where he live.

Apollo was determined to have me back in his hands again.

Well, Harold was equally determined to make me his officially.

Harold and I finally reconciled when he and his cousins met me on the ship we were riding at that time.

At first, it was really difficult for me to forgive them.

I mean, deep down, I know that I have already forgiven them, but actually vocalizing it and telling the person specifically that I have moved on from what they did is a challenging task for me.

Yet, Harold managed to accomplish that. He did all the work.

He told me that all he wanted was to secure a position in a company so we could have a stable financial income.

But the moment he met me, it seemed like all of his plans fell apart.

He just wanted to get closer to me, and since he knew that Apollo and I were only in a contract marriage, with the contract coming to an end, he planned to pursue me.

But it seemed like he was not in favor of his own decisions or plans.

Apollo and I had already reached a point of breaking the contact and making it real instead by then.

And he saw us in the middle of the road.

He was experiencing mixed emotions, but the one feeling that rose above all was his jealousy.

That was the only thing that got him furied.

So, he decided to call Apollo's father and have me beaten up severely.

I was just lucky that Apollo was there to shield me with his broad chest.

Harold was overwhelmed with his own thoughts, and he decided to try and possess me in an aggressive manner because he couldn't wait any longer.

Well, things didn't turn out as he had planned.

Although Harold was the reason Apollo and I had separated years after, that wasn't the sole reason why I came into a decision of leaving Apollo behind.

Apollo went into my hut.

"What are you doing here again? Why do you keep calling me? Don't you have a job?" I asked.

"I told you I would do my best to win you back. I won't stop until I have you back, okay?"

I was chopping onions and trying to prepare breakfast for my child, but his words distracted me, and I accidentally cut myself.

"Ouch..."

Apollo was startled and immediately grabbed my hand. He looked around to find the first aid kit to apply medication and clean my wound.

As I stared at his angelic face, I had a strange thought. Maybe it was time to let go of my tight grip and give Apollo another chance.

Apollo couldn't find a towel, so he tore a piece of cloth to cover my wrist.

Was he always this reckless? Really?

God damn it... his abs…

Oh shoot.

I shook my head.