Chapter 44

Anna's POV

WOW! I'm finally here after three years, standing right in front of the big glass building. Because I don't have any choice but to face him. The dreading thoughts of what and how he will react to the circumstances is killing me. I took a much-needed breath before entering inside through the glass door, walking straight to the receptionist.

"Excuse me, I'm here to meet Mr Knight," I informed the young lady behind the counter.

She gave me a once and over-look before answering, "Do you have any appointment, ma'am?" Damn it!. I cursed under my breath.

"I don't have any but he knows me. Please, Can you give him a call for me?" I pleaded.

"Sorry, ma'am. I'm not allowed to do that. And besides, he is not here yet. Why don't you make an appointment? I'll see what I can do?" She asked and began to resume her work.

"Please! I have to meet him. It's very urgent." I repeated in a higher tone than usual.

"Ma'am, don't make any scene here, or I would have to call the secur-" She paused, looking behind me.

I felt somebody's presence, and the familiar cologne with the mix of the same manly scent hit my nostrils all over again.

I turned rather quickly, and he was right in front of me. For some moment, I forget how to breathe. I stare at the same hazel eyes with which I fell in love in the first place. They were not bright or alive anymore.

"Zach..." I finally found my voice. He stared back, looking shocked, and froze when I called his name.

"Call the security and throw out the unwanted people. I don't want chaos inside my building." Zach commanded the receptionist, still maintaining eye contact with me.

He turned and was about to leave when I grabbed his forearm. "Zach! please, just hear me out. I have something very important to tell you."

"How dare you touch me? Guards!" He shouted, jerking my hands from his forearm.

My heart sinks from the way he treated me in front of everyone. But it was not the time to complain. I sucked up my self-esteem and tried to hold his hand again.

"Zach! I know you hate me and didn't want to look at my face. But this is important. Just five minutes, give me your five minutes. It's all I am asking from you." I pleaded, tears running out of my eyes.

"I don't have a single second to spare on you, Anna. You don't deserve anyone's precious time, even for a single second." His voice full of venom replied.

Two guards came rushing inside and hold each of my arms, and started dragging me out. No..no..no I can't let this happen. You have to listen to me, Zach. A desperate thought came rushing my mind.

"I may not be worth your precious time, but your Daughter is!" I yelled with all my might.

My eyes were shut, but I could hear the mumbled and the silence right after that.

The sound of somebody's walking on the marble floor falls on my ears. It was dominating and strong.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Zach whispered, but one could tell he was trying so hard not to lose his temper.

I slowly began to open my wet eyes and face his dark and bloodshot one.

"Y-You have a da-daughter." I stammered, overwhelmed by this intense stare.

Zach stared and did the unexpected. He laughed!

He laughed a humourless one. I was there dumbfounded when he laughed. Was he laughing at my misery?

"Oh! God! Anna, Damn! that was a good one. It has been quite a while since I laughed this hard." He chuckled.

I jerked my hands from the grip of the guards and pushed my finger to Zach's chest. "Do you think I came here to crack a joke?" I questioned, tears continued to fall from my eyes. "Our daughter is dealing with her worst nightmare, and you think that I'm joking." I tapped his chest on my every word.

He frowned and held my wrist tightly. Before I could think or do anything, Zach was dragging me with him, and he opened a door of a room, which was empty, and locked the door.

"You better be joking about this, Anna. For your own good. Because, trust me, even if a single word you said is true, then I will make your life hell." He said through greeted teeth, scaring the hell out of me.

"I'm sorry. I know what you are feeling right now. And I also know that you'll never forgive me for the things I'm about to tell you. Much less hate me even more. But I don't care, all I care about right now is Hazel." I said between my sob.

"Hazel..." He whispered.

I nodded my head, a small smile forming on my face at the mention of my little angel. "Hazel. Our daughter." I confronted.

He inhaled a sharp breath, running his hand on his dark blond hair. "I have a daughter," he asked, and I nodded my head, not able to utter the word. "And you kept me in the dark about her." I fall silent because I know it's all my fault, to begin with. "How old is she?" He asked.

"Two and a half years old."

"You dare to come here, informing me about the daughter I never knew existed after 3 long years. Why? What changed your mind? Is it money?" I lifted my head after hearing his disgusting accusation. "Are you here for claiming child support?" He narrowed his eyes, giving me the look of pure hatred and disgust.

"I must have been an idiot to never realizing your true self, Anna. I thought I was good when it comes to observe and judge people but you prove me so wrong over and over again." I swallowed his hatred and accusation, standing straight on my ground.

"Think whatever you want to think of me, I am not going to change your opinion because you have already made up your mind about my character and whatever I say or do will not matter anyway." He narrowed his eyes and I continued further. "I'm here for my daughter, our daughter not for your money," I answered back.

"Where is she?" He asked, ignoring my statement.

I inhaled, "She is with my friend at the Hotel Beacon." A sob left from my mouth recalling her current state.

"Hey! What happened? She is okay, right?" Zach asked, voice full of concern. But I'm not a fool to think it's for me. He is worried about his daughter.

"No..." I whispered, sobbing hard.

"Anna, you're not making it easy for me. Tell me what is wrong with her?" Zach asked again, holding my shoulders.

"She is sick, Zach. Our little girl is sick. S-she has c-cancer." I sobbed aloud pressing my face on his chest.

I could feel his body going stiff for some moment before he pulled me away from him. "What the fuck did you just say?" He asked, roughly grabbing my shoulder.

"Ah!" I cried in pain. "Zach, you're hurting me." I pleaded, trying to pull away from his tight grip.

"You bet, I am." He greeted his teeth, pulling me against his hard chest. "You hide the truth about my daughter from me for three years and now you feel the need to inform me about her existence when god knows how much time does she have to even survive." He yelled on my face.

"Does she know about me?" He asked. "Or have you kept her in the dark too about his father?"

"She knows who her father is," I answered and his grip on my shoulder loosen. "She has seen you're pictures. She had asked me why we are not together like other parents and I told her that I did something horrible to break his father's heart and I am taking the punishment for that. But you know what she said," I chuckle looking at his face. "she said, I'm her's a super mom and I can't do anything wrong, that I can't break anyone's heart. She said her daddy will realize his love and come looking after me and her."

I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and opened Hazel's latest picture and shown it to Zach.

He took the phone from my hand, took a sharp breath right after looking at it.

"She is precious," Zach whispered, staring down at the picture. "And she looks just like you, beautiful." The softness and love in his voice made him look like the old Zach who loved me dearly.

"She has your eyes," He nodded his head, his eyes moist with tears.

"Take me to her. I want to meet my princess," I nodded my head and he returned my phone after sending the picture on his own.

I wiped my tears and he opened the door and we left the room. The staff were mumbling but fall quiet after seeing Zach's hard face.

Zach took long strikes, and I was running behind him to meet his pace. Mike his driver looked shocked seeking me and I gave him a single nod before entering the car.

"Hotel Beacon," Zach instructed, and Mike stepped on the accelerator.

Within ten minutes, we were outside the hotel. I opened the car door and so does Zach and we headed inside the hotel. Riding the elevator with Zach was awkward, I could feel his eyes on the back of my head. With the ping sound, the door got opened and we walked outside. After passing few rooms, we were in front of mine. I knocked on the door and Mia opened it soon after.

"Hey!" her cheerful voice ceased after observing Zach's intense stare.

Zach didn't wait and rushed inside bumping my shoulder in the process.

"Hazel! I called from the little living room and she came out running from the bedroom. "Stop with the running Hazel. You will hurt yourself." I said tired of repeating the same thing.

Her steps halted when she saw the man standing right beside me. She narrowed her eyes, observing him, recalling his face. Soon a big grin formed on her little pink lips when she recognized her dad.

"Daddy!!" She screamed, running and hugging Zach's leg. "You came. See mommy, daddy came. He loves us." I nodded my head, holding my tears. Mia walked beside me, holding me.

"Princess." Zach pulled Hazel in his arms and stared at her face. His big palms stroking her small cheeks, he put the fallen strands of hair behind her ears, capturing each detail and every feature of her.

"I missed you, daddy. You missed us?" she questioned innocently. Only if she knew, her daddy was not even aware of her existence an hour ago. All thanks to her stupid mother.

"Oh! princess, you have no idea, how much I missed you. I am sorry, daddy took so long to meet his princess." He cried. Zach was crying.

Hazel wiped his tears away, shaking her head. "No cry daddy. I am not angry. I love you." She kissed his cheeks and lips. Just like we do.

He kissed her cheeks and hugged her tightly. "I love you so much, princess. I'll never be going to let anyone take you away from me ever." His last sentence was for me, the way he looked at me while uttering each word. I knew it was for me.