"No... I am not, he is daddy... I can sll daddy's scent from him..." Cecilia struggled out of Charlotte's hold with enough strength that Charlotte found it hard to keep her in her embrace.
Both mother and duo wrestled and struggled as the wooden floors beneath them let out occasional protests.
Eventually, both sides reached a standstill, but Charlotte lost her balance.
"Ah!"
She exclaid.
But Calvin had already reacted.
He stretched his hand out and took Cecilia before Charlotte could fall onto the ground.
Thud!
A dull thud rang out.
Calvin may have managed to rescue Cecilia in ti, but it was too late for him to do anything about Charlotte.
She fell onto the ground and moaned in pain.
"Oww..."
She huffed and puffed as she rubbed her elbows that collided against the muddy floor.
Raising her head to look at Cecilia, she noticed that the little girl was still pouting.
"From the first ti I t Uncle Superman, I felt it. When we were in danger back then, Daddy showed up and sent the bad guys away. Mommy, didn't you say that daddy is a hero to the country?"
"Daddy also told that Superman is a hero too! Daddy also told that he will appear when I am in danger. Have you been lying to all this while?"
"I..." Charlotte felt heartache and was ashad. Her eyes reddened out of frustration for she didn't know how she could explain the situation to her naive daughter without hurting her.
"Mommy... Please, please let Uncle Superman be my daddy... Let him stay here with ." Cecilia repeatedly blinked her big round eyes and pouted as if she was being wronged. She looked so pitiful as her tears began to fall one drop after another.
The little girl who was now on Calvin's embrace tightened her grip around Calvin's neck as she said, "Everybody else in my circle of friends has a daddy except . All of them say that I am a wild child and an orphan. They say that I am not mommy's true child! But that's not true..."
"I am not a wild child... I'm also not an orphan since daddy is back now. Mommy, please don't let daddy go away. Please don't let daddy leave, all right? I just want a daddy."
"I just want my daddy... Please..."
Calvin's heart was a spectacular ss.
To be honest, part of the reason why he helped this mother and daughter duo was because of his ulterior motives. He expected this to be a one-ti thing wherein after helping them settle sowhere in the residential district of the Southern Borough, he would be able to leave at peace.
But at this mont...
Calvin didn't know what to do.
For the first ti ever after a hundred years, Calvin was thoroughly stumped.
But despite not knowing what he should do, his hands held tightly around the doll-like child in his arms, seemingly unwilling to let go.
"Cecilia... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Charlotte couldn't bear to see her daughter crying anymore. Cecilia was a child who always maintained that dignified and strong facade, even in front of her mother. But being her mother, it was impossible for Cecilia to hide everything from her mother.
Cecilia didn't know it, but Charlotte could see her crying by herself in the middle of the night.
Whispering sothing along the lines of, "I am not a wild child...", "daddy will be back...", "I'm not hungry... Mommy needs to eat more than ."
Charlotte's heart would always break into pieces whenever she heard these words from her daughter. This was the reason why Charlotte was so desperate. Even though she knew that working in those matchstick and textile companies was extrely dangerous.
She knew that she must do it for the sake of her daughter.
She was willing to do anything to save her daughter from this nightmare.
It didn't matter even if she fell into depravity herself.
In fact, if Calvin didn't rescue her today...
Charlotte was already prepared to sell herself to one of the brothels in the Western Borough just so she could earn a more substantial living for the two of them.
Fortunately, Calvin ca to her life.
However, everything was just moving too fast that Charlotte didn't know how she could face Calvin.
One morning, he saved their life, and in the next few days...
He was now her daughter's father?
Charlotte was unwilling.
She didn't want to inconvenience Calvin and have him raise the child of another man.
But she was also helpless.
Complicated emotions flashed across Charlotte's face as she hung her head low in sha and didn't even dare to glance at Calvin.
But seeing the tears and hearing the whimpers of her daughter, Charlotte's heart couldn't take it anymore.
For six whole years, they depended on each other.
Nobody understood better than her, the criticisms and ridicule that the two of them suffered all these years and nobody knew about her daughter's desire to experience fatherly love other than her.
For six whole years, she struggled to make a living and exhausted all ans, thods, and lies just so she could temporarily satisfy the yearning that her daughter has for her father. But at the end of the day, Charlotte still couldn't give what her daughter wanted.
Calvin stared at Charlotte and was out of words to say.
Calvin may not be that good in understanding the human heart, but he was nevertheless a man that wasn't as dense as ani protagonists or the planet of pluto.
He instantly saw through Charlotte's thoughts and he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Calvin truly didn't have the leeway to think about anything else, have a family, or even love.
Why?
It was because the threat of the invaders was still there.
He, who knew what was to co had this invisible sense of responsibility towards saving the world.
He couldn't just abandon humanity and the world knowing that the end tis were coming, right?
Calvin gnashed his teeth.
He once dread of having a true love and creating a family. But his sense of responsibility drove him to abandon everything just so he could save the world from its impending doom.
In the end, he may have managed to save the world but his glory was stolen from him by the unscrupulous traitors who branded him as the greatest traitor of humanity.
But did Calvin regret saving the world?
Nope...
But did he regret abandoning everything for the sake of the world?
Yes...
lancholy flitted across Calvin's eyes.
He could still vaguely the fairy-like figure of that woman who offered him an escape from this damned world.
But in the end, he refused and the woman escaped alone to the vast expanse of the cosmos.
Until the end of Calvin's life on his previous tiline, he never knew what happened to that woman.
Not knowing what happened to her, who was once a precious part of his life was one of Calvin's greatest regrets.
And so, at this mont...
Rembering his deepest regrets.
Calvin made a decision. He stretched his hand out, squeezed Charlotte's hand and expressed everything that he wanted to express to Charlotte with his eyes.
I will temporarily be Cecilia's father.
Calvin said with his eyes alone.
His eyes glimred with determination and resolve. Since he had already decided to change the lives of both mother and daughter duo. He might as well help them all the way. Of course, Calvin still wouldn't forget about his mission as to why he was in the world of Las Felipinas.
But would having an adopted daughter get in the way of his missions?
Probably...
Having a family was a huge weakness that any of his enemies could take advantage of.
But so, what?
The Calvin of the previous tiline may be afraid of having a family for he wouldn't know how to protect them, but now?
Having experienced everything that was out there to experience, Calvin wasn't afraid.
If those bastards really dare to go after this mother and daughter duo...
Murderous intent montarily flashed across his eyes.
Suppressing his killing intent, he blinked and made a sidelong glance at Charlotte.
No words were exchanged between the two as Charlotte bit her lips, nodded her head, and said with a choked voice.
"Cecilia... my daughter... Actually, your mother lied to you.."
"I was angry at your daddy and that is the reason why I hid his identity from you."
"But now... I have forgiven him."
Reviews
All reviews (0)