🎶 You're beautiful, baby, from the outside in

Chase your dreams, but always know the road

That'll lead you home again

Go on, take on this whole world

But to me you know you'll always be

My little girl 🎶

Song by Tim McGraw

Chapter 34

"Yello papa" she greeted in an overtone, waving at her grinning father through the screen, she missed her father, it has been so long she talked to him even though it was only a few days ago.

"Denike mi, ọmọ ọba" her father smiled happily, his dimples showing. He missed his daughter.

"How are you, my jewel?" her father asked softly, seeing the happiness in her eyes.

"I'm fine papa, so happy" she responded eagerly, grinning cheekily, "and you too old man?" she smirked slyly, knowing her father didn't like to be called an old man. He looked like in his late thirties whereas he was over forty years old. A stud man.

"Ouch, My poor heart," her father chirped dramatically, putting his hand over his chest. "You wounded me, pearl," he said in a faked-pain voice while she giggled, shaking her head.

"Old maaaan" she sang, sticking out her tongue, playfully. Her father never grew old.

"Are you saying this handsome man is old?" her father raised his brows, softly patting his chest.

She used her hands to cover her mouth to stop her from laughing out loud, "papa, you are old" she teased her father. Her father was full of himself, his look, and everything.

Richard - her father fanned himself dramatically, shaking his head in disagreement, "I can't believe this small pikin is calling me old when I'm in my prime age" he said in a small girly voice, making Angelina laugh loudly. He smiled widely, since his daughter had left the country to another, he never heard her laugh contentedly like this. He hummed, happily, her face showed happiness.

"Prime age indeed" she muttered, rolling her eyes comically.

"Yeah" dusting his imaginary collar. "Imma in prime-age" he raised his chin.

"If you are not an old man" a pregnant pause, "then why have you not moved on," she said out of blue, looking everywhere but not her father's eyes. She didn't want to see the pain or sorrow the woman left. The woman he called wife.

"You know... I'm still taking care of my beautiful daughter," Richard replied shakily. His voice trembled, he missed his wife dearly, he was still mourning her death. The death took a toll on him, even though it was just some months they met each other before she got pregnant with his child, those moments were precious to him.

"But.. I'm an adult now, I can take care of myself" she argued, pouting.

"You might be an adult in the government or anyone's eyes but you are still my baby girl who cries whenever she sees a cockroach" Richard smiled bittersweetly.

"Argh!" she groaned, "Don't change the topic" she scolded. "You've mourned enough, move on. Find a lady that would take care of you and makes you younger" she advised, pulling her lips together.

"Aye aye captain" Richard saluted, "enough about me" he wiggled his eyebrows at his daughter, "so… what's up?".

"The sky is up" she grinned cheekily, raising her hands.

"I know" he groaned, "You aren't fun at all" he mumbled.

"I heard you old man" she cautioned, pointing her index finger accusingly.

"So how is he?" Richard asked slowly, he didn't have the time to ask about the man. He wanted to talk to him if the man was responsible and could take care of his daughter. All he wanted was his daughter's happiness, he wouldn't ever do what would make her sad. Her happiness, joy, and peace were his goals.

"Oh Nathaniel?!" she beamed happily, covering her red face.

"Yeah" he grunted, seeing how his daughter was head over heels for the man. Just his name made her shy up.

"Nathaniel is caring, nice, handsome, a good listener, listening to all my nonsense. I like him so much… oh my, his voice is worth dying for, " she gushed out happily, "He knows how to cook even though he's cooking dinner right now, we went out today. It was so interesting, we snapped pictures together, went to many places. I love it…" she rambled uncontrollably, gesturing with her hands.

Richard smiled sadly, his precious little princess was in love but didn't know, he was brought out by his daughter's voice," He even listened to all my childish dreams, papa. And the kisses were so magical" she blushed furiously, biting her lips. She had over talked. "He's my dream guy papa. His body, abs, and everything yummy" she used her hands to clamp her mouth shut before giggling, remembering the softness of his hair when she ran her fingers through them early.

"I see," her father hummed, "is he taking care of you?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, and he likes me too" she responded in a small voice.

"Can I talk to him?".

"Papa…" she called softly.

"Just want to ask and confirm some things" he assured her, "I'm sure that he makes my daughter head over heels, I'm sure I'll like him too" her father smiled while she returned it queasily. Her father didn't approve of someone easily, she quietly whispered a silent prayer to God to make it easy.

Nathaniel called his PA after he was through with cooking, informing him to call for architecture to start his Angel's dream house. He wanted to surprise her, anything to make her happy. He could feel the longingness in her voice to have the house and who he was not to make it come true when he had the power and connection to make it happen. His Angel's dream house has become his also, he grinned, loving the statement.

He went out to tell her that the food was ready when he heard her teasing her father, he laughed at both of them before giving them privacy when her father was asking about him. He wanted to hear what she would say but cautioned himself to respect her boundaries.

"Nathaniel" he heard her called and was surprised that the talk with her father was quicker than he thought.

"Yes love, I'm coming" He responded, hanging the apron on the stand.

He went outside, walking languidly towards her, he saw her troubled face and smiled, bringing his lips to her temple and kissed it in intention to make it long for reassurance but was cut short by someone's throat clearing.

Nathaniel wiped his head to find that Angelina was still on a video call with her father, so much of a first impression, he thought, looking at the man's disapproving face.

Wrong impression!.

Richard cleared his throat with a hard gaze, he might be funny and playful for his daughter but serious when it was necessary. He stared hard at the man in front of him, he was attractive in his way, Richard thought, analyzing the man's screen.

Angelina wasn't just his daughter, she was his little princess. He knew since she was born and heard her first cry then she opened gray eyes which resembled her late mother's own. Or when her small hand wrapped his little finger in, he knew that he could do anything and everything for her to protect her, cherish her and adore her.

She was his bundle of happiness his wife left for him and over years of his wife's absence, he made it count so that his princess wouldn't feel the mother part. Her first word, her first stepping, her first day at school, her first competition, her first menstrual cramp, her first stain, her first crush, her first heartbreak when she caught her crush with another, her first failure, and her first everything.

And after twenty-two years, another man - Nathaniel asked if he could make his princess, his queen, his daughter, the mother of his children, his little warrior, his life partner. It was hard but he understood everything for her happiness. He could hear the excitement and happiness in her voice as she spoke of him, her eyes twinkled with every mention of his name. She was happy and he was happy that he could see his daughter happy. That was what he always and do wish for.

"I'm sorry sir" Nathaniel mumbled, not looking at Richard's eyes.

"Aren't you a man enough?" Richard asked, in a hard tone.

"Uhn?".

"I don't think you are a man enough if you can't look me in the eyes. I can't give my daughter to someone who…" Richard's mouth twitched slightly but concealed it, when he saw Nathaniel raised his head, staring at him.

Another wrong impression.

"Yeah, like it like this, man to man" Richard nodded his head in approval.

"I'm Richardson Walter, the biological father of Angelina - my jewel" Richard introduced himself, flipping his collar.

Nathaniel liked this man already, "I'm Nathaniel Hugh the lawful husband of Angelina - my Angel" Nathaniel responded in the same manner, raising his chin high.

"Woah, you get yourself a man. I like your parole" Richard clapped his hands together before clearing his throat in seriousness.

"What did you see in my daughter?" Richard asked, wanting to know what draws him to his jewel. His pearl wasn't like the normal queen bee. She was shy, meek, gentle but a little bit crazy when she's comfortable. She was patient and rarely got mad but when she's, it was always hard to calm her down. So much anger pent in, he sighed, rubbing his temple.

"First, I was drawn to her by her unique eyes, the innocent eyes lured me into her shyness, kindness, politeness, modest even when I didn't deserve it" he responded, smiling at Angelina who looked away from him. The emotions in his voice were too raw for her.

"Good" Richard nodded, "What's your family partake in your relationship?" Richard didn't want what happened to him to happen to his princess. His family and his wife's family didn't approve of their relationships, they'd a forbidden love but had a fruitful seed.

"My parents accept her wholeheartedly and they like her like a daughter" he responded.

"How did both of you meet?" Richard inquired.

"Well… let's say destiny… Hmmm, it was my wedding day, my fiance left so I needed a replacement then, fortunately, Angelina was presented and she is the best thing that ever happens to me because she makes me, myself, learn more, discover more, explore more and experience more" he grinned, holding Angelina's hand in his.

"Can you help in the kitchen?".

"Yes sir, I can".

"I don't want a man who can't cook for my daughter, only knows how food is cooked, not how it is done," he mumbled, nodding his head.

"What did you study and can you financially, morally, spiritually, socially, emotionally, psychologically take care of my princess?".

"I studied business at Harvard University and finished first class. I promise I can financially, morally, spiritually, socially, emotionally, psychologically take care of your princess who is also my Queen" he responded without missing a bit.

"Do you know, my daughter is not perfect. She gets embarrassed easily, she fiddles with her fingers whenever she's nervous, she eats unladylike, she prefers Disney books to romance novels, her favorite book and movie are Beauty and the beast?".

"Yes sir, I understand".

Richard smiled approvingly, he had a feeling that his daughter was in good hand and Nathaniel had gained his heart.

"Congratulations son" Richard grinned, "Welcome to the family" he clapped his hands, throwing a bear hug through the screen for them to catch while Angelina released a relieved sigh.

And that wasn't hard…. Or was it?.

🎶 You're like a shining star

So beautiful you are

My baby girl

You light up my world

I pray that I'll get the chance

To be around and watch you grow

And witness your first steps

And the first time when you will call me "dad" 🎶

Song by Maher Zain

~**~

Hello Royhans 💕

How was the chapter?

AN :I know some of you or all of us are waiting for them to have s** but it's not yet time. You can't just expect them to have it now, they haven't know each other, they just getting comfortable with each other even though there's attraction. Even I, I'm anticipating for it. So let's calm our raging hormones down.. Eh?.

PS: Do listen to those song lyrics.

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