Chapter 55

Angelina woke up groggily, groaning softly, mumbling harmless curses under her breath as a loud yawn escaped her lips and her stomach rumbled.

She didn't remember when she fell asleep and how she got to the bed, she closed her eyes, trying to remember a brief thing, and abruptly, her eyes flew open as she stared at Nathaniel's worried face.

Her father and her best friend!.

She looked from Nathaniel to everyone who was looking at her guilty except her father and Bell who weren't in the room, she cocked her head as heartbeat, "You know?". She asked slowly before she jumped to conclusions.

"Yeah" Nathaniel dragged slowly, not looking at her, she turned to look and saw they were staring at the floor, nodding meekly.

Betrayal seeped into her bloodstream as she watched them, they all knew except her. She wasn't aware and wasn't told.

"I'm.."

"Save it" she cut Nathaniel off, glaring at him as she stood up wobbling and swallowing her nerve, "I don't want to hear anything," she said, "just leave me alone to digest what's going on" she muttered and walked away.

She ran to the backyard barefooted, sat down on one of the swings as she looked at the stars, sighing as a tear trailed down her cheek.

Her emotions were jumbled together, she was upset, angry, betrayed, sad upon all, she was…

Angelina turned her face to the other side when she heard footsteps sounds coming closer, "Go away, I want to be alone" her voice was coated with thick emotions.

"Denike" she heard her father's voice and she sucked in her breath, quickly wiping her cheek.

"Denike, ọmọ mí*" her father called softly, she still refused to turn her face to him. (*my child/my daughter).

Richard walked closer to his daughter, her shoulders tensed as he saw her holding the swing tightly.

"Ọmọ ọba…." Richard walked closer to her, held her shoulder as he chanted her eulogy to soothe and appraised her. His voice was velvety soft as the wind carried his voice on the night.

After chanting her eulogy, Angelina turned to her father with tears stained cheeks, she couldn't get angry at her father, her father was her weakness and strength. Her father meant so much to her.

"Papa" she called softly while Richard smiled guiltily at her.

"I'm sorry" Richard apologized.

"Why?" she asked softly as Richard pushed her swing from behind.

"We kept it from you because of your condition, we thought it was better to tell you after your childbirth but I'm sorry for..".

"Papa, it's okay," she mumbled, looking at the starry night.

Silence engulfed both of them as the sound of crickets dancing in the air, "It's just that it has been only two of us, it surprised me, I thought it'll always be the two of us and the love you have for me won't be shared but…" she trailed off, voicing out her fear. A new woman in their lives even though she was her best friend but has been the only one to share her father.

" if you want me to leave her I will" Richard muttered softly, his voice was void of emotion.

" If I say yes, will you stop? And if I say no, will you continue?" she responded, holding her father's hand.

" I-I… "her father stopped.

" You know, I'll be happy for you no matter who you choose "she smiled," your happiness is my priority, I can't stop it because of my selfishness and greediness, "she said, "and I can't break your heart when you are already moving on" she mumbled. "it's better to be with the person I know than the person I don't".

"Denike," her father called softly.

"Do you what?" she whipped her head to the back.

"Hmmm" her father hummed in response.

"Love is crazy," she laughed awkwardly, "you can't control who you fall in love with" she whispered.

"Yeah," her father responded, "I can't even explain how it started but I just know I'm falling for her" he smiled, "am I crazy?".

"Yeah" she nodded while giggling, "definitely crazy in love".

"Papa, I won't think you are my favorite person, if you hurt my Bell" she raised her eyes, "imma gonna whoop your old hair" she threatened while Richard laughed.

"Aye captain" he saluted before going to the other swing and sat on it.

They both sighed, "do you remember the first time I made you wear a skirt?" Angelina asked her father.

"Oh my God," Richard groaned, "don't tell me those embarrassing moments!"

"Oh my God,'' she exclaimed, laughing out, "Or when you tried to please me by eating my overburnt meal" she face palmed herself, remembering when she was twelve years old, trying to make a meal for her sick father.

"Yeah, you made me proud, girl," her father chimed.

"Or when I asked you to find me my doll" she laughed, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she reminisced about all the happy moments.

"You are making me teary," Richard said in a high-pitched voice.

"Old man," she grumbled, sniffing lightly.

"Stop joor" Richard whined, stood up and removed his jacket, and dap it on her when he saw her shivering.

Richard has tried to move forward from his Elina when Angelina had advised him to find a woman. He thought of where he could find a woman and that urged him to create a tinder account. He met Bella on tinder and they hit immediately, having similarities and differences unknowingly to him, she was his daughter's friend.

When he arrived six months ago, he saw Bella, he was shocked and tried to keep his distance but he was attracted to her like a moth to fire. The kind of love he had for Elina was different from the one he was having with Bell.

He had it in mind to tell her daughter the day he saw Belle but Jasmine stopped him. Everyone also knew about their relationship, he didn't want any issues and had asked permission to date her from her brother - Nicholas, and had been approved.

"It's getting cold," Richard said, "let's get inside" he mumbled, standing up as he walked to her and took her hand while she smiled.

They walked inside and saw everyone was tense and stood up, waiting for reactions but when they saw Richard and Angelina walking in hands, they sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier," Angelina smiled.

"We are the ones to apologize for keeping it from you," Jasmine said.

Nathaniel came forward then hugged her as she immediately sighed, inhaling his scent.

Comfort.

Angelina pulled away and her eyes scanned the room for someone, "Where is Bell?" she asked.

"She is somewhere in the room," Diana answered.

Angelina's eyes widened and went to search for Bell and saw her sitting on the floor crying as her make-up smudged on her face.

"Bell..".

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Angelina" she sobbed, "It is wrong of me to have a relationship with your father… I broke your trust, I kept it away from you," she said, "I was scared" Angelina rushed to her and hugged her.

"It's okay honey" Angelina patted her back softly, "Don't blame yourself for falling in love" Angelina held her face and wiped the tears softly.

"... But..".

"It's okay," Angelina smiled.

"Can I…" Bell gulped, "... Love your father?".

"You can love him to your best ability" Angelina smiled, nodding her head in approval, "... But please, don't break his heart".

"I don't dare dream of breaking his heart".

~**~

Hello Royhans 💕,

How was the chapter?

Vote, comment, share, review, and follow.

I need a help from you guys, if you are on webnovel, kindly leave a review on this book there. Thank you love.

Richard and Bella are having a book also 😁 😁.. It's the third series of the messed up series 😁 😁. Well, it's going to be a short story.

Any predictions?

Follow on _royhan for latest updates

Thank you for reading ♥.