Antonio's POV

The moment I finished my conference calls, I heard some giggles, gradually I stepped out of my office.

The giggles became louder as I neared towards Ellie's room which her door was wide open, I had stopped at the threshold and leaned against the door.

I had observed as I saw Ellie playing with her dolls then she looked up, I was met with her big round chocolate eyes.

I smiled then I saw she was wearing my shirt and jacket from when I first found her.

She stood up from the floor and ran towards me but due to the size of my clothes she almost tripped in the results of me catching her before she fell and hit her face.

"Daddy!" she exclaims, a little flustered that she almost tripped, I simply smiled and scooped her into my arms as my clothes hung off of her,

"Why are you wearing my dirty clothes?" I asked playfully with a glare.

Then she explained to me that she was playing dress up with Jenna,

"I see" then I set her to the ground.

"Jenna it seems you got Ellie to like you" I said, making my way towards Jenna who was standing near Ellie's bed.

"It wasn't hard" Jenna says, casually as if it would tick me off,

But I narrowed my eyes at her then Ellie asked if I could help her get out of my clothes which I agreed.

"Alright princess give me a second" I walked closer to Jenna as I stood by her side,

"What tricks do you have up your sleeves to get Ellie to like you?" I said low enough for Ellie not to hear.

Then she stiffened.

"I will grab my stuff from my car" she said.

I turned back to Ellie she was patiently waiting.

I picked her up I knew she wasn't in a sling but I knew better than to ask when Jenna was around.

"Little one why aren't you in your sling?" I questioned.

She had said her wrist didn't hurt anymore but I wasn't confident but she proved to me that she was alright so I dropped the subject, moving on she had asked me about Mat while explaining on who he is.

I undressed her and applied the arnica ointment onto her bruises.

Cortez told me that the bruises can heal and fade away.

I was glad she thought he was funny. But I couldn't help but replay the scene that happened earlier.

So I finished the last touch the ointment.

I went and grabbed her pajama top then I swiftly put it over her.

It was time for dinner but I hadn't planned anything special and the chef was on vacation.

"Pasta with cheese" Ellie says.

"Mac n cheese?" I said and she nodded. But before I would begin making dinner I had to measure her to see her improvements.

She had grown 5 inches which is a tremendous amount within the 3 days.

Her developmental delay was slowly catching up I was happy she is almost to my waist.

We walked out into the kitchen and Jenna had came back.

Ellie insisted on doing the mac n cheese by herself.

So I helped her with the big stuff.

I saw Jenna help her get the milk out which was nice of her.

But I was uneasy of her.

The night ended nicely we watched a kids movie that Ellie picked and after I put her to bed.

I sat back in my seat.

"Jenna, I don't personally like that you made Ellie like you that easily. But It has helped her with speaking so Jenna. Thank you" I said putting my wine glass down.

"Antonio... about what you said I don't have any tricks it's true." Jenna says staring into her wine glass.

"Then if there isn't anything can't you tell me about your past? Or life?" I asked.

I had known Jenna for 10 years but she never told me if something was bothering her.

"Since I was able to tell Ellie. It has helped me get things off my chest" she says.

I was surprised she told her past to Ellie but she couldn't even tell me?

"Okay I have all night" I said.

Antonio wow that made things even awkward.

"Truth is. Back when I was in 10th grade my biological father passed away. It really hit me hard. I was at rock bottom" Jenna begins to say.

Ah yes that's when I stumbled on her.

She was crying but she never said anything.

"I am sorry for your loss" I said.

"It's fine all in the past." she said gazing at the wine glass again.

"My father married my stepmother when I was in 6th grade we became inseparable. But after my father died she grieved then she met a guy and they had two kids together" Jenna continues.

I think I know where this is going... all this time I wrongly judged her.

"When it was the last year of schooling my stepmother completely ignored me she was more concentrated on her sons." I had taken another sip of my wine while she was recollecting herself.

I guess that would explain why the next day at school she acted normal but it was overly normal like as if when she was upset that day wasn't even real.

"By the time I made my way into college I strived hard to become successful. I was the heir to my father's company but it was all taken by my stepmother. In reality I didn't have any blood family anymore. Not even a loving family. I had become the neglected child. However one of my stepmother's sons took a liking to me and so it made my college life easier" she proceeded.

That's why after high school I never seen or heard from her again.

I too was busy with college.

"Jenna, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" I asked a bit hurt.

"The thing is I had too much pride I was like my father.

"I didn't want help from others" Jenna said.

I had taken another sip.

"However after just even two years of college my stepmother cut off my fundings so I moved in with my aunt. I didn't go live with her at first because I thought me and my stepmother just were in a conflict so I thought it would pass but we fell apart" she says.

"Jenna. You had to endure such burden by yourself?" I asked.

"Yes. I realized that if I did tell people they would only pity me. So I told myself I would be stronger" she replies.

Hah.

I told myself that everyday saying I would be better than my father.

"When it was the 5th anniversary of my father's death stepmother didn't even bother coming. Even though I am busy I still make time and I didn't want to crash at my aunt's place because she's helped me so much in the past year" she says filling the wine glass with more malbec.

"I had always resented my stepmother since then. I had always if her love for my father was even real or was she in it for the money" Jenna sighs.

"My mother was killed when I was like in 2nd grade so I didn't really remember her. But since my father was a business man my mother was caught in the crossfire." I think I remember my father talking about the O'Sean incident at that time I was just a 7 year old.

"What infuriated me more was that stepmother's new husband was who rotted her brain saying that I don't share her DNA so why even waste time on me? Back then I didn't think she would listen but he convinced her" she sighs.

Taking a big gulp of wine.

"Hey I got a child here don't want to do any frisky business" I said.

"Antonio. I know. But."