Affection

Electra POV

My daughter is turning five years old tomorrow, and I wanted to get her a special gift. I smiled as I applied some makeup, unaware that she was standing behind me.

"Can you hurry up, Mummy? It's not like we're going to a wedding, just shopping," Gladys said, her voice laced with impatience.

I turned around, feigning offense. "I'm sorry, baby. I need to look nice," I replied, quickly finishing up.

"We're going to celebrate you turning big five!" I exclaimed, bending down to kiss her.

Gladys giggled and retorted, "I'm turning big five now, not you. You're an old mother!" before running out of the room.

I chuckled and followed her, feeling grateful for the sweet and sassy personality of my little girl.

As I entered the living room, I was greeted by the warm smile of my father, who was waiting patiently for me. He opened his arms and pulled me into a gentle hug as I approached him.

"Hey, Dad, didn't you go to the office today?" I asked, curiosity etched on my face.

He let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "I decided to take a break today. Matthew is handling everything, and he's doing a great job. You should wrap up your things soon and join him at the company too," he said, his eyes twinkling with a mix of pride and encouragement.

I nodded, knowing that my little brother had been shouldering a lot of responsibilities, even when I wasn't around. I felt a surge of gratitude towards him for stepping up and supporting our father.

"Okay dad, just give me some time, it's barely a week since I got back, just few days to get my head together and after your granddaughter birthday" I said, my eyes pleading.

"Okay, Dad, just give me some time," I said, my eyes pleading. "It's barely a week since I got back, and I need a few days to get my head together, especially with my daughter's birthday coming up."

My mom jumped into the conversation, her voice firm but laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Your wish, dear daughter. You can't keep leaving all the work for your brother. I thought you'd finally take responsibility after returning home, but now you're making excuses."

I chuckled and shook my head, trying to maintain my calm. "Mom, I thought we were past the rivalry phase. I've been working hard too, attending lectures and seminars to improve my business knowledge. I've been supporting myself for five years, and taking a few days to rest isn't a bad idea, especially since I get to spend time with my daughter."

My mom's expression didn't change, her tone still sharp. "We're never rivals, but you always talk back. Just go and don't teach your child that bad character."

I sighed inwardly, realizing that some things hadn't changed in five years. My mom's words still had the power to sting, but I refused to let them get to me. I smiled wryly, knowing that I had to pick my battles wisely.

"I thought you'd changed, but I guess that was just a dream," I said, disappointment etched on my face.

My mom shot back, her voice dripping with venom. "I also thought you'd mature after becoming a mother, but you're still the same immature daughter."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I should join Gladys in the car. She's probably waiting for me to take her to the mall," I said, eager to escape the tension.

My dad nodded in agreement. "You can go, no one's stopping you." My mom snorted, taking a sip of her wine.

"Can you just stop controlling her life?" my dad said to her, his voice firm but calm.

"Richardson, you're the one who always shields her from my words, Aish!" my mom retorted, but I didn't look back, already heading out the door to join Gladys.

As I got into the car, I saw my daughter sitting patiently in the back seat. She smirked at me as I settled in beside her. "What's with the smirk?" I asked, and she smiled mischievously.

"Mum, why the frown on your face?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "Aren't you supposed to be happy we're going shopping?"

I raised an eyebrow, playing along. "And what makes you think I'm not happy?"

She burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement. I looked at her, confused, wondering what was so funny. Her infectious laughter caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but smile, my earlier frustration melting away.

"I know Grandmother can be stressing you out," she said, "but that's because she loves you. I'm telling you, she loves you so much!"

I nodded, intrigued by her insight. "How do you know?" I asked, curious about her thought process.

She smiled knowingly. "I have a different way of finding things out. There are many things I can see that you can't see," she said, her eyes sparkling with a wisdom beyond her years.

I couldn't help but smile at this little creature, who seemed to think she had a deeper understanding of the world. Maybe she didn't know my age.

"I made you smile! I'm so happy now!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight.

I smiled back at her, feeling a warmth in my heart. "Can you move the car now?" I asked the driver, and he nodded as he started the engine.

I turned back to my daughter and said, "Thanks so much for making me smile, my little princess. Anything for you, sweetie."

She thought for a moment, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You owe me that! So, what will you give me in return?" she asked, her voice playful.

"Take me to watch cartoons!" she replied, her face lighting up with excitement.

I chuckled and nodded, happy to oblige. "Deal!" I said, and she squealed with delight.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so excited! I have the best mother in the whole wide world! She's so sweet!" She shouted, her voice filled with joy and enthusiasm, bouncing up and down in her seat.

Her innocent and genuine praise filled my heart with warmth and love, making me feel grateful to be her mother. I smiled and hugged her, feeling blessed to have such a sweet and loving child.

As I gazed into her eyes, I couldn't help but see the same eyeball with Knoxville. The memories of his betrayal and the pain he caused me still lingered, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger towards him. But as I looked at my daughter, I knew I couldn't let that anger consume me. She was innocent, and she meant the world to me. I couldn't hate her for something that wasn't her fault. I pushed aside my negative emotions and focused on the love I had for my daughter, letting it fill my heart instead.