THE TRUTH

I ran as fast as I could, leaving Daniel struggling to catch up with me. I was determined to escape the situation and hailed a cab. Rushton was the driver, and I told him to speed off towards my home. As we drove, my mind was filled with questions. Where had the masked man been all this time? What was Faith's motive in arranging for us to meet during her dinner date? How was I going to overcome this?

Memories of the one-night stand flooded my mind, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling. The salty droplets flowed down my cheeks as I pondered my next move. I was overwhelmed with emotions, and I knew I had to make a decision soon.

As the cab raced towards my home, I couldn't help but wonder if I had made the right choice by leaving Daniel behind. Was it cowardly of me to run away from the situation? I knew I had to face my problems head-on, but the fear of confronting my past was paralyzing.

As soon as the cab driver dropped me off, I quickly paid him and ran straight into my apartment. I saw my best friend Amelia sitting in the living room reading a book, but I didn't stop to talk to her. I ran straight to my bedroom, shutting the door and locking it behind me. Amelia followed me into my room, but I didn't open the door for her.

After what felt like hours of begging, I finally opened the door. Amelia's face was filled with worry as she noticed my tears and heavy breathing. "What's wrong, Ava? Why are you crying and sweating so much?" she asked with concern.

"I saw him...I saw him...," I said, trembling with emotion. "I saw the father of my children. I saw my baby's father," I managed to say, my voice cracking.

Amelia's eyes widened in shock. "What? Who did you see? Where?" she asked, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

I took a deep breath before sharing my story with Amelia. I told her I had seen the mysterious masked man we had all been looking for, and shockingly, I recognised him. As I spoke, my tears flowed freely, and Amelia listened intently, offering words of comfort and support.

"I can't believe this is happening," I said, wiping my tears away. "I thought I had moved on from him, but seeing him tonight brought back all those painful memories."

"It's okay, Ava. You don't have to face this alone. We'll figure it out together," Amelia said, giving me a warm hug.

Next we heard a knock on the door.

The knock on the door grew louder and louder, sending shivers down my spine. I knew exactly who it was, and I wasn't ready to face him. Amelia tried to calm me down, but it seemed like the pain inside me was too much to bear. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of emotions.

"Come on, it's time to face your fears," Amelia said, trying to encourage me.

"I can't do it," I replied, my voice shaking.

"You can, and you will," Amelia said firmly. "Now, let's go answer that door."

Reluctantly, I followed Amelia to the door. She opened it, and there stood Daniel, looking concerned and worried.

"Is everything okay?" Daniel asked, his eyes scanning my face.

I couldn't bring myself to look at him, so I just nodded my head. Amelia stepped aside, and Daniel walked into the room.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "I...I don't know how to say this," I stammered.

"Just tell me," Daniel said, taking my hand in his.

I looked up at him, my eyes filling with tears. "The man who walked into your family house...he's the father of my babies," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Daniel's eyes widened in shock, and he let go of my hand. "What? How is that possible?" he asked, his voice rising.

"I had a one-night stand with him long ago, and never got to meet him again," I explained, my voice shaking.

Daniel looked like he had been punched in the gut. He took a step back, his face contorted in pain. "And you didn't think to tell me this before?" he asked, his voice strained.

"I...I didn't know how to, I thought you'd hate me for being cheap" I said, tears streaming down my face.

Daniel turned away from me, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I thought you lost your spouse or something, I've been hoping you'd talk about it. Then this? I don't know if I can handle this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I felt like my world was collapsing around me. "Please, Daniel, don't leave please," I begged, reaching out to touch his arm.

He turned back to me, his eyes filled with pain. "I need some time to think," he said, before walking out of the room.

I collapsed onto the couch, my heart breaking into a million pieces. Amelia put her arm around me, trying to comfort me, but it felt like nothing could ease the pain I was feeling.

Two days later, I knew I had to do something to fix things between Daniel and me. I decided to go to his office and talk to him. As I walked into the building, a secretary let me in, saying that Daniel had asked her to always let me in whenever I come.

I walked into Daniel's office, and he looked up at me. His face was filled with pain, and I knew that I had hurt him deeply.

"Please, Daniel, just hear me out," I begged, walking towards him.

He sighed and motioned for me to sit down. "Fine, but make it quick," he said, his voice cold.

Taking a deep breath, I began to explain my past relationship with my ex, which had ended in a painful way. I then shared how I chose to remain celibate for two years before deciding to let loose at a party where I met his friend and had a one-night stand.

"I know I should have told you about him, but I was scared," I said, my voice shaking. "I didn't want to lose you."

Daniel looked at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. "Do you know how much you hurt me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I do, and I'm sorry," I said, tears streaming down my face.

Daniel stood up from his chair and walked towards me. He took my hand in his, and I could feel the warmth of his touch.

"I want to forgive you, but I need time," he said, his voice soft.

I nodded, understanding. "I'll give you all the time you need," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

As I turned to leave, Daniel grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. Without warning, he kissed me deeply, his hands running through my body. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and we kissed passionately.

In that moment, all the pain and hurt disappeared, and I felt like we were the only two people in the world. Our bodies were pressed together, and I could feel the heat of his desire.

When we finally parted, we were both breathless. Daniel looked at me, his eyes filled with love.

"I love you," he said, his voice husky.