04

Charles

It’s been four years, four whole years and I still couldn’t get her face out of my head or the thought of her out of my mind. She had successfully succeeded in making herself the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thought that bugs me before I go to bed at night.

I’d managed to find out what her name is and since then, her name wouldn’t stop ringing in my head no matter how hard I tried.

Riley Benedict, the girl I’d thought of dismissing as a one night stand but ends up eating me alive.

I tried my hardest to find her, did everything I could but the last time I saw her she was heavily pregnant and happily married and with no other choice, I had to let everything go no matter how hard it was.

I didn’t even get to say hello to her. I didn’t get to talk to her because I didn’t want to bring up the past even though it was everything I wanted to bring up.

I wanted to let her know that I still think about her, to let her know that there are things I’ve been meaning to say to her since after that day but I couldn’t.

Seeing her with her husband and her baby bump, I walked away as quietly as I could and now I’m back to my life, my usual life of burying myself with tons of work.

I had my daughter and it’s still a source of joy for me to see how happy she still is despite being married to her sweetheart, Noah, for two years now.

For those two years, I have watched my daughter and Noah try their hardest to have a child, they’ve done everything physically, sexually-like she told me and medically possible but all their efforts always proved to not be enough.

The doctors had tried their best too but they couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with Zelia or Noah, they didn't even know if anything was wrong with them and I still haven’t seen how that was possible.

All my life, I’ve done nothing but try my best to make sure that my daughter remains happy, so seeing her in a state where she cries for no reason, where she fears that her marriage is going to end, breaks my heart.

I wanted to help her and Noah in every way that I can and I’m going to see to it that I do no matter how long or what it took me.

Sighing, I kept going through the papers in front of me. It was the application for the post of being my secretary that just opened up and despite going through heaps of papers, none of them piqued my interest.

Except for this one that had Riley Benedict boldly written on it.

Closing my eyes in shock and confusion, I wasn’t sure I was seeing the right thing but it remained the same when I opened it right back, the paper was still there and the name remained the same.

RILEY BENEDICT.

Unable to believe my eyes, I quickly went through the internet and put in her name so that I was going to be able to go through her socials and there she was.

Smiling right at the camera was the same woman that had taken over my heart for years, the same woman that I couldn’t seem to forget no matter how hard I tried and she’s applying for a post.

Immediately sending words to the receptionist, I got Riley hired and asked the receptionist to tell her to resume work as soon as possible.

I went through her files and I couldn’t explain the happiness I was feeling when I checked her marital status and saw that she was still single. For some reasons, that gave me some kind of hope.

Being single meant that she wasn’t seeing anyone, she wasn't committed to anyone and right at that instant my mind drifted to the time I saw her heavily pregnant and kissing another man.

Does she have a twin?

Opening her file, I looked through it again to see if she mentioned anything about having a twin sister but there was nothing and even when I went through her socials, there was nothing.

Erasing the thoughts from my mind, I made a mental note to ask her when she resumes work if she has a twin sister.

The lady I saw years back looked different from the girl I slept with and I immediately concluded that that has to be it because the best part of all of this was that Riley is still single and she’s about to make her way back into my life.

Smiling to myself, I shoved the rest of the files aside since I’d already made my choice and I reclined myself into the chair as I closed my eyes happily but the sound of my office door opening made me open them back.

“Zelia?” I called, my worry showing in my voice, “what’s the matter? What’s wrong?” I asked. Her eyes were red and her face was stained with tears, I couldn’t bear to see my daughter in that state.

Getting up from my chair, I walked to her and she threw herself at me as she held me tightly like she was never going to let go of me while she cried heavily.

“D… Daddy…” she called, her voice breaking and shaking as she hiccuped, “I couldn’t find anyone. I couldn’t find anyone and I’m tired.” She cried on my shoulder while I patted her back and stroked her hair in a bid to comfort her.

Letting her cry for a while, I led her to the chair in my office and sat beside her as she sniffled and dried her dampened face.

“We looked everywhere but we couldn’t find anyone even though we’re offering a huge sum of money to whoever would be the surrogate.” She cried again.

“Why is it so hard to find a surrogate? Why can’t I just find someone to help me out with this?” She added, the tears had started falling again and my heart broke for my daughter.

“Stop crying, Zelia, I know you’ve tried your best.” I said in a bid to comfort her but that seemed to get her even angrier.

“Exactly!” She snapped, “I have tried my best, dad, why can’t I find someone? Why the hell is it this difficult?!” She added and I sighed.

“Just stop crying for a minute,” I urged as she sniffled, “I’ll do everything I can to ensure that you get a surrogate before the month ends. I promise.” I assured her.

Just like a tiny string from a keyboard, something struck in my heart and I had another reason to want to meet up with Riley and offer her more than Zelia and Noah are offering.

Maybe she would agree to be a surrogate for them.