2

"Hmmm, p..lea..se exc..use me." Gabby managed to say as she quickly stood up from the dining table and ran off to Terrence's room which unshed tears. 

Immediately she shut the door behind her, she fell on the floor and let the tears fall. "How could I be so stupid? How could I let history repeat itself? How could I let myself be used by another man?" She cried. 

After what seemed like hours, Gabby managed to grab herself from the floor, proceeded to the bathroom to splash water on her face after which she changed her clothe from Terrence's shirt which she was putting on to the dress she wore the previous night. 

After getting all dressed up, Gabby decided she wasn't ready to face Terrence and his daughter and most importantly the Beautiful lady whom she assumed was Terrence's Wife. Thinking of another way to escape, She finally found another exit beside the guest room. She got out of Terrence's house, hailed a Taxi, and headed home. 

............................

"I missed you so much, Daddy," Sophie said as Terrence picked her up and kissed her forehead. 

"I miss you too, Princess," Terrence replied with a smile. "Did you have fun with Peyton and Finley?" He asked and Sophie nodded with a smile after which Terrence kissed her cheeks which erupted a smile from Sophie. 

Sophia Adoria Tennon was Terrence's four-year-old adorable daughter. Her birth changed his life in so many ways and since then, she has been his reason for living and most importantly, his motivation towards success. 

"Peyton and Finley miss you too, daddy. They kept on asking me when you will come to visit them." Sophie said in her cute baby voice. 

Peyton and Finley were Sophie's cousins. Terrence's Elder sister's twins. 

"I miss them too. What do you say if we both give them a surprise visit next week?" Terrence asked Sophie, whose eyes lit up immediately. 

"Yessssss! It's going to be fun. You, me, Peyton, Finley, Aunt Debbie, and Uncle Daniel. We'll have so much fun." Sophie replied excited and Terrence smiled at that. There was nothing more fulfilling than seeing one's child so happy. 

"Alright then, will you go play in your room for a while so I can talk to your aunt Debbie?" Terrence asked and Sophie nodded after which he put her down on the floor and she ran to her room. 

"She's the one right?" Debbie asked, referring to Gabby who left them a while ago as she took a seat on the single couch in the living room. 

"Debbie, you should have called me before coming. You scared her off, can't you see that?" Terrence grumbled. 

"It's not my fault either. If you had answered your calls, this wouldn't have happened." Debbie defended as she stood up to get a glass of water from the kitchen. 

"You...called me?" Terrence asked as he followed her to the kitchen. 

"About nine times," Debbie replied. 

"I...I didn't notice my phone was ringing." Terrence replied and Debbie smirked at him. 

"Hold on a sec, let me go check on her," Terrence said as he fled to his bedroom. "Gabby!" He called her name as he entered his room. He also checked his bathroom but it was empty. He checked his walk-in closet also, to see if she was hiding there, but he saw no one. And he eventually got the message when he saw his shirt which he had given her to wear by the edge of the bed. 

Disappointment filled his heart immediately. No doubt she had left by using the other exit. Just when he thought everything was going to be okay. No doubt he's back to square one with Gabby. 

Terrence went back to the living room where Debbie was and by the look on his face, Debbie was able to predict what happened. She took a seat beside her brother and gave him a light squeeze on the shoulder.

"It will be fine, hon," Debbie assured. 

"I'm sure she misinterpreted the whole thing," Terrence replied with a sad face. 

"You didn't tell her about Sophie?" Debbie asked.

"We only made up yesterday. I wanted to tell Gabby about Sophie when we were at the bar yesterday but I thought it was too early for that. I didn't want to scare her away." Terrence said hoping Debbie would find sense in his reason. 

"I perfectly understand you, Terry. But you know we ladies, we don't like being lied to and we just react before we even think of what we have done. Had I known you were with her, I wouldn't have brought Sophie now. But you know how Sophie is when she hasn't seen you for so long. She kept on disturbing me that she wanted to see her daddy." Debbie explained.

He had taken Sophie for a sleepover at his sister's place yesterday. Debbie and her husband were also at the party yesterday but they left all the kids at home since they had a live-in nanny. 

"Explain to her, I'm sure she'll understand." Debbie assured. 

"I hope so," Terrence mumbled. 

"She's pretty. She seems nice also. I like her already." Debbie said and Terrence smiled. 

.........................

"I'm not hungry, Mom. I just want to be alone." Gabby said as she buried her face inside her pillow and cried harder. 

That was all she had done all day since she came back from Terrence's place. She locked herself in her room, ignored her parents' calls. Naomi Browne, Gabby's mother, had to go get the spare key to her daughter's room to come get her out for dinner. 

Naomi sighed and sat close to her daughter on her bed. "You know you can talk to me, Ella. What's the matter?" Naomi asked her daughter and Gabby explained everything to her mother after which she burst into another round of tears. 

Naomi sighed as she engulfed her daughter into a hug. She has never been a mother who always judged her daughter for every single thing. Instead, she happened to be a pillar for Gabby and her best friend also. Gabby tells her mother everything. Naomi also knows about her daughter's crush on her Boss. Hence the whole situation wasn't foreign to her. 

"I think you should listen to him, Ella. You shouldn't jump to conclusions. I'm sure he had a very good reason for not telling you he had a daughter. And for the lady. She could be his cousin, aunt or just a close friend." Naomi reasoned with her daughter. She was the only one who called Gabriela "Ella." 

Gabby looked at her mother with her red puffy eyes " He should have told me. I deserve to know. And as for the lady. I think she's his wife or mistress or baby mama. She's even prettier than I am. I got so, so jealous. I don't want to have anything to do with Terrence. I just want to forget him. Help me forget him, Mom." Gabby said as she cried harder into her mother's chest. 

Naomi sighed again at her daughter's stubbornness. She was sure as hell that Gabby wasn't going to give Terrence any room for explanation. She was so stubborn. Just like her dad. 

Naomi was able to play her trick on Gabriela again. She forced her out of bed and made her have her dinner after which she escorted her daughter back to her room, assuring her that everything would be alright. 

..............................

"Goodnight Angel. Daddy loves you!" Terrence said as he kissed Sophie's forehead. 

"I love you too, Daddy," Sophie replied as Terrence was about to turn off the light in his room. She stopped him when her voice came through. [ Yes! Sophia decided to sleep in her dad's room today.] 

"Daddy!" Sophia called.

"Yes dear," Terrence replied. 

"Who was that pretty lady seating with you when I and aunt Debbie came in," Sophie asked.

"She's my friend. Her name is Gabriela but I call her Gabby." Terrence replied. 

" She has a pretty name and she's very pretty too," Sophie said. 

"Yes, she is," Terrence replied with a sad smile on his face as he stroked Sophie's hair.

"But she looked sad when she saw us come in. she looked as if she was about to cry." Sophie said with a sad voice and Terrence suddenly felt guilty. The thought of Gabby crying killed him already. 

"Does she not like me and aunt Debbie? Did we make her cry?" Sophie asked with a teary voice. 

"No Sophie. Don't think that way, okay. I'm sure Gabby likes you and Debbie. You don't have to worry about that, alright." Terrence said and Sophie nodded. 

"Daddy?" Sophie called again. Indicating that she wanted something or wanted to ask another question. 

"Yes sweetheart," Terrence answered. Whenever Sophie spends the night in his room, she tends to make conversations until she falls asleep.

"I want a baby sister," Sophie said out of the blue which caused Terrence to turn his full attention to her. 

"A baby sister?" Terrence rephrased, clearly surprised by what she was asking.

"Yes, Daddy. I want someone to play with. I do get bored and you are always busy with work." Sophie said. 

"But you have Peyton and Finley to play with," Terrence said. 

"Yes. but I want a baby sister too. Just like how Olivia has two baby sisters that she plays with." Sophie said, referring to her best friend in school. Olivia. 

"Go to bed Sophie. Daddy will think about it." Terrence said. 

"Okay, Daddy. Love you." Sophie mumbled as she snuggled closer to Terrence. 

"Love you too sweetie," Terrence replied. 

An hour after Sophia had fallen asleep, Terrence still couldn't sleep as he kept on thinking of today's incident coupled with what Sophia said before she fell asleep. Her request for a baby sister took him by surprise. He had always given Sophia everything she requested. But he had no idea how to go about the baby sister thing.

His mind has also been with Gabby. She refused to pick his calls and has not replied to any of his messages. No words could describe how frustrated Terrence Tennon was right now.