Chapter 8 : Blackmail Or Not ?

Raphael's POV 

“Why in the world would you think I'm jealous?” Henrietta asked, her voice tinging with a hint of curiosity.

I turned away from her, “Well, what would you expect me to think? You're not letting me go see Kristine, which I find really weird because I don't recall any clause in our contract stating that you get to restrict my movement at any point in time.” 

“But it didn't mention no entertainment of third parties.” She fired back.

“Kristine…isn't a third party Henrietta. I don't know what we are right now but she's not a threat to what we share.” 

Kristine chuckled, “Sure, because this third party revolves around you. The statement would have surely been different if I was the one entertaining a third party.”

I shook my head from ear, “You're being so dramatic. You already said you're not jealous so please stop acting like you are because I don't know what else to make out of this.”

Kristine grumbled low nothings and I didn't bother asking her what she said as I was in no mood for arguments.

We stared at each other and seeing that I uttered nothing, her face went pale and her shoulders slumped. She folded her fingers over the other as she stared out of the car. 

She didn't look happy…and I couldn't place a possible reason as she already cleared the thoughts of her possibly brewing feelings for me.

Following the dead silence after her grumble subsided, I plopped out of the car. As I walked further away from the car, my mind kept replaying the scene from the car.

Should I have talked better? Or perhaps I shouldn't have said so much? I got worried as I recalled how her face split with sadness.

Maybe she was mad? But I didn't say anything bad…I only reiterated the truth.

‘If you're that bothered, then just apologize.’ I nodded in agreement to the thought but that was going to be after seeing Kristine.

The vehicles drove past me in full speed, making my suit fly in the air. I couldn't risk taking my car as Henrietta would figure out that Kristine's place wasn't far from ours.

The moment I spotted a white cab driving towards my direction, I hailed it and plopped in. After giving the driver the address, I relaxed my head on the car headrest, allowing my subconscious take over…

The warm gust of air swept over my face, helping me relax better. I soon got lost in my mind as a series of random thoughts crept in.

“Sir, we're here.” The driver's voice snapped me out of my mind.

I straightened myself as I handed him some cash for the ride before leaving the car.

The blue painted apartment looked quite small compared to what I had in mind. I opened the fenced gate, walking through a passageway of beautiful ornamental flowers.

With a few long strides, I arrived at the front door. I pressed on the doorbell, hearing the sound of the doorbell ringing inside.

There was no one approaching, I could tell from the silky curtain hanging down the window.

I was about hitting the doorbell again when I noticed a familiar figure approaching the door.

The door knob twisted open and a small smile spread across my lips as Kristine's face came in view.

“Hey…Come in.” Kristine gestured inside.

I walked into the apartment and the first thing that noticed was a baby staggering towards the door. 

“Is this Katie?” My eyes widened in surprise as I stared at the cute baby staring at me with big green eyes.

I lowered my body to pick up the baby and the babbling from Katie made my heart feel warm. It felt so good having my baby in my arms.

“She's such a cute baby,” I complimented as Katie's small fingers wrapped around a finger of mine.

Kristine stood behind me, gently smoothening Katie's hair with her hand.

“Yes, she is. But she can be quite a lot to handle,” Kristine hummed softly.

My brows twitched, “I refuse to believe that. She looks so harmless, I doubt she has the ability to stress anyone honestly.” 

Kristine breathed a laughter, “Oh really? Do you have any idea what she did today? She wouldn't stop crying when I dropped her at the daycare. I had to tip the nanny because of her noise.” 

Raphael smirked, “She's expected to get scared. It's a new environment, one without her mom.”

Kristine rounded my body, standing in front of me with squinted eyes.

“The saying is correct, men will always support their children first.”

I snuggled my neck into Katie's body as I inhaled her soft baby lotion smell deeply as I didn't know when I'd get to visit again.

“That's right, it's just sad that she doesn't look like me.” I declared and Kristine's face went void of expression, like my statement shocked her.

“Why are you staring at me like a doll?” I questioned and she blinked back before clearing her throat.

“Oh nothing. I just didn't think you'd have wanted to have a child with me. Talk more of wanting to have the child look like you…” Kristine rubbed both sides of her arms like she was feeling cold.

I gently placed Katie on the brown couch before turning to Kristine.

“Kristine, you know I loved you so much. So much. Why would you think I'd not want to have a child with you?” 

Kristine walked towards the small dining table on the left side of the room, pulling out a chair to take a seat.

“Maybe because you never talked about the future? I just didn't know what to do when I found out and..”

“Shush” I placed a hand on my lips, hoping she'd understand the action.

As if on cue, Kristine's lips snapped shut and she rested her head on her folded fingers.

I moved closer to her, pulling out a wooden chair to sit in front of her.

I swiped my tongue over my lips, “Kristine….ever since you left that day, I never healed from it. I tried searching for you everywhere, believe me when I say I searched every nook and cranny but there was no trace but the letter you left saying you didn't want to be with me anymore.”

Kristine stared at me, unable to speak. 

“And even then, I never got over you. I resorted to hatred because I knew that was the only way I could get over you, over us. But trust me when I say that coming back into my life was the best decision you made because…because I missed you so much.” I finished, my voice raw and filled with sincerity.

These words have been longing to come out for so long and saying them now made me feel so relieved. Except the rush of cool happiness that was supposed to come after wasn't there…I felt tensed.

Kristine's eyes sparkled with tears, she blinked them back but they still flowed anyway. Her pointed nose reddened as she sniffled tears.

Without thinking, I took her in my arms, hugging her tightly. Her lavender scent was the only thing I could perceive with her body trembling in my arms.

“I'm sorry…I'm so sorry Raphael. I love you and I missed you so much too. I know I said I came back for just the child but the truth is that, I couldn't live without you anymore.” 

Like a cold bath on a hot day, Kristine's words calmed the tension I was feeling.

I pulled her out of the embrace, driving my thumb over her face.

Before I could speak, she beat me to it.

“If you couldn't get over me, why are you married to Kristine?” Kristine asked, her voice dripping with a tone of softness.

“I only got married to her because of my father.” 

This was all I could tell Kristine. I couldn't tell her anything else because I didn't want any trouble with my plans.

Kristine's eyes glistened with hope, “If you don't love her, then make things right. There's no point of her being in your life.”

I shook my head in the negative, “I'm sorry, I can't do that. My father would be mad.”

Kristine rose up from the chair, her brows pulling together in a frown.

“Really? So you care about your father more than your future with me and Katie?”

I rose up as well, “No, of course not. I just can't do that right now, I'd make things right but maybe after a few months.”

“Aren't you tired of us waiting? You have to make the choice now. Are you choosing me and your child or you're choosing to listen to your father?”