The assistant glanced at her, his face briefly flickering with surprise. “Miss John, this is…?”
I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling for silence. “My daughter,” I murmured as I settled into the back seat.
The assistant nodded and didn’t ask any more questions.
When we pulled up to the hotel, I froze.
This was where Orion and Melissa had gotten married.
Every year, for five years, Orion had celebrated their anniversary here, personally picking out gifts for Melissa. He cherished her.
He’d spent all these years keeping me out of their world. If he was inviting me back now, it was probably just to rub his happiness in my face.
I stepped out of the car, feeling numb.
Melissa was already walking toward me, a bright smile on her face.
Compared to my plain clothes and obvious exhaustion, she was flawless, dressed in designer brands, dripping in jewelry, her scent a delicate blend of expensive perfume. She looked pampered, well taken care of.
Then her smile faltered.
She’d seen Uma.
Melissa’s eyes flickered with shock before she regained her composure and grinned. “Yara, you had a baby overseas and didn’t tell me? I thought we were family!” She sighed dramatically. “After all these years, you still treat me like an outsider.”
Before I could react, she reached for Uma, taking her from my arms without permission.
Uma woke with a start and immediately burst into tears, twisting away from Melissa’s grasp.
I took her back and rocked her gently, whispering reassurances.
Melissa knew about my past feelings for Orion. She knew why I left. And honestly, I had no interest in getting tangled up with her again.
But she wasn’t letting it go. She kept reaching for Uma, laughing like we were just two old friends catching up.
By the time we made it into the hotel’s private dining room, Uma was still fussing, clinging to me.
Melissa finally gave up and handed her back with an awkward smile. “Your uncle understands how hard it is to raise kids. We haven’t really thought about having one ourselves yet. I guess I just got a little too excited seeing yours.”
There were already several people in the room.
I wasn’t in the mood for socializing, so I found a seat in the corner, but Melissa sat beside me, linking her arm through mine.
She took it upon herself to introduce me and Uma to the others.
Their expressions were a mix of amusement and curiosity, their gazes lingering on me like I was a sideshow attraction.
I couldn’t take the stares any longer. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
I slipped out, splashing cold water on my face, trying to pull myself together.
When I stepped back toward the private room, I heard Melissa’s voice.
Someone had asked why she’d brought me here.
“What do you mean ‘unlucky’? Yara’s family. Orion’s little sister,” Melissa said sweetly. “Sure, she went through a rough patch before, tried to seduce Orion, remember? But now that she has a kid, I’m sure she won’t make the same mistakes again.”
I froze in place.
My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into my palms.
To them, I wasn’t a person. I was a joke. A scandal. The pathetic girl who once chased after her own uncle.
Uma tugged at my sleeve, sensing my tension.
I took a deep breath, forcing my expression back into something neutral before stepping into the room.
Some things had to be faced eventually.
Time passed in a blur until suddenly, the air shifted.
Everyone stood up.
“Mr. John is here!”
“Hello, Mr. John!”
A murmur of greetings swept through the room as people swarmed toward the entrance.
I didn’t move.
I just sat there, waiting.
After a long moment, I finally looked up.
Orion had lost weight.
He was still in a crisp, tailored suit, still the man everyone gravitated toward. Melissa clung to him, gazing up at him with adoration. When their eyes met, they both smiled.
He hadn’t changed at all.
The only one who had fallen apart was me.
Then, as if just remembering something, Melissa turned to Orion with a playful nudge. “Orion, Yara’s here too! You two haven’t seen each other in years. Why don’t you catch up? She even brought a surprise!”
At the word “surprise,” Orion didn’t react.
He helped Melissa into her seat, ordered her a glass of milk, and only then turned his gaze toward me.
Uma stiffened in my arms, her little body curling into me, wary.
Orion’s expression didn’t change, until his eyes landed on Uma.
For the first time in years, I saw genuine shock cross his face.
“Yara,” he said slowly, his voice low. “What’s this?”
Everyone fell silent, waiting for my answer.
Melissa, of course, jumped in before I could respond. “Orion, this is Yara’s daughter. Isn’t she adorable? She looks just like her mom. She must be a few years old already.”
Orion’s eyes flickered between Uma and me, his gaze unreadable.
I thought he was going to ignore it, move on like he always did.
But instead, his voice came out hoarse. “So… you got married?”
I lifted my chin, meeting his stare head-on.
I nodded. “Yeah. A while ago. Sorry I didn’t tell you.”
