Chapter 55
“Are you ready?” Ciara asked as soon as Monday came, and Cara was already dressed up for the dinner.
She was in her little cute dress while her hair was tied up, and she looked like little Ciara from all angles. She looked so snobby when she was smiling, as she had that air in her that she was a smart kid.
“Yes,” she said in her little voice, nodding a bit.
Ciara caressed her check. She stood and walked her to the limousine, waiting for them as the chauffeur opened the door and
let them in.
She already told her family that Cara agreed to meet up with Callum, and some of them have different opinions, but they all agree on letting the two talks at least and introducing her to his father.
They were all hoping that Callum’s motives weren’t business–related. The Sullivans were discussing it thoroughly, as they didn’t see any problem with it as long as Cara was happy.
Well, Cara looked like she was only forced to do it for the sake of her mother. Because she looked so silent in the middle of the trip until the limousine went into the property of the Sullivan, where the dinner would be held for their own privacy and it wouldn’t leak to the media.
Ciara was glancing at Cara from time to time, looking at her daughter, who’d been so silent since earlier, but her hand squeezed tightly on Ciara like she was really nervous or something was going on in her mind as she looked straight while they were walking
When she looked at the front, the first thing she noticed was Callum standing at the entrance, looking at them with those serious expressions as his eyes looked so weary when they drifted to Cara.
Cara, who knew now that he was her father, gripped Ciara’s hand tightly, which Ciara squeezed as well to let her know that she was with her and she wouldn’t leave her.
When they finally reached his front, Ciara’s eyes dropped to Cara, who was looking at Callum as well with an unreadable expression.
So, Callum crouched down until they leveled as Callum slowly held her hand, and Cara looked at her hand as well and then glanced at her mother.
Ciara smiled, nodding, as she wanted Cara to realize that she was with her.
“Hello there, little princess,” he said gently as his voice cracked a bit, his eyes turning bloodshot.
Cara looked at Callum without even a small smile forming on her lips.
“Hello, sir,” she greeted.
“I am your father, Cara. I am Callum Haynes.”
Cara nodded. “I know you, sir.”
“You can call me Daddy,” he insisted.
Cara didn’t react to it; she just lifted her head to see Ciara, who was watching their interaction.
“Mommy, can we eat now?” she asked as she slowly pulled her hand out of Callum’s grip.
Callum let go of it as he felt how her little hand just slowly slipped out of his hand as he could feel her distance from him. He had done something terrible that she didn’t like about him.
But Callum didn’t lose hope as he stood and guided the two to where the table was, which was near the swimming pool, as the whole place was decorated romantically like there was a family dinner in the place.
“For you, Callum handed the big paper bag
“It wasn’t my birthday yet,” she said.
“I just want to give you a gift. Your mother told me you liked it, so I bought it for you.”
Cara slowly took it from his hand. “Thank you,” she uttered carefully.
Ciara smiled and saw that Cara was still letting Callum interact with her, as she would interact, despite the coldness she was wearing.
Callum pulled the chair for them as they occupied it. Cara is sitting beside Ciara, and Callum occupies the front facing them. “Mommy, I have a show to catch up on later at nine p.m. Can we go home before nine?” She asked.
Callum and Ciara looked at each other meaningfully, as if Cara didn’t really consider what was happening so important that she was excited to go home.
“We’ll see, okay?” Ciara said.
Cara nodded and looked at the plates on the table while the chef came and started filling the table with three courses, which Callum asked Ciara to match with Cara’s favorite food
And to see Cara eyeing each of the dishes like she was controlling herself to take a bite at them right away, as she looked excited and controlled at the same time, she didn’t want to show she was pleased by the food the chef was serving.
“Enjoy your food,” the chef said, looking at Cara.
Cara couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you for cooking it,” she said politely.
“Oh, you’re welcome, little girl,” the chef said with a smile on his lips, delighted by her simple appreciation.
Ciara and Callum looked at each other as they smiled at how Cara seemed appreciative of things that would serve her. When the chef leaves, they start putting some food on their plates, and Callum also puts some food on Cara’s plate. “Your mother told me you love chicken Alfredo so much,” he said while putting it on her plate.
She nodded slowly, without looking at Callum.
“I know how to cook it too. I will cook for you next time,” he said.
Cara didn’t nod nor look at Callum as she remained at the food.
“Our daughter is your little version. I could really see it,” Callum said with a smile on his lips.
Ciara wanted to argue about it, but then she could see herself talking to Cara when she was a bit pissed that she doesn’t really like putting too much emotion into things. Cara is so unreadable, just like her mother.
“May I know what’s your favorite color too? Callum asked, interacting with her.
“Purple and pink,” she said as she was still not looking at Callum.
Callum nodded as he looked so persistent on getting Cara’s attention, who looked so distant to him.
Ciara kept on weighing Cara’s expression, including Callum, who would get all of the chances to talk to her casually or to have any conversation with her. She seems too willing to stay silent and doesn’t even make eye contact with Callum.
“Are you planning to go to school this upcoming August? What grade are you?” Callum asked randomly.
“Pre–school,” she said as her eyes settled on her food, looking at it interestingly like nothing could distract her aside from her mother, whom she would glance at sometimes.
“Pre–school? Hmm. Do you know math?”
Cara nodded slowly Ciara smiled because she knew how smart Cara
Cara was when it came to numbers. It’s like she inherited the
Chapter 55
business–minded blood of Haynes and Sullivan and could immediately understand how numbers work.
“She’s good at numbers, especially on calculations,” Ciara said.
“A kind of kid you can’t fool about numbering because she knows well how calculation works,” he mumbled.
“She’s also good at memorization,” Ciara added.
“Once she goes to school, she will rank as the top one in the class for sure,” Callum commented.
“I was still thinking if I’d have her homeschooled or send her to the main school. Though she’s fine with any, maybe going to the school is much better so she could interact with her classmates too and make friends.” Ciara opened up.
“I agree with the latter. Though I don’t have a problem if she grows up as an introvert, going to real school has a lot more benefits than homeschooling. It will help her in her interactions and socializing capacity.”
Cara was listening carefully, despite not giving too much attention to it. But she seems to be thinking things.
“Which do you prefer with the two? Callum asked, looking at Cara gently.
“I prefer what my mommy likes,” she answered clearly. “As long as mommy is with me.”
Ciara smiled and caressed her cheek. “I’m going to be with you.”
Ciara knows that Cara is expressing herself clearly and that Callum’s judgments won’t affect her, as she would always choose Ciara. And it felt like a little bit of envy that he hasn’t built himself up for his daughter to like him because of his past mistakes, which leads to how distant his daughter is now from him.
“I’ll be in Paris too. I could fetch you at school,” Callum offered shamelessly, firing his shots at his little girl.
Ciara was weighing Cara’s reaction as she looked at her, bracing for her response.
“No, thank you. My mommy knows how to drive, and she could fetch me,” she reasoned.
“But what if your mother is so busy? I could pick you up after, and she could send you to school in the morning. How about that?”
Cara shook her head again, determined not to have Callum fetch her to school.
“Paris is way too far here. Mommy lives with me. It is easy for her to fetch me.”
“I have a private jet. And I could stay in Paris longer, too. Until your school is done, it’s not hard to travel since I have my own jet
“Then why didn’t you travel to Mommy to apologize if it was easy for you to travel?” Cara asked directly which shocked both of her parents.
O
