Chapter 23

Jasmine

As soon as Christian takes Bella out of the kitchen, I drop the knife on the chopping board and sink in a chair. Bella had been excited to see Christian in the living room this morning. My baby is growing up so quickly. I thought we could take things slowly and give Bella time to get to know Christian. Everything seems to be blurring together too fast.

Christian doesn’t want to make Bella forget her father. I sneak out of the kitchen and listen to them in the living room.

It sounds as if they are going through the photo album.

“Do you miss your daddy sometimes?”

“I do. When my friend talk about her dad, it makes me sad.”

“What do you do when you feel sad?”

“I come home and hug Sully extra tight. My daddy got him for me. It was our favourite movie.”

“If you feel sad, you can hug Sully, mummy or me. We all love you and more than that, we all love Bella's hugs.”

Bella giggles.

I slap both hands on my sob and I run into the bathroom with tears running down my face. When did I forget that Bella needed support? I was so overwhelmed by everything happening so suddenly. The guilt eats away at me. I need to get her into counseling to make sure she is adjusting to everything. I thought I could wait till the insurance money came from his work, but it’s no longer an option to wait.

I sit on the toilet and pull out some toilet paper to blow my nose. I take a few deep breaths before standing up. Tossing the tissue into the bin. I wash my face.

Dinner, bedtime, then I need to speak to Christian about the probate.

I drop a kiss on Bella’s forehead.

“I love you, baby.”

“Love you too.” She said in a sleepy voice.

I stroke her forehead a few times, running my fingers over the top of her head. She used to love that as a baby. She stuck to Christian like glue all night. He never looked irritated with her once. If anything, he was lapping it up.

Her eyes close and her breathing evens out. I give her a final kiss on her soft cheek.

“Sleep well, baby.” I whisper.

When I go into the living room. Christian is looking at the canvas on the wall.

“Is she asleep?”

“Yeah.”

I sit down on the couch.

“Do you know when the probate will complete? I need to get Bella in for some counselling. I want to make sure she is okay.”

“Miles said by the end of this week. I can get some names for you to look through. If you want to get an appointment booked in immediately, we can do that. I’m not going to lie, Jasmine. I love Bella and I want to help.”

I can hear the defensiveness in his voice, but I’m too tired to argue about semantics.

“Do it. Send me the details of who it is first.”

His eyes widen in surprise.

He sits beside me and holds my hand. I lean over onto his shoulder. It just feels so good to have someone there to rely on. I refuse to feel the constant guilt.

Bella comes first.

We walk through the office building with Christian holding Bella up proudly. She has one arm wrapped around Sully and one around Christian’s neck. Christian offered to show her where he works when she asked him why he always wears his suits. The two receptionists at the front door look at us in shock. I ignore her this time as we make our way to his private elevator.

“I’ve ordered us lunch. We can have it in my office.”

“Thanks.” I lean over and kiss his cheek and turning to kiss Bella.

“Sheena said the consultation is going very well.”

“I’m learning so much from the team. It feels good using my brain again.”

“I’m glad.”

As soon as the door pings open, Bella wiggles around to be let down. He puts her on the floor and she runs out, inspecting everything. The waiting area, the plants. When she goes over to Veronica, she waves at her. Veronica just looks at her for a moment before turning her face to her computer. I thought Christian had a stick up his ass whatever she has up hers would require surgery to remove it.

“Come and see Christian’s office, baby.”

Christian opens the door for us and Bella runs in with her eyes wide in excitement.

“It’s so big.”

She runs across to the windows.

“We are so high up. I like it.”

Christian sits her on his shoulders.

“Now you are higher.”

I hear a phone vibrate I check mine.

“It’s mine. The food is downstairs. Someone will send it up to us.”

“I can get it from the elevator.” I said.

“Sure.”

I walk go back towards the elevator as I walk past Veronica she mutters whore. My head whips around to her. She has her face planted on her computer.

“If you have anything to say to me. Say it to my face.” I snap at her.

She completely ignores me.

I wait at the elevator, fuming. I don’t deny that I screamed in his office. Is it my fault that Veronica isn’t getting laid? Like Mrs Geller said, Tinder is always an option.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and smile.

Carina

Ready for the weekend? We can’t wait. Connor has not stopped talking about Bella. When is she four?

I reply to her. She has me booked in for a massage and some kind of spa treatment. I’m looking forward to some adult girl talk. Mrs Geller and now Sheena are the only women I talk to.

I look back down the hallway, wondering if I am standing at the correct elevator. I see Veronica her push Bella away from her desk.

My heart jumps into my throat as I see Bella fall onto the marble floor. She lets out a cry. Christian comes running out of the office to see her lying on the floor. I stand there in shock, watching Christian pick Bella up and hold her.

My eyes move back to Veronica, who is no doubt spewing some sort of bullshit. I don’t walk. I run over to her and, without a second thought. I grip the back of her hair and smash her face against her desk. It’s still not enough. I do it again, only harder. The second dull thud feels better. Pulling her head up, I see with satisfaction her face is all bloody.

“Don’t you ever touch my child again.” I spit out at her, giving her hair a final yank.

She is screeching at me and holding her bloodied nose.

Glancing up at Bella, she is crying into Christian’s shoulder. He is looking from me to Veronica in shock.

Yeah, zero to sixty. No one hurts my baby.

His eyes narrow on Veronica. I calmly walk over to Bella.

“Baby, what hurts?”

“Here.” She cries and touches the back of her head. She leans over to me and I take her from Christian. As much as I want to finish Veronica off, Bella needs me.

“I need an ice pack.” I tell Christian and walk back into his office.

Sitting Bella down on my lap, I feel the back of her head. There is a raised bump there. It makes the fury swell up inside me again.

“It’s okay, baby. You won’t ever see her again.”

“Not her, you idiot. In my office.” I hear Christian shout.

A harried looking young man rushes into the office holding a medical first aid kit.

“I just need an ice pack, please.”

Bella’s cries soften.

Christian comes in looking at us.

“Is she okay?”

“Just a nasty bump on the back of her head.”

“What did she do?”

“I saw her push Bella away from her desk.”

“I’m sorry. She wanted to see where you had gone. I never thought anything like this would happen here.”

He runs his hand through his hair. I can see all the emotions of a parent. Remorse, concern and finally anger. He storms out of the office. I hope he smashes her face into her desk a few more times.

The man passes me the ice pack.

“Thank you. Baby, this is going to feel a little cold. But it will help, okay?”

She nods her head against my chest.

I place the pack on the back of her head.

Christian comes back in and sits next to us. He still looks furious, but he speaks gently to Bella.