Chapter 4 A father's arrival

As fatigue set in, Alexa opened the door to the condo she had only recently bought and closed it behind her before sauntering inside with her handbag slung lazily across her lower arm.

Although not overly large, it was nice and comfortable for her and her daughter. Her daughter occasionally slept with her, but the two rooms belonged to her and Angelina.

She stored all of the college-related books she had used in the third and fourth rooms, along with other miscellaneous items, which had previously been with her brother.The sitting room was nice and well furnished with normal home electronic equipments forentertainment.

On the left corner of the cozy apartment, meticulously arranged wires for the television, home theater, and decoder created a seamless entertainment setup that promised endless hours of enjoyment.

With a deft touch, the cables were skillfully connected, ensuring that every device operated flawlessly, delivering crisp visuals and immersive audio to the occupants.

Adding to the overall aesthetic appeal of the living room, a deep brown mahogany table took its place with an air of elegance. Adorned with a tastefully arranged flower arrangement, it brought a touch of nature indoors, infusing the space with a refreshing charm.

The vibrant colors of the blossoms harmonized beautifully with the cream and brown wall painting that adorned the adjacent surface, creating a visually pleasing and well-coordinated environment.

The rich tones of the mahogany table echoed the warmth of the room, exuding a sense of sophistication and style. Its sturdy build provided a reliable foundation for displaying cherished mementos or serving as a gathering spot for guests to engage in lively conversations. Meanwhile, the flower arrangement served as a vibrant centerpiece, injecting life and vibrancy into the living room, making it a delightful place to unwind or entertain.

In this carefully curated corner, the fusion of functionality and aesthetics was evident. The meticulously connected wires ensured seamless entertainment experiences, while the combination of the mahogany table, the flower arrangement, and the wall painting offered a feast for the eyes.

The attention to detail in this corner of the apartment created a space that was both visually appealing and technologically advanced, making it a haven for relaxation and enjoyment.

With one button undone on her tee shirt, Alexa entered her room immediately and collapsed face down on her bed.

She went the restroom, taking quick breaths in because she was so exhausted, and tried to fight the thrill that was still tingling between her legs from the tremendous rocking orgasm she had experienced at the workplace.Remembering the incident alone made a sly smirk make its way up her lips.

Michael had thought he had the upper hand because he made her come with two digits inside her, but she was set to prove him wrong at all times, just as she had done when he asked her to come back to him and how she had told him off.

She concluded that he was still as co cky as she remembered him to be; being that he was anything but pleased with her response and he didn't fail to hide it. The expression on his face had been priceless though he'd still helped her put her clothes back in place properly.

One thing Michael didn't appreciate was other people knowing of his affairs with his woman, especially when he knew men in Petsmoni Company were eyeing her.

He was the secretive kind of person, and if he didn't want someone to know something, they wouldn't. Michael had already made up his mind that from now on, he would keep his slowly building relationship with Alexa a secret from the world. The media had contributed in spoiling things between them before, and he couldn't afford to allow that to happen again.

Taking a quick shower, Alexa changed into yoga pants and a free top. She loosened the band on her hair and fixed it in a lazy bun, appreciating her breasts in the mirror. Alexa didn't know what group she could classify herself in, but she was one of those women who actually derived a sense of confidence and serenity while staring at their breasts in the mirror and appreciating it regularly.

She sometimes went to yoga class when she was less busy with office work because she wanted to make sure her breasts and body stood in shape.

They were in a nice shape and stood erect in whatever she wore, just the way she liked it. She was one of the DD cups ladies, and Alexa was extremely proud of it.

She was five foot five and proud of her height, knowing her killer hips and hourglass figure did things to men wherever she went. Her cell phone blared to life and startled her for a moment, making her giggle at her ridiculousness. Walking to the bed, she fished the device out of her bag.

It was Angelina's teacher. "Hello Mrs. Adelaide, how are you doing and may I know

why you are calling?"

"Hello Mrs. Allen, I am doing great, thanks for asking. There is something important I

would like to let you know." The woman's screechy voice went straight to the point

without as much as a greeting and Alexa didn't mind. "What is it Miss Adelaide?"

"Yes well, a man is here to see your daughter." Alexa felt her heart palpitate.

"What?" She sat up quickly on the bed, her heart racing as the information processed.

"Who is he? What does he look like?" "He said he is her father and has been here since break.

She is still playing with him rightnow in her class. I just wanted to inform you in case..."

No. It couldn't be who she thought it was because he had no business whatsoever with Stephanie.

He couldn't be the one who went to the school to see her daughter- she didn't remember telling him anything about herself or about Stephanie.

"What is his name?" She asked and released a shaky breath.

"He said he is Michael Barry and he sure looks like the famous one we all know." The teacher added for effect.

Alexa's world stilled the instance the name was mentioned. It was him, he knew about his daughter. He knew he had a daughter but Alexa would never let him anywhere near her.

"Oh my God." she gasped when she found her breath.

"Is everything alright? I could call the security and have them attend to him if you don't want him-"

"No it's alright. Im coming over." Alexa was already searching for her sandals.

"There is no need, we will bring her soon. The man is already approaching m- hello?"

The voice she knew all too well said, breeze blowing past the speaker on the other end as the phone was passed over. Boiling, Alexa felt her head blow up with anger.

"Michael, you bastard! What do you want withmy daughter?" She gritted through clenched teeth, ran her free hand over her bun which was now getting messy on top of her head.

"You meant our daughter?" He spoke calmly, in a collected tone, like they were best buddies and talking about golf over drinks.

"She is not your daughter." Alexa stated in a strained voice.

"Are you sure about that? Baby, talk to mommy," there was silence before Stephanie's voice came on.

"Mommy? Daddy is taking me to the park...I like daddy so much. He bought me a dolly. Should I

follow daddy to the park, mommy? He is my daddy. Daddy promised me he'll live with us for a long time. Now I can tell Brianne I also have a daddy and pull her pigtails if she says stupid stuff." Stephanie rambled on excitedly.

Alexa's heart dropped to the pit of her belly. The father-daughter duo had formed a connection. She felt several knots and bile rose up in her altogether.

"My baby- hello? Stephanie? Leave her alone, Michael."

"You wound me, Alexa. I would never harm my own daughter, regardless of whatever you

think of me. I'm only here to see her, to meet her officially. You can't keep us away from

each other anymore, Alexa."

"You can face me if you want a fight but I Swea-" she heard the beep sound and the backlight on her phone confirmed that he had indeed ended the call. She stared at the phone in shock, feeling her hands go cold as dread washed over her. He hung up!

Frantically, she searched for her house keys, the exhaustion from earlier immediately draining out of her. She didn't want her daughter near the man that had almost ruined her life and she never wanted to have anything to do with him again.

Alexa felt nausea roll through her and her stomach did summersaults when the image of how he plunged his digit into her wet core flashed before her eyes. She had been asked to retire three hours earlier than the usual time because Mr. Sullivan felt it would be nice for her to get the remaining hours off and go home to rest. Shaking the thought off, Alexa locked the house door and made a dash for her car, only stopping when the gate opened and a black SUV drove in.

Her brows furrowed in confusion because there was no way someone could access the compound gates without her permission. No one had the key to the automatic gate apart from her because the neighbor that stayed in the apartment behind moved out about six months ago.

She stayed alone with her daughter. The car door opened and a man in black alighted and walked towards her, his hands adjusting something on his side. When

Alexa's eyes flitted towards to the spot he'd just touched, she the breath was knocked out of her and her head began to feel fuzzy. The black shiny object strapped around his waist was a gun.

"Who are you?" She gasped, not waiting for him to get to her before she opened her car door and shut it. She locked it quickly, the rational thought that the man could shoot the cars window registering but she knew she had to try her best to protect herself from the armed stranger.

The man knocked on the door with a smile. She felt her limbs trembled and held her head in her shaky hands, thinking about her daughter. This was it. The man was going to kill her. She began to shake terribly and was startled when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She hurriedly pulled it out without checking the ID.

"My Moni." The husky voice spoke. Alexa had never felt so much urge to strangle anyone like she did when she heard Michael's voice

She gritted her teeth and flared her nose. "Is this your doing, Michael? Did you send them to kill me?"

"Sometimes, I wonder what I must've done that makes you think the worst of me at any chance you get. Open the door and hear what he has to say, Alexa. I sent him over." He stated with no hint of playfulness in his tone.

"You bastard! Just leave us alone!" She shirked. The steering wheel bore the brunt of the anger boiling in her which she took out with a slam of her soft fist.

"Do you trust me?"

"Never in a million years." Alexa quickly yelled.

"For the sake of our daughter and your wellbeing, open the door and listen to him." Alexa let out a low groan, suddenly feeling exhausted with all the switch in her emotions.

It had been an exhausting day. Sighing, she looked up at the man standing outside. If he'd wanted to kill her, he would have easily shot at the car. Maybe she should just do as Michael said because the armed man was still rooted in his spot anyway.

Still on the call, she opened the door. The man offered her a smile and stepped away so she could alight. With shaky legs and hand planted on her ear, she nodded at the man.

"Hello. I'm Shane and I was sent by-"

"I know." She muttered. She couldn't wait for him to leave.

Michael chuckled on the other end. "You said you didn't trust me but you still haven't hung up. He won't eat you, you know?"

"Shut up. How did you gain access into my condo? Have you been stalking me?" She growled while the man before her watched in amusement.

He was a head taller and had a really thin teddy which brought out the oval shape of his face. A small mustache carpeted the space over his nude lips and as he smiled, his honey brown eyes twinkled in the sun.

"I never stopped stalking you. I have only managed to forgive you for leaving me and I won't

allow that happen again. The man will bring you to me, so don't argue with him and just get the

car. I don't want you stressing yourself because I know how stressful the day

was. I'll see you in thirty minutes." Then the line went dead, and so did Alexa's Courage.