Daniel My First Love

Emily's point of view.

"Mommy, can I go with you to the art exhibition tomorrow?" Olivia said her plea accompanied by a pout and her best puppy-dog eyes that are quite attractive as a result of her hazel eyes. She is an inquisitive and charming thirteen-year-old with a face that has both her parents' features, accompanied by her chestnut hair.

She is the living proof of her mother's previous relationship with the billionaire tech mogul, Daniel Hartman, despite the pain and heartbreak she endured. Olivia is remarkably curious and intelligent, inheriting her parent's love for the arts.

Emily firmly responded, "Olivia, the last time you followed me to an exhibition, you nearly disappeared, and I was worried sick. So, my answer is a definite no,"

"Mommy, please" Olivia implored, her eyes filled with earnest longing.

"Fine!" She breathed out, "You can come with me, but you'll be under my constant supervision. No asking, 'Mommy, can I go see this?'"

"Thank you so much, mommy. I love, love, love, you so much," Olivia said, dancing in excitement as she made her way out of the art studio.

Emily chuckled and she proceeded to admire her artwork.

She sighed with satisfaction, appreciating her creation. Approaching the place where she had hung them, she gently touched the artwork, admiring it with a sense of contentment.

"They're beautiful," Sarah said softly as she walked in, catching Emily by surprise.

Startled by the sudden sound of her voice, Emily responded, "Don't sneak up on me like that, girl," playfully feigning annoyance.

Sarah chuckled, saying, "You're so skittish, Emily."

"Whatever. You always manage to get on my nerves," Emily retorted with a hint of humor.

"What are best friends for?" Sarah said with a playful tone.

Emily quipped with a knowing smile, acknowledging the quirks and occasional annoyances that come with their close bond.

"You know there are chances that you'd run into him right?" Sarah inquired, hinting at the potential encounter.

"I know, Sarah. Please, don't remind me. I'd rather not think about it," she replied, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

"I mean, you can always attend another art exhibition other than this one being sponsored by him," Sarah said, her voice filled with concern.

Turning abruptly to face her friend, shocked by her words, she questioned, "What? Are you serious right now?" She continued, "You know how much of a struggling artist I am, I juggle between my two part-time jobs and this art as well. This could be a chance for recognition, and that's all I want - to succeed and be able to cover my bills without burdening you or anyone else!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just genuinely concerned for you," Emily pleaded, her face reflecting sincere remorse.

"You can do better, Sarah. Encourage me, tell me you'll be there with me, support me. That's all I need from you, and not to get on my nerves," Emily pleaded.

Reaching out to give her a warm and heartfelt embrace, "I'm sorry," Sarah whispered, expressing her sincere apology and understanding.

"It's fine. Look, I understand that you're worried about me, but sometimes you just have to..." She paused, searching for the right words to continue.

"That's enough," Sarah said with a smile, changing the subject. "I brought your favorite," she added.

Glancing at Sarah's hands in anticipation of her favorite treat, She remarked, "I don't see them."

"Well, that is because it's still in the car trunk. I wanted to surprise you," Sarah admitted with a mischievous grin, hinting at the surprise waiting for Emily.

"Now, I'm really curious," She responded, her anticipation building as she wondered what surprise awaited her in the car trunk.

"Calm your nerves. Let's go get them," Sarah said with a playful laugh.

They made their way out to the garage to retrieve the gifts, laughing and chatting lively as they walked amidst the daylight streaming in through the open doors.

"Omg Sarah, thank you so much, I love these," She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she admired the art supplies her best friend had thoughtfully bought for her.

"You're welcome, love. Always remember that I've got you," Sarah reassured her with a warm smile.

She leaned in, embracing her lifelong friend tightly. Sarah had been a constant presence in Emily's life since childhood, unwaveringly supportive and a true blessing through the challenging times, especially after Daniel's departure. From the early days and even after Olivia's birth, Sarah remained by her side, serving as her confidante, a paragon of loyalty, and a brilliantly witty friend.

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Sarah said with a playful grin, gently releasing herself from the lengthy embrace that spoke volumes about their deep connection.

Emily let out a soft chuckle and mouthed, "Sorry," which sparked a shared outbreak of laughter between them.

"Okay, I have to go now," Sarah said, checking her watch. "I've got a meeting with a client in an hour, and I can't afford to miss it or be late," she explained.

"Client? How come I'm just hearing about it? Or is it one of your admirers?" Emily teased, raising an eyebrow playfully.

"No, it's not!" Sarah replied, defensively.

"Alright, if you say so," Emily said with a chuckle, finding her best friend's defensiveness rather amusing.

"Yes, I say so," Sarah retorted playfully. She then added, "And, be ready early tomorrow. I'll be here two hours early to pick you guys up for the exhibition." With that, she waved and drove off.

"Sure! Thank you!" Emily yelled, making sure her friend who had just driven out heard her while she made her way into the house.

Worry engulfed her as she searched the entire house, calling out Olivia's name. The television played cartoons, but there was no sign of her daughter. Panic began to creep in as she couldn't find Olivia in any of her usual spots in the house, not even her room.

"Olivia!" She yelled, yet there was no response.

"Olivia!"

"Omg, Olivia!" She called out as she rushed over to her daughter who she had sighted from afar sitting in the garden.

She leaned in and hugged her tightly, tearing up. "You scared me, Liv,"

"I'm sorry, Mom," she said, hugging her back tightly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Ignoring her apologies, she pulled away from the hug, "What're you doing here, alone?"

"Nothing Mom," Olivia said, turning her face away.

In a gentle, tearful voice, she grabbed Olivia's face, tilting it as she looked into her eyes and said, "Olivia, I am your mother. If you don't talk to me, I don't know who you will talk to. I ask again, what is the matter?"

"Mom, I said, nothing. You worry too much," she snapped.

Emily sighed at the fruitless effort of getting her daughter to talk to her about what was bothering her. She got up and sat on the garden bench, adjusting close enough to her daughter. She wiped her tears with a finger, grabbing Olivia's hand tightly, while placing the other hand on it.

"Liv, talk to me please," she said softly, her voice filled with so much concern.

Olivia, sensing her mother's concern, decided to tell her. She reached into her pocket, brought out a letter, and handed it over to her mom.

"I saw this on the side table in the living room," she said gently.

"Olivia," she said, softly.

"It says in that letter that we're due for the month's rent. How do you intend to pay, Mom? I am sad that we're not rich, I am sad that you have to go through these alone with no help," she said with a heavy heart, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Emily's eyes grew misty on hearing her daughter speak wearily of their financial status. She felt a deep sense of sadness and helplessness, wishing she could shield her daughter from such worries. Her heart ached, knowing that she couldn't change their situation, at least not at that moment.

She pulled Olivia into a hug once more, pulling away, she said forcing a smile, "Liv, we're not alone, we have Aunt Sarah and Granny Eleanor. Also, you're too young to be worried about life,"

"I know, Mom. It's just that I become sad each time there's a problem to solve and there seems to be no way out of the situation. I feel useless knowing that I can't be of help," Olivia said, her voice tinged with frustration and concern.

"Shhhh, don't ever say that again. What could you possibly do, Olivia? You're just thirteen for God's sake, Olivia!" She cautioned, her concern for her daughter evident in her voice.

Olivia burst into tears, withdrawing her hand from her mom's.

She grabbed Olivia's hand again, reassuring her, "No, baby. I'm not yelling at you. I'm just saying that you're too young to bother about this," She continued, "I appreciate your concern, my precious daughter but don't get worked up about our lives. I'll figure it out and I promise not to let you suffer, I love you,"

She leaned in, hugging her mom tightly, and whispered, "I love you too, Mom"

After what felt like ages, Emily finally pulled away from the hug and kissed her daughter on her forehead, making her smile heartily.

Olivia's eyes gleamed as she spotted her favorite plant, a vibrant crimson rosebush, thriving against a backdrop of lush greenery. She let go of Emily's reassuring touch and rushed over to see it.

"Mom, it's growing healthy and beautiful," she said,

"Yes, it is," Emily nodded in agreement, smiling.

Its crimson petals glistened with dewdrops, a testament to nature's care, but she couldn't resist the urge to nurture it even more.

She reached for the watering can nearby and tenderly showered the plant with cool, clear water.

"We should get into the house, Liv," Emily said,

"Why?" Olivia asked curiously,

"Well, you have the TV on and I'd prefer to the watering myself so I'd arrive early at work," she replied,

"Right!" She gasped, "I almost forgot you have to go to work," she said,

"Yes, baby. I have to go to work so I'd earn some money for us," Emily said,

"Alright, Mom," she said, making her way into the house.

She hurried to water the plants, then returned to the house. Afterward, she swiftly prepared a meal and stored it in the refrigerator for Olivia. Her return to work was approaching, but she managed to prevent being late. She opted for black pants, a red t-shirt, and red and white canvas shoes for her outfit.

"Nice," she said, admiring herself in the mirror.

She grabbed her bag and headed towards the door. As she passed the living room, she noticed that Olivia was fast asleep. She turned off the TV and carefully carried her to her room. She left for work after she had tucked Olivia in, softly closing the door.

"Fred, is he in?" Emily mouthed, gesturing at her boss's office.

"Yes," he said firmly.

"Why do you ask?" He queried

"He sent for me," she replied, uncertainty evident in her voice

"You should go see him then, " he said, returning to his duty post.

Emily approached her boss's office, feeling uneasy. She couldn't place a finger on it, but something about the meeting felt different. Her heart raced a little faster with each step she threw, and her mind was flooded with questions.

Is there a drop in my productivity or perceived a lack of commitment? She asked herself

Gently, she knocked on the door, making her arrival known.

"Come in," his bass voice went off.

She gently walked into her boss's office, her heart pounding in anticipation. The conversation inside was a blur of words and the distant hum of the restaurant activity beyond the walls.

Minutes turned into what felt like hours, and she couldn't quite grasp the gravity of the situation. Her boss's expression remained unreadable.

As the meeting drew on, her emotions shifted from anxiety to confusion, and then to a creeping sense of sadness. She tried her best to maintain a composed facade, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Finally, the discussion ended, and she exited her boss's office. Her colleagues glanced at her with curious expressions, but she couldn't bring herself to meet their gaze.

Walking back to her duty post, the tears she held back began to spill over.

Pim pim! Pimmmm!

The car honk went off. Sarah has been at the parking lot for more than fifteen minutes waiting for her best friend and her goddaughter.

"Omg, Emily, we're running late!" She yelled at the top of her voice, hoping that she would hear her. Then she relaxed back into her car seat, going through the Google map that would lead them to the art exhibition event center. She turned her attention to the distant giant door noticing Emily coming out with her artwork while struggling to keep Olivia on track.

Without delay, she dropped her phone and got out of the car to help her. "You could have just called me, you self-sufficient woman," Sarah teased.

Emily gazed at her and gave a weak smile which had her best friend thinking about what could be wrong. "Emily, are..."

"Aunt Sarah, I missed you!" Olivia whimpered, interrupting Sarah who was about to talk to her best friend. "I missed you too, my little princess," she cooed.

"I'll guide you to the car while I help your mommy carry some of her artwork, okay?" Sarah stated, smiling. Olivia nodded her head while smiling back at her. They got to the car and settled in.

Emily sat quietly in the car thinking critically about her life recently. How would she be able to cope with the sad news that her boss broke to her? How would she cope with life entirely? How would she be able to deal with seeing Daniel Hartman when she runs into him? As long as she was concerned, Daniel was never into arts. He was more like a freak in tech- a legendary tech mogul. She wondered how he happened to start fancying arts to the extent of sponsoring the event. Emily batted her eyes twice, sighing heavily. Everything was becoming overwhelming, she didn't know what to do but the only thing she knew was that she would be totally positive about her art. For so many years, she has been trying to get noticed and recognized for her art but all that seemed impossible and now that she has the opportunity, she wouldn't dare to let anything hinder it- not even her baby daddy.

"Are you okay, Emily?" Sarah asked. She had noticed her mood and how she was constantly zoning out, thus she was forced to ask. "I know you are worried that he might act rashly once he sees you or Olivia but trust me, I wouldn't let that happen," Sarah assured her best friend whom she believed was a hundred percent troubled because of the high chances she had at running into Daniel at the center.

"I'm fine. You worry too much," Emily responded, feigning a smile. Sarah nudged her and they let out a soft chuckle.

After a few hours' drive, they arrived at the center. Emily got out of the car to help her daughter out of the car just to figure out that she was in a deep sleep. She sighed lightly. She didn't want to wake her and at the same time leaving her in the car was a bad idea.

"Get your stuff and go in immediately, Emily. You need to secure a spot before they take everything. I will bring her in shortly," Sarah said. She has been standing behind Emily for some seconds, watching her next move. Emily nodded nervously and headed to the car trunk to pack her things then she went in shortly.

She stood in the art exhibition hall, feeling all sorts of emotions. She had worked so hard to get to the point she was at, and she was determined to make the most of the opportunity. What if her work wasn't good enough? What if they hated it? However, she felt serenity hit her as she saw Sarah and Olivia enter the hall, making her push those thoughts away.

"All set, huh?" Sarah teased, giggling at her best friend while admiring her beautiful works. Emily was about to respond when she heard someone call out Sarah's name.

"Sarah!" The young guy called, walking towards them.

"It's been a while, Greg," Sarah replied, walking away to meet him. She gazed at Emily as if to say "I'll be right back," and Emily acknowledged the gesture by waving at her in a friendly manner then she pulled Olivia close while she awaited the Godsent who would buy out her art. Even as she stood there waiting to be recognized, her mind kept drifting off to the words her boss had said to her. She suddenly caught a grip of herself and turned to check on Olivia but then she couldn't find her. Just as she was about to leave her spot and go in search of her daughter, a gentleman walked up to her with a smile and a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes.

"I would like to get this. In fact, I want everything you displayed. They are so beautiful. I'm very sure he would like them," he said, gesturing at the beautiful piece of art displayed on the wall. He couldn't hide that he was wowed, that was why he didn't hesitate to compliment them.

Emily froze at a spot, she didn't know what to do. One of her prayers had been answered but she was about to lose it all because of her daughter. She didn't know if the young man would be patient enough to wait while she went in search of her daughter. "Should I stay back and make my first sales?" She asked herself inwardly but there was no reply to that. So, she closed her eyes and said a short safety prayer for her daughter.

Emily looked around her secured spot in the exhibition hall, still stunned to see that all of her paintings had been sold. She couldn't believe it. For the first time in her life, she sold out, and not just sold out, they loved everything. It was a moment of pure elation, but that feeling quickly faded as she realized that she had no way of finding her daughter, Olivia. She began to search frantically, calling out Olivia's name, and after what felt like an eternity, she spotted her at the other end of the hall. But her relief was quickly replaced by shock, anger, and fear as she saw who Olivia was with.

It was him. Her baby daddy, Daniel Hartman. The man who abandoned them years ago.

Daniel's eyes met hers, and she could see the surprise in them. Emily approached them, her heart racing. "What are you doing here?" She asked icily, yanking her daughter over to her side and hiding her behind her back.

"E-Emily," he stammered. He didn't know what to say. It was obvious that he was shocked and of course, he had always wished to run into her but he didn't know that it would be too soon. Ever since Emily left his life, the only thing that had kept him connected to her was the arts. He came to love it and appreciate it so he could always feel her presence and warmth.

"Mommy, who is he? Does he know us? I like him," Olivia said softly, peeping from her mother's back. Daniel's eyes widened in shock as he heard Olivia call Emily by the "mommy" title. His palms became sweaty instantly and he felt lumps of sweat forming on his forehead, making him loosen up his tie a bit.

"He's no one," she replied sternly, rubbing Olivia's back. Turning to Daniel, she said, "Stay away from us, please,"

Daniel tried to speak but his P. A appeared from nowhere, interrupting the moment. "Sir, I got..." Then he caught a glimpse of Emily, "The arts were from her. They're unique and beautiful,"

Emily gasped as she and Daniel stared at each other in shock. Then Sarah stumbled on them, "oh no, this isn't good," she gasped.