57 Secrets And Lies (Part I)

"Listen, Nicole…" 

His tone and face were frozen cold when the video call was connected. He was pissed off with the sudden changes that Nicole wanted for the promised summer vacation of Lucille in his care. Not only that, his ex-wife has chosen today of all day to call him with all these problems when he was with Jess!

She was crestfallen when they weren't able to do the sushi train because he has to excuse himself so, he could come home to call his ex-wife! He gritted his teeth in annoyance. 

"Noah, believe me, I have no plan to get between you and our daughter's summer plan. But, you have to understand it from my point of view. This is the first time after the…" her voice trembled as she cleared her throat but she could no longer finish her sentence.

Noah was attacked with guilt seeing Nicole having a hard time controlling her emotion. 'Fuck! How long do I have to pay for my mistake?' He swallowed the bitter words in his mouth and gave her a tight smile. "I understand." 

Alcohol addiction was his downfall. He ruined his family, his career, and his friends because of it. He was in deep shit before he woke up and man up for his daughter. It wasn't easy, yet he persevered. He can lose everything. His money, fame, and even friends...except for his daughter. She is his life. 

"Thank you. I will just take Yue there and then, I will come back home. You can bring her home after two weeks, just like what we first agreed on." 

He nodded his head. But he knew why Nicole was insisting to visit his place. She still couldn't trust him after all these years. He couldn't blame her, but it doesn't change the fact that he is unhappy with the sudden changes.

Their agreement was, he will pick their daughter up, but with the things that he has to settle regarding with his father stepping down as the CEO of their company. He couldn't clear up his schedule.

Instead, he asked his best friend to pick up Lucille on his behalf, but when Nicole found out about the new setup, she made a huge issue out of it. He understands her point of view. What he couldn't understand was the finger-pointing and blaming game. 

Wasn't she happy that he already took all the blame? He even gave his lawful right for their daughter's sake! 

He clenched his teeth for he allowed the law, for his ex-wife to get the full custody of their daughter. He doesn't want to put Lucille into the trauma of 'Who-do-you-love-more?Mommy-or-Daddy?' 

Before until now, he did nothing but nodded his head, clenched his fist, and bit his tongue. However, after so many years, he was no longer sure if what he did was the best thing. 

"Daddyyy!" 

He heard her shrill voice before he saw her beautiful face on the computer screen. Lucille Yue Tiefenbacher, aged eight and counting - held his life in her two smalls hands. His annoyance was melted the moment he saw her face, - like Winter melted with the first kiss of Spring. 

"Schatz."

"Good evening, Daddy!" 

He chuckled inwardly. His daughter calls him 'Papa' on daily basis. The only time she calls him in accented 'Dad-deh' is when she is having a disagreement with her mother and wanted him to take sides. 

"Good evening, Love," he grinned and waited for what could be the reason behind her 'Dad-deh'. 

"I told Mama I don't have to bring lots of clothes because you will take me shopping anyway, but she disagreed." she pursed her little mouth into a cute pout. 

"Of course, we will go shopping, but you listen to your Mama about what clothes to bring. She knows what is best for you." 

He watched her daughter's eyes shook in front of the camera. She kept her mouth into a tight line, clearly unhappy with his words. 

"Are you excited?"

"I'm not sure." she shrugged her small shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are supposed to pick me up, but then you asked uncle Markus to do it because you are busy." she scoffed, "When I get over there, am I going to just watch you be busy with work?" 

He threw his head in laugher. "Mein Schatz, Papa already finished half of his workload so I would have tons of time to play with you." 

"Promise?...promise…" 

"Promise!" He raised his pinkie in front of the camera, and he watched her daughter did the same. His heart swelled with so much love. 

"Yue, it's late. Let's say goodnight to your father." Nicole interrupted their moment. 

He kept the happy expression on his face, they all say their goodbye and promises of wonderful summer vacation. 

"Yue, let's talk," she called her daughter before she could escape to the privacy of her bedroom again.

"What else do we have to talk about? Didn't I already promise you that I would lie to Papa?" she asked, bored. 

"Yue, don't be like that. Mama explained to you why we have to say a little lie to your father, didn't I?" 

"Mama, you said lying is bad!" her lower lips trembled as the corner of her eyes glistened with tears.

She gathered her in her arms and stroked her silky jet black hair. "Sorry, Yue. Mama is sorry, but you understand why we cannot tell your father about you being kidnapped, do you not?" she hooked her fingers on her daughter's chin for them to see eye to eye. 

"Can you promise Mama that you will never tell your Papa about it,... hmm?" 

She stifled a sob and nodded. 

"Thank you, Yue." She brushed the tears on her cheeks and kissed them. "Go to sleep early, tomorrow you will play with your friends." 

She watched the small retreating figure of her daughter until she closed her bedroom door. She waited for a few minutes before she called someone. 

"You better work fast before we all get caught!" she spat on the other person on the line that answered her call on the second ring.