Ariel's Day Out (Finale)

Opal held onto Ariel tightly, relishing the softness and sweet smell that only babies would have.

This.

This was Kyle's daughter.

A sweet, adorable little girl that called her Mummy.

It didn't matter that someone else had given birth to the little one, as long as the little one accepted her.

Opal wasn't a fool.

She saw how devoted Kyle was to his children.

As it should be.

Resenting his children just because some other woman had given birth to them would have meant she was rejecting his heart.

Opal scoffed at all of those women who could not accept their man having a child with someone else.

If he treated his children badly, or would start treating them badly after getting together with another - wouldn't that mean that his feelings were shallow? That he was a bad person at heart?

Kyle wasn't like that, so Opal wasn't stupid enough to try and seperate the man with his children. How can you make him hate his own flesh and blood?

His wife, though, was another matter.

People fell in love, people fell out of love.

That was normal.

People divorced all the time.

She would simply be the best replacement to help him take care of his children when he did.

So, her goal was simply to win over the children and slowly push the mother out. Have them accept her as their mother.

Ariel was the first target, who fell straight into her lap.

Such a young, pure and innocent child was the easiest to coax and win over. Like right now, the young one allowed herself to be held by a person who she met for the first time.

Even called her 'Mummy'.

Opal figured it wouldn't take long to completely integrate herself into Ariel's life. It would naturally take time, but she had taken that first, crucial step.

Tug at the little one's heart strings.

Soften her up.

Be kind to her and be her ear.

Surely, when she grew up, there would be things that she would resent her parents for. Just take a look at her elder brother, Alex.

So Opal intends to be the listening ear, the sympathetic one that she would always turn to, and eventually, be indispensable to her.

Opal smiled to herself as she held Ariel, hiding her face from Ariel's view.

Things were going on so smoothly.

Never did she think she would be given this opportunity to start the plan she had made years ago.

Even God was helping her pave the way. When she was struggling to think of a way to approach Ariel without raising any suspicion, Ariel had needed to go to the restroom desperately.

It was Fate.

She was destined to become Kyle's wife and the stepmother to his children. Then, she'll have more children with him and life would be complete.

Ariel listened intently to Sister Opal's low, sad, voice. Just talking about her little girl that had become a star. About how much she missed the little one, how she wished they could be together.

Lastly, Sister Opal said some words of comfort.

"But it's okay, I met a lovely girl who has the same name as you," Opal whispered softly, hugging Ariel tighter, "Mummy knows, you sent her to me to keep me company. Mummy is okay now."

Ariel pursed her lips and couldn't help but ask, "Her name is also Ariel?"

Opal seemed to get out of a shock and quickly wiped her face of her tears, "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tell you that."

Ariel tilted her head and watched as Opal washed her face. Opal had placed Ariel on the sink counter, so Ariel would be at eye level with her.

"Why?" Ariel asked.

Opal gave a sad smile as she looked in the mirror, "I thought it would make you feel bad."

"Why would it?"

Opal was stunned for a moment, realising for the first time that children at Ariel's age would be at the most curious - and potentially, the most annoying.

'Why?' seemed to be a word they used the most.

"Well, some would," Opal answered lamely, "Ariel, can you keep this a secret from everyone?"

"Secret?"

"Yes," Opal said, looking at Ariel seriously, "When people know I cried because of my little girl, they get sad as well. I don't want people to be sad."

"Oh," Ariel said, understanding, "Okay."

"And…" Opal began, hesitating for a while, "And please don't tell anyone I asked you to call me Mummy."

"Why?"

"They would get angry at me," Opal said softly, looking down as if in guilt, "I..I just … I just miss my baby so much. Hearing you call me Mummy just made me happy. As if my little Ariel was calling me Mummy."

"Oh," Ariel said, nodding.

"You wouldn't want to see me sad because people scold me, right?" Opal asked, looking at Ariel again while looking sad.

Tears seemed to form at her eyes again and Ariel reached out to point at it, "Are you going to cry again?"

Opal nodded a bit and sniffed, wiping her eyes, "I'm sorry. I cry a lot. I don't like people scolding me."

Ariel gave a big sigh, "Okay, I won't tell."

"You won't?" Opal exclaimed, happy, "Thank you Ariel."

"You're welcome," Ariel replied politely.

"Would it be okay if I call you once in a while? When I'm really sad and missing my little Ariel?" Opal asked, looking sad again.

"Yes," Ariel replied generously.

Then, in a whisper, Opal asked, "Can you call me Mummy when we are alone?"

"Okay," Ariel replied.

"But don't tell anyone, or I would get scolded," Opal said again.

"Okay," Ariel responded.

Assured, Opal took Ariel down from the counter and they walked out.

Yume, who had been waiting patiently outside, was relieved. They had taken so long, but he couldn't hear a thing of what was happening inside.

"Princess!" Yume exclaimed dramatically, "Are you ready to meet Sir now?"

Ariel's face brightened up, "Daddy is back?"

Yume nodded, "Yes, his meeting just ended. Shall we?"

"Yes! Yes, of course!" Ariel replied.

She ran over to Yume, completely abandoning Opal - making the latter sigh a bit until she heard Ariel ask, "Can Sister Opal come along?"

Yume was startled, and couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

With a bright smile, Ariel said, "Sister Opal helped me. Daddy should thank her."

Opal, whose heart began beating rapidly at the thought of seeing Kyle, did her best to mask her facial expression and the excitement in her heart.

"Well…" Yume began, hesitating.

"Pleeeeeeeeeease, Uncle Yume?" Ariel pleaded, taking his hand and swinging it.

Yume gave up.

This would be Sir's problem.

"Okay," he said and gave Opal a nod while Ariel cheered.

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"Daddy!" screamed Ariel excitedly as she rushed through the door that Sam just opened.

Kyle, who was waiting for Ariel, stood up from the sofa and received her running hug. Scooping her up, he rubbed his nose on hers and kissed her forehead.

"Did you have fun?" he asked.

Ariel nodded.

"Daddy, Daddy," Ariel said, putting both her hands on his cheeks, "I met a lot of people."

"Mhmm," Kyle replied, smiling, "That's good."

"Yes, everybody loves you!" Ariel declared.

Kyle laughed at that, "Really now?"

Ariel nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes. Especially Sister Opal there."

At that, Kyle stopped laughing and turned to face the woman that stood a few meters away, who was now very pale.

He had known she walked in after Ariel, and did not a word, pretending that he had not noticed.

"Really now?" Kyle said again, turning to face his daughter again.

Opal quickly said, "No, no, Mr. Smith. I never-"

"Yes, Daddy!" Ariel replied to her father, seemingly unaware of the ever panicking woman nearby, "She wants to be my Mummy. Mummy loves Daddy, so she loves you."

"No, Ms. Ariel, I never-" Opal gasped out, her hands shaking in front of her, wondering at the child's logic that somehow hit the truth.

Ariel looked at Opal with wide eyes and tilted her head, "But you said I'm your little Ariel and that you are Mummy."

Opal looked at Kyle desperately, "Mr. Smith, please. This is all a misunderstanding."

Opal couldn't believe what was happening. She never thought, in a million years, that a three-year-old would be able to somehow reveal her innermost desires without even intending to.

Didn't Ariel do everything she said without question? Wasn't Ariel so kind that she didn't want to make her sad? Didn't Ariel agree to keep it all a secret?

So what happened?

As if hearing the unspoken question, Ariel said with innocent eyes,, "Daddy won't scold you, Sister Opal, so telling him is okay."

Kyle caught the key points, "She told you not to tell anyone?"

Ariel nodded, "Yes, Daddy."

"And you agreed?"

"Yes, Daddy," Ariel replied.

"Then why tell me? Isn't keeping a promise important?"

Ariel blinked, looked at him innocently, and answered, "Because you're not anyone. You're Daddy."

Kyle smiled sweetly at her and kissed her forehead, "That's right, Rie. Good girl. Now it's time for your nap, Rie."

"Auw, Daddy…" Ariel protested.

Kyle looked at her, his blue eyes intense and serious as he said, "Rie, it's your nap time. Go and rest in the lounge behind, okay?"

He put her down and pointed at the open door that had a bed. Every CEO's office had such a private bedroom, now, right?

Ariel, who hadn't been sleepy before, was now suddenly very sleepy.

"Okay, Daddy," Ariel mumbled, yawning and walking there. Kyle followed closely behind, made sure she went onto the bed and under the covers.

"Night, Daddy," Ariel said softly and fell asleep promptly. Coming over and kissing her softly on the forehead, Kyle closed the door quietly.

The moment he did, his aura changed immediately. From the soft, gentle father to one that seemed to be ready to kill.

Even before he turned to face her, Opal was already shivering and her legs were weak. The moment he did, and she felt the full impact of his fury, she fell down on her knees.

"Please, Mr. Smith, I -" she began, her voice shaking as she tried to salvage the situation. She had heard about it, but she never believed it.

She had always felt Kyle was the perfect gentleman and that it was his shrew of a wife that controlled him. That he was silently suffering in his marriage, and it was his kids that made him show affection to his wife.

There was no way he was as cold and ruthless like some said he was.

Right now, though, she knew how true that was.

His cold blue eyes looked like they could pierce your soul and crush it without moving a finger.

"Get lost," Kyle replied coldly, staring at the shaking mess on the floor, "You have five minutes to clear everything out."

Opal didn't need another second. She practically ran out, any thoughts of trying to appeal to him flew out the window. There was no way that he would listen to her at all.

Kyle watch the woman stumble out and run like her life depended on it and snorted.

Just this once, he showed mercy and only fired her.

She had helped Rie in the restroom after all.