A Sprinkle Of Obsession

Derek's POV 

This picture was too taunting because I couldn't take my eyes off it. Tara was walking out of the school's building with that handsome kid, making it now obvious to me that he was her son. 

"Skyhigh Academy." I pronounce the name of the school over and over again. The door knob clicked and Melissa came inside, holding our baby, Nina.

"Daddy!" Nina came rushing towards me. I receive her hug warmly, smiling at her. 

"Hey baby, welcome home. Did you have fun at grandma's?" I said to her and she gave me a big smile.

"Yes yes!" She screamed excitedly.

"Alright, come on Nina, go upstairs and shower. Go with Maya." Melissa said, handing her over to a woman old enough to be our grandma. 

I grunted in disgust, making it obvious I was angry. Melissa fell to the sofa, laying her head on my shoulders. "Madam Maya is old enough to be our grandma. Why do you call her by her name without any form of respect?"

"What? She's an ordinary maid. Why should I call her madam? Whatever. Baby, I've been meaning to ask, when will you fund my account for this month? I've bought a dress on credit and I promise to pay my stylist this week."

"It's always about the money," I mumbled. Then lifted her head off my shoulders. "I'll check with my PA."

Melissa looked irritated but she said nothing. "By the way," I heard her voice again, "Nina is very excited for tomorrow! I've prepared our bags, we'll leave right after she closes from school."

This raised a furrowing brow, "tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?"

Melissa jumped up and shouted, "it's my birthday next tomorrow and we agreed to celebrate it in the Bahamas! How can you forget about that!"

Damn it, the traveling was tomorrow? I shrugged it off. "Sorry about that. I have important things I'm dealing with."

"Derek!" Melissa screamed out frantically. "What is wrong with you? Why have you been so distant?"

"Oh by the way, Nina is changing school. Maybe next week," I announced, ignoring her dumb question. How was I changing? Melissa knew our marriage failed a couple of years back now so why was she acting surprised? The only reason she was still with me was because of my money. And she knew if she divorced me, she would lose custody of Nina and won't get a single penny from me. 

"What do you mean?" She frowned. 

"Skyhigh Academy. That's her new school now." 

"Are you crazy? Change school? Just like that! And besides, Skyhigh Academy of all schools? I have been asking that she go to that school but you ignored! So, is this you caring now??"

"Melissa, the school was nice. I did some research and the school is great. Tell her tomorrow so she can resume by next week." I had to give out orders, else she would begin to question my authority. 

"Never. There's now way I'm...Derek? Nina has friends now. You don't just tell a six years old child to change school and leave her friends--"

"--also," I got up abruptly, cutting her off. "Take Nina to wherever you wanna go tomorrow. I'm busy making money for your lavish spending anyway and I've got work this weekend." 

I left and made my way to my study room. "At least she didn't follow me here," that was a good thing. 

Heaving in a deep sigh, I went back to Tara's page. It was becoming a habit now, checking through her walls and seeing her updates. She wouldn't pick my calls and always lied she was busy, then other times I got referred to her assistant. But now, I was going to call her again. 

It didn't take long before she picked up. I paused, waiting to hear her voice first. Something in my heart fluttered as I waited patiently, excited for some reason. We were divorced, and I never even loved her that much then so what was going on now?

"What the hell, Derek?" I heard her said. 

"Why are you so arrogant? I'm the one who should be angry here." My voice was firm when I said to her. "Anyway, since you've been avoiding me, I've decided to keep pushing further. Tara, I forgive you, but first, I want to know why?"

There was a soft sigh from her, like she was frustrated or something. "The only reason I even picked up right now is because there's a commercial on, and the next episode of the show I'm watching hasn't started yet so you have about 4 minutes before I hang up."

"This rudeness again?" I roared out. "Tara, firstly, why didn't you tell me you were related to the all powerful Oscar Aniston! And you took my money, ate my food? I bought you gifts, but you were a rich woman all along?"

"So I'm supposed to say sorry to you for not knowing my last name for, how many years now? Because you were such a narcissistic moron who didn't know anything about the woman you claimed you loved?" Tara's voice took on an angry tone, which made me mad!

"How dare you speak to me like this! Okay, if that was my fault? What about when you divorced me and left without me hearing from you for seven fucking years, and all of a sudden, you're back with a kid!? It just means that you had been cheating on me all this while because where--"

"--one more minute. But let me be the one to talk now while your dumbass self listens." Tara commanded. 

Dumbass?

"Let this be the last time you dare call me about my personal life ever again. I am a busy woman, and you keep forgetting that. Does this make any sense?. Calling your ex wife every second and whining like a pathetic moron? Next time this happens...let's make sure it doesn't happen again, alright??"

"Tara, you will regret this. Do you understand me? You will--hello? Tara!" And that was it. She hung up again like I hadn't mattered! "How dare this woman treat me like this! Ex wife? Ha. What if I decide I want to change that? I can make it happen if I want to!"

"Damn it!" I dialed her number again but it wasn't going through! "Did you block my number, Tara? What the hell?"

My phone rang again and I quickly picked up. "Did you decide to unblock my number? Let me guess, you've come to realize your stupid mistakes and want to apologize?"

"Uh, I'm sorry sir?" This was a man's voice. "It's Ronaldo sir."

"Oh, Ronaldo. It's late at night, why are you calling me? Don't you know it's disrespectful to call late at night like this?" I was about to hang up, completely disappointed when I realized it had not been Tara, but then he announced a shocking news.

"What? They want to sue us? Who the hell--"

"--sir, it's the wife of Mr. Hernandez. She's really threatening to close down the company so we mustn't handle this situation with carelessness!" Ronaldo warned.