actually can't be far from you

Brandon's POV

I just finished talking to Kimberly and honestly, her ideas surprised me but would also be very helpful. She will live in this house with Victoria and my beautiful daughter, considering herself the owner of this house and whatever is owned here, so that people or even my mother will not suspect them.

This isn't because I'm afraid to face my mother, I'm not afraid to be honest but now is not the right time to reopen our relationship especially since Victoria always says that she has a boyfriend, and of course, I need to resolve my problems with Aurora.

It's all like there are so many tasks waiting for me, but Sophia is the most important thing.

"Dad, is it possible that we will meet again?" She asked in her cute voice, while I hugged her from behind, we were lying on the bed because she was going to take a nap.

"Of course, we'll meet again," I said, letting her hand grip mine. "When Daddy's problems are resolved in Portland, Dad will come back here soon."

"Um... Are you going to meet the girl you danced with at the party?"

"Um..." I frowned. "Why do you ask such a thing?"

"She's pretty, but my mom is prettier," he said, then let go of my hug and turned to face me, looking at me deeply. "Maybe the girl seduces you or says sweet things to you, not like mommy who is always angry with you, even makes you annoyed," she continued.

"Um... Then what's the problem?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"It's a big problem."

She bent her face, while her hands played with the buttons on my shirt.

"Why do you say it's a big problem, Baby girl?"

"I'm afraid that Mommy's always harsh attitude towards you will make you choose that girl over her," she said worriedly, then glanced at me hopefully. "I don't want a stepmother."

I took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, looked at her, and saw her eyes showing fear. If she knew, I also wouldn't want to choose another girl because my heart is only for her mother. We have the same hope, But I don't know how her mother is. Should I continue chasing her? Her rejection and attitude made me sick, I didn't want to seduce her anymore.

"Dad," she whispered.

"Yes, baby girl."

"I want you to promise me...Until whenever Never marry another girl. You have to stay with Mom...I'm sad to see her alone all this time... Sometimes I see her crying at night... That happened before she met you... I thought she needed you but something made her hate you too," she said.

"So, your mommy has always been alone? I mean...She's never been close to men?"

She shook her head and then looked away as if she was thinking.

"But she has a friend... His name is Uncle Jacob... He is very kind and always helps mommy, but I once saw him with another woman at his house when mom and I came there to check her car engine," she explained.

I frowned, now imagining what the man named Jacob was like. that meant he was the only man close to her, Sophia didn't say that he was her boyfriend the man had even been with another woman.

"Dad?"

Her cute voice made me turn my attention back to her.

"You don't need to think about this problem, daddy will do what's best for all of us," I said with a smile and stroked her soft cheek. "You just need to always support us, and never want when she asks you to go away from here when I'm not by your side."

"Then never walk away."

"No... Dad will never walk away... I mean, maybe Dad will always work because Dad is building a company here," I said worriedly, now thinking whether maybe I should stay in this house too. but I'm sure Victoria won't agree or even be angry, I also don't want to disappoint Sophia.

"Have you put your number on my iPad?" She asked.

"Yes of course." I nodded. "You can call me whenever you want."

she just nodded, then hugged me, burying her head into my chest. I don't know why it hurts so much to see her always worried, even though children her age only need to focus on education and playing, not worrying about their parent's fate.

for a few minutes, she continued to hug me and I stroked her head, finally, she fell asleep. I slowly let go of her hug, then covered her up with the blanket to her stomach, kissed her forehead, and immediately left the room.

I saw Victoria sitting on a chair at the dining table with Kimberly and then approached her.

"I'm going to Portland now," I said.

She got up and approached me, even dragging me towards the living room. What is this? What does she want?

"Are you going to see my mother?" she asked, looking up at me sharply.

"Of course," I answered casually, looking away from her sharp eyes. "I just want to make sure that she won't scold you because you got everything from me... I don't want her to become a barrier between me and Sophia."

"You'll disappoint her!"

"Victoria..." I sighed, looking at her in frustration. "What made her disappointed? Tell me. If she was disappointed because of our past, it's okay...I can accept that she will be angry with me because I got you pregnant... But now, what? Will she also be angry when I do my best for Sophia? Do you think I will bring trouble for her? Am I a problem in your life? Remember... We never really had any problems..."

I shook my head, looking at her deeply.

"Please….stop opposing and obstructing whatever I plan for the good of our daughter. Don't think that I'm a problem in your life, I'm not that stupid to get the girl I love in trouble!" I confirmed, and it seemed like I let slip my feelings for her, and now she's stunned. 'Does she like what I say? Did she think before that I didn't want her anymore?'

"Please….I know you've suffered enough all this time, you faced everything alone, and you made our daughter see how hard you struggled..." I put my hands on her shoulders, and she immediately looked down as if sad.."Now it's my turn to carry out my duties as a father... I won't let my little girl suffer and lack love and attention... And this is also good for her mental health... Suppose she meets her friends... talking about the background of their life, she will no longer feel inferior because now she feels my love as her father... She can get what she wants like her friends... Please... Just take the positive side... Throw away your fear..."

She sighed, then looked at me again until I saw her teary eyes, making me feel like I had been too hard on her, and maybe it was true that my mother had scared her.

"Trust me," I whispered.

She just nodded, and somehow her natural pink lips seemed to bring me back to our longing for intimacy, especially now that she seemed to believe me. I felt happy, and couldn't stop myself from kissing her.

Oh my God, so soft, these lips. Damn! I didn't want to let go, I wanted to keep kissing her when she gave me such a gentle reply, and I felt her arms wrap around my neck.

"Oops..."

The sound from the door immediately made her move her head away from me until finally, our kiss stopped.

"Sorry… I….I just want to... To go home," said Kimberly nervously. "I have to get my stuff," she continued, then hurriedly walked towards the main door.

"You'd better go now."

Victoria's voice again attracted my attention.

"I don't want you to miss your plane and have your plans fail," she said, looking away, as if embarrassed to look at me again.

I bit my bottom lip, wanting to kiss her again but just let her be so desperate for me.

"Okay, I'll go first," I said, immediately walking out of the house with a smile that I couldn't hold back any longer. Gosh, what is this? She let me kiss her, even gave a reply? I know she still wants me, but what about her boyfriend?

"Agh, never mind that..as long as she's not married then I'll fight for her, I'll get her back!" I said as I opened the car, and it turned out David was there even though he shouldn't have taken me to the airport because he had to always look after Sophia. "Hey, get out!" I shouted.

He came out immediately.

"I thought you asked me to take you to the airport," he said.

"I'm going to the airport alone, I'll let Ronald take this car," I said as I entered the car, always closing the door and immediately opening the window, seeing David who was still standing near the car. "Never leave them... Don't let them escape, but don't act like locking them up either. I think you know what you have to do in anticipation!"

"Yes, sir."