Always next to you

Chapter Fifty-Four

NICOLE

Working in this state was the hardest thing I did since my first break up. Even that seemed like so long ago now. After four years, I caught a glimpse of where my father was kept.

When I was younger, my mom never let me see him because she said it was my fault he was in that state. I was forbidden from leaving my room or going anywhere without supervision.

A lot of time has passed, and I wasn't sure I remembered what my father looked like. These thoughts plagued my mind as I tried to work through Harvey's demands.

It was a bit awkward working from Aiden's office, but he refused to let me work anywhere else. A part of me considered the possibility that he was protecting me.

Aiden acted like he never noticed, but he must have heard the things people say about me. He probably thinks they'd pick on me again if I was alone. What did I have to fear? I was his fiance after all.

After doing my immediate work, I could no longer hold back my curiosity. I found myself searching for my father's name on Google. The first thing I found was an article about my engagement.

I frowned and went to the picture segment. The pictures showed me a tall charismatic man with a few dark spots around his overgrown stubble. It was a strange face to me, but I knew he was my father.

Although he was white and I was black like my mother, my face resembled his a lot and we had the same eyes. If I didn't lose my memories, I would be able to remember if he loved me or not.

The more I scrolled, the more I wanted to know. It had been so long since I stayed away, so I didn't know anything. Aside from my mom, the only person who knew everything about my family was Curtis.

Curtis was raised by my grandfather when he was younger. He grew up working in their household. After my father married my mother, he left to serve as a butler in my father's house.

I looked around to see if anyone was watching. I would get in trouble if Aiden found out I wasn't working. He would also ask questions I was not ready to give answers to.

The coast was clear, as Aiden was busy in a virtual meeting. His eyes occasionally search for me, so I just pretend to be busy. I quickly typed an email to Curtis, asking him to tell me the details of my father's condition.

I was really curious, but this was also a test. Since my father's accident, Curtis has been loyal to my mother. I wished he would share even a fragment of that loyalty with me now that I was an adult.

If my mother reaches out to complain, then I would know he was fully on her side, but if he sends a reply, then he would be bendable. After sending the email, I sent Aiden a small smile and went back to work.

Several hours later, I had survived test runs, bug fixes, and three virtual meetings. Mia came to deliver food at lunch and dinner times, but we were still at work.

I was beyond exhausted, but we had a deadline to meet. When I went down to the programmer's office to grab something from my desk, I could see that Toby and the rest were so tired.

It was hard to tell the time since they always kept the light turned off. Even Jessi was buried in front of her screen; not to be disturbed. We all had to avoid screens for the four to five hours of rest we were getting daily.

If I didn't have my glasses with me, I would have been in trouble. I was about to round up for the day and go assist Aiden to finish his work when my laptop beeped.

It was a new email, and I was afraid it was Harvey, with another insane demand. However, I was shocked to find that the email was a reply from Curtis.

"No way!" I gasped.