Mysteries And Mayhem ✔️

Chapter 55: ...And so do Nightmares

Stella's POV

"What are you doing here?" I stared down the man, my father.

"I live here. My daughter, I have missed you so much..."

"Correction: I am biologically your daughter. And for the last part of the sentence, if you are wondering, no, I didn't miss you. Not even the slightest bit."

"I... understand. Can we talk over a cup of coffee?"

"No. We have work to attend to." I grabbed Aurora's hand but she resisted.

"He's your father Stella. At least allow him to explain himself." She whispered to me.

I thought about it for a while before speaking up. "...Fine. Only because Aurora wants me to."

"Thank you. Let's get into my car." He motioned us to follow him as we're walked towards a sleek black convertible. Climbing inside, I sat in silence, not wanting to converse with anyone.

____________

"So Aurora, are you are a student like Stella?"

"No, sir. I just received an arts internship offer today, under Gavrilo Martin."

"Congratulations on that!"

"Thank you."

The car drove to a stop a few minutes later in front of a huge white mansion, larger than the Blackwoods' too. Kenneth opened the door to the mansion, inviting us in.

He asked us to sit on a couch in the Living Room as he went about to fetch his tea pot and cups.

"You never mentioned your dad to me."

"He was never worth mentioning."

Kenneth returned with a floral tea pot in his hands with two similar cups arranged neatly on a tray. He sat across from us on another couch.

"Earl grey?" He said before pouring each of us the fragrant liquid. I felt as if I was having a princess tea party with Satan himself.

Pouring himself a cup, he leaned back onto his seat. "Aurora, did you know that Stella's mom was an artist too? A lovely poet."

"And all thanks to you, she could not complete her graduation in that subject." I scrunched up my face in disgust.

"Stella that was not my fault..."

"Really? You should have thought about that before you slid your di--" Aurora squeezed my hand, gesturing me to stop. "...Before you impregnated her."

"I'm sorry for whatever problems you had to face over the years because of my absence."

"You don't even know what the two of us had been through. Mom worked multiple jobs to support my financially. She overworked, only to earn that extra dollar. What about you? Living in luxury I guess?"

"I have built this empire from dust. I couldn't handle the burden of a child then."

"Neither could mom. . You just... disappeared from our lives. You never visited us on holidays. You never sent us gifts. Hell, you didn't even have the time to give us a call. Was it so difficult for you?"

"I'm sorry that I was not able to be a good dad for you. I am extremely sorry." He looked at me apologetically.

I sipped onto my drink. My eyes fell on a box of expensive chocolates, with a piece of paper attached to it which read, 'Love you baby'.

"Are you seeing someone?" I said.

"Yes uh... There's this girl I have been dating for a past couple of months. Her name is Charlotte."