Chapter 2: Illegitimate Child
1222 Words
Elijah’s brows furrowed in confusion, staring at the female child in front of him. “Daddy?”
“Yes!” the child replied, her voice laced with enthusiasm. “When did you come back, Daddy?”
“I think you’re mistaken, kid,” Elijah said, his tone low and gentle. “But what are you doing in an airport alone?
“My mommy is buying some food, and you, Daddy, are in front of me!” She giggled.
Elijah recognized the child’s features, but he didn’t know who the child was.
“You have a kid?” Harold asked Elijah with a frown.
“No…” Elijah shook his head, looking at the four-year-old kid.
He was in the military for all those years, so he thought it was impossible.
“Why are you denying it, Daddy? Are you embarrassed that I’m your daughter?” the child asked, tears streaming down her face.
However, Elijah didn’t want to lie. For him, it would be easier for the child to accept the harsh truth than make her believe a lie.
“Let’s take her to the airport security office before we go,” Elijah commanded Harold, who nodded.
The child didn’t have a choice but to go with them.
As soon as they reached the airport security office, Elijah kneeled so he could be on the same level as the child.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Athena…” the child replied.
“Athena… you shouldn’t do this to other men out there, okay?” Elijah warned gently. “Not all men out there are kind. Some people might take advantage of you, so you should not go far from your parents.”
“But you’re really my daddy… I saw you in the pictures.” Athena pouted.
Elijah frowned. He was about to ask when Harold interrupted his thoughts.
“I’m sorry, young master. But your time is limited for today. You still need to go to the company after this.”
“Alright.” Elijah nodded and turned to one of the security guards. “Take care of her for me.”
“Yes, Sir.” The guard nodded.
With that, Elijah and Harold left the airport.
On the other hand, Hermione was running in panic toward the airport security office upon hearing that someone with the same name as her daughter was there.
Fortunately, it was her child, and she had been circling the airport to find her since earlier.
“Athena!” she called, her voice laced with relief.
“Mommy!” Athena called back, running toward her mother, and hugging her.
“Where have you been? I told you to stay where you are, right? Do you know how terrified I was when I didn’t see you at the bench?” Hermione said in a gentle yet worried tone because Athena had been crying.
“I’m sorry, Mommy… It’s because I saw Daddy,” Athena said, her tone low. “But Daddy didn’t want me!”
Hermione’s brows furrowed, the confusion evident on her face. ‘Is she talking about Elijah? But it’s impossible. Elijah already left us five years ago.’
She could still remember what happened back then. Penny told her that Elijah demanded five hundred thousand dollars in exchange for leaving her.
But that wasn’t a reason for her to abort the child inside her womb. So, despite her parents’ opposition to giving birth, she pushed through it.
In exchange, Hermione lost the management rights of the Herm group, the company she founded herself, and she was almost kicked out of the Elsher family.
“You may be mistaken. Your father isn’t here anymore,” Hermione said in a sad tone, shaking her head. “Let’s just go, okay? I’ll buy you your favorite doll.”
Athena was about to argue, but upon seeing Hermione’s serious expression, she nodded. “Okay, mommy…”
Meanwhile, Elijah was already at the airport entrance with Harold, when suddenly, someone approached him.
“Young master,” a man greeted and bowed in front of Elijah. “I’m William, the Montgomery family’s butler. Master Killian instructed me to pick you up and take you to the mansion.”
Hearing those words, Elijah scoffed. “What for?”
“Master Killian says he wanted to meet you and hear all the things you did in the military for the past years,” William answered.
“After all the things that happened, is he just interested in me now?” Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow.
Elijah couldn’t help but remember the time when his mother was severely ill. He begged the Montgomery family for help, but instead of help, he received harsh words and criticism.
“You’re not a part of our family, so don’t you dare come here again. Do you understand?!” Celestine, Killian’s legal wife, thundered, her voice echoing in the area. “Now, get out of here, you bastard!”
As if the harsh words weren’t enough, Celestine beat him up with a stick, kicking him away.
‘Now that I have become the commander-in-chief, you want me to go back? How ridiculous,’ Elijah thought, shaking his head.
He looked at William afterward, his gaze low and intimidating. “I won’t come with you, so leave.”
“But young master, we should also take care of the process of handing over the Zenith Group to you,” William told him.
Elijah gritted his teeth as the anger consumed his body. “Hand over? You’re using the wrong word. The Zenith Group was forcefully taken by the Montgomery family. So, you should tell me that it is being returned to its real owner, right?”
William only bowed in response, making Elijah shake his head and leave.
As soon as Elijah was out of sight, William called Tyler, one of the rich and influential men in Bee City.
“Hello, William?” Tyler said on the other line.
“Young Master Elijah Montgomery returned to Bee City. If there is something he needs help with, the Montgomery family permits you to help him.”
“I understand,” Tyler replied. “Don’t worry. I will do my very best to be of service.”
Meanwhile, Harold called a taxi to take them to the Elsher mansion.
While on the way home, Elijah recalled another memory five years ago. It was when he borrowed five hundred thousand dollars for his mother’s operation.
Strangely, Dave gave him the money without hesitation, so Elijah rushed to the hospital to save his mother. But it was too late.
His mother had already passed away, and Hermione wasn’t in the Elsher mansion anymore when he came back.
With that, Elijah knew that he couldn’t live a frugal life forever, so he joined the military to step up in his life. Aside from his mother, Hermione was his inspiration.
Elijah wanted to be a better person for her.
“We’re here, Sir,” the driver spoke as they arrived at the Elsher mansion, snapping Elijah from his thoughts.
Elijah stepped out of the taxi, and Harold followed him. He placed his fingerprint on the scanner, and the gate opened.
He had a nervous smile as he approached the entrance, but upon hearing the familiar voices inside talking about him, Elijah’s blood ran cold.
- Writer
