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That’s my baby’s name. The baby I couldn’t name when I thought I lost her twenty years ago.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought she’d grow into such a beautiful, impossibly compassionate, and irrevocably headstrong young lady.
Her long white dress skims the grass and her auburn hair, a shade darker than mine, is pulled into a neat twist. Her makeup is simple, but her smile is contagious, turning her face the most radiant I’ve ever witnessed.
To see her as a bride squeezes the heart I thought died with her twenty years ago.
The heart that’s been gradually reviving ever since I learned she’s alive and mine.
I first met Gwyneth seven years ago when I started at Weaver & Shaw. She clung to her father’s side like a shadow and looked up at him with the same wonder children hold for their superheroes.
The fact that I never suspected she was my daughter has been killing me slowly. What’s worse is that I associated her with her devil of a father and, therefore, kept as much distance from her as possible.
As a result, we already had a strained relationship. We still do.
She barely let me help with the wedding preparations.
The reason that I was able to help at all is the man escorting her down the aisle with a smile that could blind the photographers’ lenses and start an unintentional riot among the single ladies.
His name is Kingsley Shaw.
The co-owner of Weaver & Shaw. With Nate married, he’s now the most eligible bachelor in the States. The heir of the notorious Benjamin Shaw’s countless billion-dollar Wall Street portfolios. And most importantly, a devil who’s campaigning for Lucifer’s position in hell.
He has the type of beauty that matches his reputation. Savage, cold, with a discreet touch of danger.
There’s a mysterious way in which his strong jaw, straight nose, and slightly narrowed eyes harmonize, as if they’re an epic symphony brought together by a masterful composer. Each feature on his face is godlike in its perfection. He has a large physique, muscular and tall, which makes him look like a model in suits. Too bad the owner chose the devil’s fruit, route, and throne as his asylum.
He walks our daughter—whom he considers only his—down the aisle, snatching everyone’s attention on the way.
This is Gwyneth’s big day, but people are more mesmerized by her father, who can’t just keep a low profile. But then again, he’s always attracted everyone’s eyes, ears, and total existence like a powerful magnet.
He stops in front of Nate, who’s been spellbound the entire time Gwen has been walking toward him. Kingsley kisses her forehead, then leans forward and whispers something in his friend’s ear—most likely a threat, because he was against this whole thing not too long ago.
Then both he and Nate share a fake smile before he steps to his side to play the role of best man.
I dig my nails into my palms for the duration of the ceremony, barely holding on to reality by a thread.
If only I could have a drink or something to calm my nerves—obviously the one I had in the car before I walked in here wasn’t enough.
By the time Nate kisses Gwen, my state of mind is about to break on the ground like fragile china.
People rise, clapping and throwing out congratulations to the happy couple. I try to join, but my shaking legs fail me.
I massage them once, twice, then suck in a deep breath and stand up right when they reach my row.
Since I’m in the back corner, I don’t expect Gwen to see me, but she does. My daughter pauses for a second, and her unique heterochromia eyes, which are a mixture of my hazel irises and her father’s blue-gray ones, fill with tears.
My lips tremble and it takes everything in me to smile instead of running to her and holding her in my arms.
Once. Just once.
That’s all I pray for and I’m not even the praying type.
Actually acting on my wish would be awkward, embarrassing, and would definitely attract unwanted attention.
She offers me a small, demure smile before Nate whisks her away to the reception area that’s set up around the back pool. Because, of course, this place has two pools.
Everyone follows suit, some youngsters dancing to the music and having fun.
