From the back, he gradually faced me. He removed his hat so I could see his full face. There was surprise on my face when I recognized him.
"Ruiz?" I can't believe that he was in front of me right now. "What are you doing here? How did you know my place?"
"I will help you to move out here, my car is in the parking lot." He showed me the scattered news he saw, that's why he was here. "You are not safe here, so let's go straight to the back. Then we'll get your stuff if the situation is already okay."
He was about to pull me again where we could leave quickly but I removed his hand which made him stop.
"I need to go back, I can't leave without it." I said.
"Maureen, you can get that later. All of your things, I promise." He tried to take my hand but I shook my head.
You didn't understand.
"I don't want to get out of here safe…
.. without my daughter beside me." I muttered.
"Daughter?" He even chuckled at first but when he noticed that I wasn't lying he stopped. "You already have a daughter?"
I nodded without hesitation. "You can follow if you still want to help me, right now, I have no choice."
I walked faster and went in on the elevator and clicked the floor where our room is, it was about to close when he entered. I thought he would not follow me anymore after what revelation I did. I didn't hear a word from him, instead he just followed every step I did. We entered our place without knocking anymore, it was a waste of time.
"R-Ruiz?" Trina was so shocked to see him. "What are you doing here?"
Trina knows him. Ruiz and I were already in a relationship when Trina was still in the Philippines, that's why they knew each other.
"Hi." Ruiz gave her a short response.
I just let them talk and immediately looked for Avriell. She wasn't in the room so I went to the kitchen and I was right because she was already sitting and eating. She obviously just woken up.
"Mommy!" She smiled. "Let's eat!"
I knelt down a little to match her height. "Later baby, now we need to get out of here. Okay?"
"Why?" She looked at me confused but she still managed to get one piece of her favorite nuggets. "I am eating mommy."
"I will explain to you later but for now just follow mommy, okay? Let's go." I took a few pieces of nuggets and gave it to her before lifting her up.
I went straight to the room and got a scarf to cover her. To secure her, maybe someone will notice later. Better to be prepared.
"It's hot mommy," she didn't stop me but it was obvious from her expression that she was uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry but be patient first, don't worry mommy will remove it later, I promise." I picked her up again when I almost covered her whole, only her eyes were able to see.
It was good because Avriell didn't ask anymore because she was busy eating inside. When I faced Ruiz, his eyes were on Avriell. He just looked at me when I spoke to get his attention.
"Let's go?" I asked him.
"She is so pretty." He smiled with bear eyes and nodded.
He went out first because I was waiting for Trina but when I looked at her, Instead of being at my back she was wearing some of my clothes. What is she doing?
"Hey! What are you doing? Let's go, Trina." I don't want to leave her here.
She approached me while adjusting the belt she was putting on. She shook her head at me.
"Ruiz told me that there is also a media in the parking lot and that is why I will mislead them, I will try to get all of their attention." She postured herself on me. "I look like a model too. I have the same height as you. I can walk like you. So go ahead, Ruiz already gave the address where I will go, I will follow, promise."
She will always be the best!
"Thank you Trina, for always being there for us." I hold her right hand.
She held my hand back and nodded before gesturing me to go. I didn't waste time and went out immediately. I was behind Ruiz while walking slowly but surely. He's holding my left hand while walking. That's why I can't help feeling shy every time he turns around to see if we're okay. I am not comfortable.
I felt that Avriell rested her head on my shoulder and was still eating. I was hearing how she chewed the food. She is so innocent. I covered her face completely to cover her eyes because we were close at the parking lot. I don't want her to see the media, she will probably be scared if ever.
I bumped into Ruiz's back when he stopped without telling me. I looked where he was looking and I froze like him when I saw two men in front of us with disguised clothes looking at us. I know Ruiz was scared because he started to hold my hand hard.
"Who are you?" Ruiz asked the two men.
I recognize the other men. Why now? At this time, really? When they both totally took off their mask and hat, I can't recognize who the other one but the father of Avriell looked at Ruiz's hands that were holding mine.
"Take your hand out of her." It has an emphatic command. "I'll get them out of here, not you."
"You can't tell me what to do, who are you? And don't you know me?" Ruiz looked at it angrily.
"I have no time to get to know you and to answer your question, who am I to them? Just looked at the child she was holding, she was the only one we did." His eyes were looking so serious at Ruiz but there was a smile on his lips before he pulled my other hand where I was using to hold Avriell.
"You will come with me." Authority he added.
"Hmm…. " I heard a whisper from my daughter inside the scarf.
"I do not want to." I tried to remove his grip but he was stronger, mostly because I was holding Avriell so I couldn't get any force.
"And who are you going with, him?" He pointed to Ruiz. "Did you know that his sister hinted to the media that's why you were led here."
I'm stunned! Gezel! Is this the reason why he told me to be careful last night?
"That wasn't true!" Ruiz tried to defend his sister to me. "How dare you accuse my sister?!"
Avriell's dad didn't talk instead he gestured to the one with him to show the fact. And it was true, it was really Gezel. A picture of Ruiz's sister while talking to the media, I recognized the reporter in a hundred percent, Gezel was talking to him and it was the one of the reporters outside. Another was shown with it just a few minutes before this social media post. Gezel was full of wounds on his shoulder and face and I was the one to blame. I don't know but it is so unrealistic, I know it's only makeup not real wound. I looked at Ruiz.
"He can't do that." Ruiz, trembling. "And about the picture…."
He can't continue to defend his sister. As always Ruiz.
"The proof is already in front of you, but I already expect it. You are still the same, you were still at the back of your sister even in her wrong doings." I looked at her disappointed before getting my hand to him.
"Maureen, she was my sister..." he tried to reach my hand.
"Go home, you may have missed to listen to your sister's lie." I shrugged and looked at Avriell's dad.
"Let's go but you don't need to hold my hand." I uttered.
He smiled and did what I said. He let go of my hand and stepped aside and so I could walk first but before I did it I looked at Ruiz.
"Still, thank you, for your concern." I walked first while Avriell's dad and someone with him were behind me.
"Mommy? What is happening? Is someone fighting with you? I will kick them!" Avriell asked inside of the scarf, she was also starting to move, that's why she was obviously getting hot and uncomfortable.
"Soon, you can take off the scarf later. Wait patiently Avriell..." I whispered while walking as fast as I could, I want to go out here immediately.
I only stopped when Avriell's dad stopped me and ordered his companion to see if we could get out safely. He gestured to me that I could walk and it was safe to go out already because the media who were waiting here earlier moved to the front. What Trina did worked. That's why we quickly got into his car and drove away.
We're in the car and it's obviously safe, but I don't want to remove the scarf covering Avriell.
"Don't make your pride make her feel hot for an hour." Avriell's dad looking at me in the front mirror.
My daughter and I were sitting in the back seat.
"You can say that because you're not in my situation, so shut up. It doesn't mean I came and chose you, you have the right to say that to me." I uttered in madness.
"Mommy? Who are you talking to?" Avriel's confused voice.
"She already knows me, that can't be changed." He responded before looking at us here in the back seat. "Avriel..."
I looked at him evilly but he didn't care at all.
"Avriell, it was daddy." He said.
I looked at my daughter with fear.
"Daddy?" She stopped from making a move before she removed the scarf of her own.
The first expression on her face after she removed the scarf from her face was a shocked expression looking for her father, she immediately looked around. Until she looks at me before she finally looks at her dad. The shock was replaced by joy. This is the smile I've never seen before. I feel guilty at this moment, I feel bad for refraining her to feel that moment of her life .
"Is this your surprise, mommy? You covered me for your surprise!" I don't know how to respond to it and so I just responded to her with a weird smile.
Her stares turned to her father.
"You did your promise! You came back!" She was so excited to come closer to him and I didn't have the privilege to stop it anymore.
He carried Avriell onto his lap. Avriell looked at me, she looked like she wanted to apologize when she remembered that she didn't tell me about the fact that they met.
"Mommy...." she was playing with her little fingers looking at me.
I smiled. "I already know, it's okay."
I don't want her to feel guilty in the situation that it's not her fault at all.
"You already know him, mommy?" She asked before looking at her father. "You already met? Does that mean everything was okay now? I can be your daughter and you can be father to me forever?"
He nodded and that was a lie. When I said that we are okay?!
"Yeah but she doesn't know me yet, can you introduce me to her." He asked my daughter.
She quickly nodded and looked at me again.
"Mommy.. " She waved her little hand to get my full attention.
"Zai Clyden Fernandez." Avriell announced with a big smile. "My daddy, mommy."