Chapter 165: Chapter 165

**2 Weeks later**

"S...sir should I…"Julia asked when she accidentally walked into the room Vivienne used to sleep in but stopped when she met Victor along the way. He didn't know why he came here but he couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard he tried

"Leave," Victor said coldly and Julia didn't even waste time as she retreated away Victor stood by the door for a while then rested his hand on the doorknob. A long sigh escaped his sealed lips as he pushed the door open and walked in

He turned on the lights revealing a neat well-put-together room. His Surrogate's bedroom. This was her bedroom. It had been two weeks since she left him after giving birth. He didn't blame her at the end of the day, they had a deal. She signed a contract which she honored. It was up to her to leave he had no say in her decision but she should have done what was needed of her

Victor shook the thoughts away and walked to the bed. It was the same, the room was the same and empty. Her perfume lingered in the air giving him that sense of satisfaction. He didn't know why he felt empty. Nothing made sense to him but he had no control over what happened.

He had a responsibility now and that was his daughter. She was just two weeks old and he loved her more than anything. His little girl was all he had. Everyone abandoned him, first, it was Alisa, she left without saying goodbye or giving him a proper explanation and now his Surrogate left just like that

"Didn't our relationship mean anything to you? ''Victor whispered as he ran his hand over the bed, missing those moments she troubled him. He recalled how she forcefully made him talk to the baby while she was pregnant

("Come on...it's normal I read in this book that talking to the baby is important," she said with cheers and showed him the pregnancy magazine she had been reading. Victor just sat there not sure how to refuse her. She insisted that he talked to the baby like she always did

"Ms... Payton, I don't think…"

"You are her father if you don't talk to her...she won't know your voice...come on don't be shy," she said beaming at him and grabbing his hand. She shifted a little since she was sitting in the middle of the bed surrounded by various magazines all about pregnancy and babies. While Victor sat beside her

"Okay...what shall I say?" he muttered, feeling like a child. How on Earth was she going to do this. He felt like a child but his Surrogate was so happy and smiling as she pulled him close and rested her hand on his shoulder

"It's easy just say...hey sweetie how are you...I'm your precious Papa and I love you a lot...please come out fast" she said with giggles and Victor stared at her without blinking. Her smile was so bewitching, she was carefree and never missed a day to trouble him. He didn't want to look away as she said so many things and shoved him down her belly

"Okay...umm...hey there princess it's your papa"Victor whispered as he rested his hand on Vivienne's belly gently, he felt awkward but his Surrogate wasn't planning to leave him alone. She didn't move away but kept her hands on his back coaxing him to say more. At some point, she laughed at him because she said he was too serious as if he was talking to his employees. She asked him to smile a little even if that was hard

"See...so from now on talk to her...that way she'll know her Papa's name...she knows mine so I'm sure when she's born... she'll know me and love me," she said and shifted away from him. Victor moved away from her and failed to understand how she did it. Why was she always smiling no matter what? Sometimes he got angry with her and scolded her but she never said anything or became sad)

Victor shook his head getting rid of the thoughts and opened Vivienne's closet. He didn't know why he came here or going through her things but when he spotted a pink suitcase. He walked up to it and dragged it out. He opened it and was shocked to see what he found. He carefully went to his knees as his eyes narrowed seeing the pink baby clothes in the suitcase

"What's this?" he asked when he found a note, it was folded in half hence he took it and raised it, and unfolded it. It was a letter from Vivienne. He knew her handwriting very well

"Hey, sir...if you are reading this then I must be away from you...as much as I hate this feeling I had to go...I'm so thankful for the opportunity you gave me...trust me I didn't regret the time I spent with you and your family...you showed me love and care, I appreciate that"Victor started reading what was written in the note and felt his chest tighten. He blinked a few times as he tried to keep himself from breaking down but he focused on reading what she had written

"I must be crazy but I decided to buy something for the little one...I used my savings to give her a little gift to remember me by... I'm sure you love her a lot sir I won't worry because you wanted your child so badly...forgive me if I troubled you a lot...I couldn't help it you are different from the men have met...you are like an angel...a guardian angel sent from above and I respect you very much...take care of yourself and please smile some...your daughter will love to see you smile...yours truly Vivienne, your troublemaker" he read the rest and by now his eyes were burning, he didn't feel fine as he sat there on the floor helplessly. Her voice, her smile, her laugh, her face everything about her was circling him making him miserable. He didn't want to feel this way, so empty as if part of him had been ripped off. His chest was hurting so much that he buried his face in his palms trying, by all means, to keep away the pain

"Come back please" he muttered and felt hot liquid flooding his eyes.

For goodness sake, he was crying. Victor felt like laughing, he laughed at himself because never in his life had he ever shed tears for someone who didn't matter to him but he was completely helpless. She left everything, she didn't even look back

"At the end of the day...money was what you cared about," he said as he tossed away the note and felt like screaming his lungs out. She left just like that but he didn't have to worry. It was best this way

"Sir" Julia who didn't leave but remained standing by Vivienne's bedroom door knowing her boss would need her said with a bow immediately Victor walked out the room.

"Close it and throw away the keys...don't take anything out nor should you let anyone use this room," he said and walked away heading to his daughter's room. Julia didn't argue but watched as her boss walked away and sighed heavily. Everything was horrible again. The Ellison mansion which had been lively nine months ago was now like a dead place, a deserted island that was lifeless.

****

**Three months later(New York)**

(Vivienne)

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, please...I'm new here...can you show me where the library is?"I asked, looking around the place

"Yeah down the road...you can take a taxi from here or just walk but it will take a little while" the lady replied showing me the directions I smiled and thanked her before I walked away leaving the fast-food restaurant I was having my lunch at

I glanced at my watch and it was getting late and the goofy girl I was waiting for hadn't shown up

"Where are you, Alex?"I said and quickly crossed the road to the other side so I could wait for her. It was early in the afternoon, the day was crisp and sunny. Although it was a little windy which made my hair blow around disturbing my peace I didn't mind as I stood there staring at the brochure in my hand. I looked around the busy streets. The lady I asked at the restaurant told me this was where the public library was. I would have used the one at the University but I decided to explore New York more. It was lovely both during the day and at night. Since I came I have been busy with school processes. I had to write my final exams and luckily the results came out fast. It wasn't easy but I did well and managed to apply to a prestigious business school

"Excuse me, can you not show off?" While admiring my surroundings I heard a high-pitched female voice mockingly when I turned around. I frowned seeing the girl standing there in a pink short jumpsuit with cute white sneakers. Her black hair was falling to her shoulders in waves and she was carrying a small purse and some books

"Really...what happened to ditching me and going on a date?"I said sarcastically and flipped my hair back.

"Well it went wrong, turns out you were right...never trust these Uni boys…so stupid," Alexis said rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest, I laughed at her knowing she was too hyped up earlier about the date she was going to

Alexis was my roommate and the first friend I made here when I came. To be honest it felt like forever knowing her. She was kind and carefree despite being the vice Chancellor's daughter. I didn't know this but I came to know when she invited me for dinner at her place

"So Ms. Payton...shall we...I think we should answer our assignment at the library...I can't afford to fail" she said when we walked down the road. She was right, after spending a month or two as first-year students. We couldn't afford to miss classes or neglect assignments given by our lecturers

"Hey tell me...how come you didn't say anything about your family...are you dating huh... someone as pretty as you can't stay single?" she asked mischievously, elbowing me and I just smiled. Of course, she had asked about me so many times but I felt it was too early to tell her anything about myself or where I came from.

"That's not needed"I told her straight and she pouted which had me smiling. she was so cute

"Come on just tell me...we are friends right and as your best friend we need to share things... especially boy stuff"she said mischievously and I was helpless. she was too much and never stopped asking questions

To be honest, the way she called me Ms. Payton reminded me of someone I wanted so badly to forget, three months away from him felt like a life time. I wanted to know what he was up to. Was he happy having his little princess with him did he miss me like I did. here I only wanted to focus on my studies.

it wasn't easy but I had to do this. it was just for four years when my program would end but before that I had to do intern in three years time

"Later," I said after some time and ran past her and I heard her complain as she took to her heels. Both of us were the same age which made it easy for me to talk to her.