Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Edward's heart was devastated when he stared at Vanilla's eyes. His feelings were crucial to deal with her. He saw fear and concern in its face while hugging the child tightly. Too much sorrow can be seen in her eyes.

Is there a problem? That's the first to be in his mind. He tried to open his mouth to ask the girl but he couldn't; thus he just stayed blank. Why does his tongue get frozen when he's in front of his beloved? This could be the only chance for him to ask for forgiveness and tell the reason why he abandoned her. Edward swallowed hard. He sighed and built up strength before he began to speak.

"V-Vanilla..." She cuts him off when he is about to say a word.

"Thank you, sir. Thank you for giving back Ark to me." She cried in a sailing voice before she turned her back on him that made Edward surprised. She doesn't remember him and just ignored him.

Is she really so angry with him that she had forgotten him?

Edward's knee was weakened, his fists clenched and tears dripped from his eyes. His heart is furious. Yes, he's mad and furious at himself. If he couldn't have been selfish back then, they wouldn't be in this situation. If only then he won't be treated by her just like a big bubble.

"Vanilla..." He called her again but it didn't stop walking until it was gone from his sight. "Vanilla, please wait." he burst out in tears.

Is this the payment for all his sins to the woman, to ignore him like he abandoned her before?

Vanilla is really something else for him. This is the first woman he loved, and it was also the first woman who made him cry.

Edward was all day off during his office. The thick line of the papers was all over his desk but he already drank two bottles of wine. He also called his friend Mars to be able to relieve the weight of his emotion, but his secretary informed him that it was on a business trip to Cebu - so he was now drinking alone. His alcohol tolerance is high so he's not easy to die.

Edward caressed the picture of Vanilla in his drawer wherein he was the one who captured it in the business convention back then while the girl was in a deep sleep. This is what he always widespread in his wallet anywhere he goes so he will never forget that one night in his life. He casted a glance on every corner of the photograph and was overwhelmed by the girl's face.

He was going crazy over Vanilla. It's amazing to think that for years, it still continuously overthrows his heart. He put the wine in the glass again. If he'd imagine, he won't be like this. Thus, he sees himself inside the bar. But look at him right now; he's in the office, just to forget Vanilla. Such things as he can do in the bar with women, but he never did. His hand looked at the thick notebook on the side. The piping paper is scattered on the floor. He noticed the unsettled letter between the thick pages so he was distorted to get it. Vanilla's address was that he searched three years ago. He hit the cellphone and tried to call the number written in the black ball pen. But as he used to be disappointed, he couldn't give up. He knows he can find and see Vanilla and his son. He wants a lot to say to her, he wants to ask questions. It includes who is the father of the child who has been with him. His great suspicion is he's the young boy's father.

"What? You met Edward!?" Her friend, Peppermint, screamed on the other line.

"Yes, he found Ark when it was lost."

"So what happened, what did you do?" There's a little bit of excitement in her friend's voice.

"As planned, I pretended that I didn't know him." Vanilla answered in monotone.

"You did that? Didn't he wonder? What was the reaction he had?" Peppermint stirred an excitement in her voice; it was obviously amusement of what she heard.

"As far as I can see in his eyes, he was surprised by what I did, but other than that I had not seen it. Yes, he called me but I never responded and I just walked straight."

"Omg, the crown is all yours, Vanilla! You won for your great acting of pretending. You're able to talk to Edward bluntly without a hint of any feelings. But the question is, didn't you feel something when you saw Edward?" Vanilla coughed in what she heard from her friend.

Where did that question come from?

"Yes, of course, I haven't felt anything. I'm sure of it. It was already three years ago and I had moved on. One thing is I have a son now."

"Yes, you have a son, you and Edward's son." Her tongue was stiffed by Peppermint. She seemed to be pressed; she forgot her son's father was Edward. "The time will come that Edward will know who the father of your son is and your world will be a mess. And when that moment comes, Ark won't be the only one who will be confused and hurt as well as you who until now couldn't admit that Edward is still in your heart."

Vanilla was stunned. Her friend was right. But she won't allow it to happen. As much as she can prevent the man from going back to her life in particular in her heart. She doesn't want to get hurt again and more is her son.

"And do you think I'll let that happen, Peppermint? For three years I've done enough. I cover myself for it to never hurt and as for my son. I will never let him close to his jerk father." Vanilla's courageous answer to her friend.

"You sounded so sure, but just a little reminder, remember that you can't teach the heart to love. Like what I've read in your novels, the heart is what we follow when it comes to love and not the brain."

"Whatever, Peppermint. You always have a say when it comes to love."

"Of course, I'm a fan of Galvez Books."

"Can we talk about something other than that? I don't want to hear the name of that guy." Vanilla's suggestion to her friend who continues to tease her.

"Okay fine, it looks like you kept too much anger on you for him. What about a visit at your house later so I can see my godchild?"

"It's up to you, Ark will surely be happy when he sees you."

"All right, I'll hang up now. See you tonight."

"I'll see to it. Bye." Then it ended the call.

Vanilla returned her attention to signing the last tower of the papers that were a mess in her desk. She must finish them before she returns home for the time to focus on her child. She avoids being bored inside her office. She listens to music and comforts herself in writing a novel on the computer. She was in the middle of sipping her coffee when the door suddenly opened. Her secretary Harley was overwhelmed by its peak face.

"Yes, Harley? Do we have a problem?" She asked him and took the wearing reading glasses.

"Someone is looking for you, ma'am." it replied.

"And you can tell me who?" She sipped her coffee before glancing at the secretary again. As far as she remembers, she has no scheduled appointments today. She has always delivered all the transactions to day off. Even if a publication calls her to schedule an interview, she will strongly refuse.

"Harley, tell me who it is."

"It was Edward, ma'am. Edward is looking for you."

Vanilla was stiffed when she heard that name again. She dropped the pen she was holding and her face turned sour. It was the name that she least expected to hear.

"All right, Harley. I will spare my precious presence. Let him wait at the lounge." her tone became serious.

The secretary came out first. After adjusting herself, she followed it as well. She immediately saw the man in front sitting along the green sofa of the visitors’ area. He stood up when he saw her approaching. Vanilla prepared herself.

"Yes, may I help you?" Vanilla didn't notice that there was a streak of anger in her tone. She wants to be light-hearted here in any way.

"Don't you really remember me, Vanilla?"

"I'm sorry I don't remember you anymore, did we meet before?" She said sarcastically.

"Vanilla please, I know you know me, so please don't treat me like this." Vanilla briefly took pity on what he said. But she overcame it immediately and planted a terrified look.

"Did it hurt you? Didn't you do this to me before? You ignored me, humiliated and insulted me, what's worse is you drove me away like a criminal. So I'm just giving you back what you did to me before."

"But it's been a long time Vanilla, it's been a while. It's been three years since then. Three years ago."

"But those three years are still here!" Vanilla pointed tightly to her chest at the same time as tears flowed into her eyes. "Have you ever wondered how much it hurt me when you left me alone!? Three years, Edward. I know it's been three years, but those three years are hard to forget. You hurt me so much, you made me a fool and now you say it's been a long time?"

"Because that's the truth, Vanilla. Let's forget everything. So I'm here to apologize to you." It grabs her arms but she violently pulls it back.

“Do you think that it was so easy, Edward? There wasn't a day that I didn't cry because of you. There wasn't a day that I didn't regret that I met a bastard like you. Yes, that night I became fragile and I immediately trusted you because I loved you. But other than that, you are the one who destroyed that trust.” The arrow seemed to pierce Edward's feelings at the girl's attitude towards him.

"Vanilla, please just listen to me."

"I don't want to anymore, Edward. I don't want to listen to your reasons anymore. I consider you a stranger in my life, since you and your son abandoned us. So forget about me and our relationship before, like me, I would rather think that nothing happened between us." The maiden's voice was full of passion.

"But I can't forget you, Vanilla. Because from the beginning you're the one engraved in my heart. You're the one my crazy feelings are shouting." Tears dripped from the young man's eyes but Vanilla didn't budge. She's no longer the same as before who immediately believes the man's sweet words.

"Do you think I will believe you? Do you still remember what you did to me then? You told me I was just after your money. You even offered to pay me. And now you tell me that you love me? All right, tell me. What is the true meaning of love to you, huh? You're aggravating me, Edward. I'm happy with my life and I hope you are too." Vanilla's heart was broken by that statement. Even though she's already happy, she still secretly wanted the man to love her too. Not being with him was a great emptiness to her.

"Vanilla just this once, listen to me. I will tell you everything, I will admit to you why I did that."

She wants to be a flower in the tenderness of her heart. She couldn't bear to see the man hurt, but she was angry with him so that was what she was going to do.

"What else for, Edward? So that you can fool me again? So that you can get me into your trap again and when that happens you will leave me again?" Vanilla's hoarse response.

"I want you to hear me out so you would know the reason why I abandoned you. Is that hard to understand?"

"Yes, it's hard, Edward! Because since you left, I've had a hard time trusting again. I'm afraid I'll get hurt again because I'm already sick of the pain I suffered from you. I don't want to experience that again." Vanilla's two hands clasped. She wiped the tears from her eyes and bravely stared at the crying young man. "You know, Edward? You would have been one of the tallest stars I've ever met, but with your stature, you can still be trampled on by anyone. Because you don't know how to love so I hope this will be our last meeting." Vanilla hurriedly walked down the hallway back to the cubicle. She had cried all the resentment towards the man before. All the anger left was parched in her emotions. Ever since the man dumped her, she has also buried it in oblivion...

What happened to Edward was tragic.  How could he convince Vanilla to listen to him if she was so angry with him? She thinks he is a big weed in her life.

He carpeted the office wall and pulled out his own hair. He really did a lot of wrong to the girl, so he would need more strength not to give up until he regained his composure. He will do everything he can to beg for her forgiveness and in that case he won't release her into his arms.

In the midst of his unbearable grief, the boy with Vanilla came to his mind when he saw it in the park. He covered himself and looked back where he witnessed her pregnancy which he had driven away. Doubt arose in his brain. He hurriedly searched and dialed Timothy's number. This is the only one who knows best about Vanilla besides its friend Peppermint. Even though their communication with Vanilla's cousin had been vague for three years, he still chose to contact him. He knew his friend would not tolerate him.

“Hello, Timothy bro."  The young man was eager to answer that on the other line. "I know you’re still upset with me because of what I did to your cousin. So I am here now to ask you for help so that Vanilla can forgive me. Have mercy on me, bro." The friend just listened to him quietly. "Is the child of Vanilla I was with is mine? Am I the father of that child?" Edward was nervous as he waited for his friend's answer. His hands were shaking and it seemed to shake his whole nerve, making him restless in his seat. He had a strong feeling that the child was his child, if his suspicion was true, he would need to be closer to the girl.

Vanilla's reddening eyes reflected. She also paddled with her own tears for three hours before stopping herself from crying again. She saw her friend's red Ferrari parked in front of their house, when it parked its own car, she headed for her. She found her friend Peppermint in the living room talking to her mother while the child was by her side. Ark noticed her presence so he gently ran and hugged her. She kissed its head.

"Are you a good boy to Grandma?" She asked softly on Ark's innocent face.

"Yes, Mommy." its soft nod in agreement. She picked up the child and went straight to the center table.

"Did you come home early today, honey?"

"Yes, Mom. I canceled my appointments today. Peppermint invited me to come home." She pointed to her friend.

“I just want to see Ark." The lady took the grandson in Vanilla's arms so she could take off the suit she was wearing.

"Is that early? I thought you would still be OT in your office." Her friend sighed as she sat down.

"I'm still finishing something." She sparingly answered and picked up the serving drink on the table.

"Here I have cupcakes, try it quickly." it splits into a box in front. That chocolate cupcake with Vanilla icing on top. She took one and returned it to the closure.

"I heard what happened, honey. Did you meet Edward?" Her mother sounded so diligent. This is really her friend Peppermint; the speed to withdraw news even Umagang kay Ganda even beat her on her radar.

"Yes, Mom.”

"And he's the one who found Ark?" The girl nodded, she wasn’t on her own holding a glass of cold ice tea. "Didn't he suspect or even ask about Ark, who his father was?" Vanilla bowed to herself. She almost forgot she had to hide the child here.

"Not really, Mom." She answered calmly.

"Thank goodness then, I thought he already knew. This should be kept secret, honey." Vanilla didn’t say a word in her mother's statement.

"But, Auntie... Wouldn't it be better for us to let Edward know that Ark is his son? For Ark to meet his own father. In total, everyone will also go there; Edward will also know that Ark is his son." The two fell silent. Vanilla reflected on her friend's statement. It seems that there is a point because of what it said. But she doesn't want to have a connection with Edward anymore. She didn’t want to hurt him and her own child would still be affected by their quarrel with the man. The child will only be traumatized.

Their conversation would have been peaceful when the maid suddenly arrived at their opening. It was sweating and seemed confused.

"Ma’am Vanilla, hurry up outside, someone is bugging at our gate." suddenly a breathless maid appeared in front of them. They seemed to be freed from the prison as they hurried to the gate.  The guest opened up to them and both rolled their eyes. That was Edward.

"Vanilla, talk to me please..."  Edward pleaded with her, almost plowing himself to kneel in front.

The lady held out her hand to stop her from approaching him. But the eyes that she shot with a mysterious look to her mother spoke that it would be okay and she could do it herself. She slowly walked closer to it and stopped for a few distances.

"Vanilla, aren't you telling me something?"

"Like what?" She answered antipathetic here.

"I know you know what I mean, Vanilla. Are you lying to me?"  its statement in the baritone voice.

"And you still have the urge to criticize me for lying? We both know that you are the liar, you are the one who is not telling the truth and I am not."  She teased in a raging melody.

"I won't be wandering around anymore, Vanilla. You have no intention of admitting to me so I'll just ask. Is your child that I was with in the park that day mine?" Vanilla was blindfolded at what she heard, she gasped and couldn’t speak. Her tongue twitched and she quickly averted her gaze from Edward.

"N-No, Ark is not your son. H-He is my son from another man."

"Don't fool me, Vanilla. You were pregnant during those times and you told me I was the father."

“Uh… That's because I was just shocked by those times. Didn't you just say that I'm just a worthless woman looking for your money? You said I've slept a lot with many. Yes, that's true, there are many men I slept with. My son Ark’s father was a bartender at the bar where I was drunk, I admit that. But he’s not your son Edward.”

"Stop lying, damn it!” Vanilla missed Edward's tone to her. This is the second time the man has shouted at her besides what happened to them three years ago. "Vanilla, please tell me. Is Ark my son?"

Vanilla remained silent. She lowered her eyes as someone rubbed her thigh, she saw the innocent Ark indiscriminately staring at Edward.

"Baby, what are you doing here?” She caressed his soft hair and hugged his leg.

"Tell me, Vanilla. Is he my son?” Edward's voice was husky. It looked back and forth between the two of them. He saw how the child hid behind it. Vanilla's eyes were molded in her eyes, and the saint seemed to carve her resemblance to hers.

"Yes, Ark is your son." At the same time those words came out of her mouth was the flow of Vanilla's tears.

The young man's knees weakened at the revelation. His child is the child he met in the park. That's why he felt the leap of blood watching this; his blood and flesh were lying on it.

"Vanilla, can I touch him?” He said in a miserable voice.

Vanilla wondered if she should trust Edward again. It has hurt her feelings before, so he can do it again. But every time she thinks about her child's condition, she also feels sorry for him. If he still denies this opportunity, Ark will be a man who is full of hatred for its father and he doesn’t want that to happen. Ark wasn’t involved in her anger at the man still needing the presence of a father. In fact, she also hid it for a long time while they remained in America. So will she still hate to give the child this opportunity to be with Edward?

"Son, go ahead and approach him." She made a gentle promise in her decision. The boy hurriedly walked over to Edward, and when he touched the three-year-old son, he tied him in his arms. Now that he knows his son Ark, he’s even more determined to take Vanilla and him again.  He knew he had a long process to go.  But for the child and for the re-emergence of his bereaved feelings, he will do everything. Just to be happy with the woman he loves and the first woman who realized he was happy to have a family of his own.