My Ex-wife, My Destination

Luke’s P. O. V.

“Luke, I can’t sleep.” I open my eyes as I hear Daisy’s voice. I lie beside Hope, with Daisy on the other side of her. “What occurred today is stuck in my mind.”

“It’s okay.” I reach my hand over Hope and give a gentle squeeze to Daisy’s hand, keeping my eyes fixed on her. “Relax.”

“I can’t relax. It’s driving me crazy.” She gives me a dejected look.

I climb down the bed and come over to her side. “Come with me,” I say, clasping her hand.

“Where?” She looks at me, confused.

“Just come.”

She takes off her comforter and rises from the bed. I properly tuck Hope into the blanket and then lead Daisy to the balcony.

As we step onto the balcony, the night breeze touches our faces and flutters her hair.

“Let’s take a walk. I’m sure it’ll relax you a bit.” I tuck her hair locks behind her ears, and she nods in response.

As we walk hand in hand, I ask, breaking the silence to distract her mind. “I want to know some precious moments of Hope and you.”

Which I missed because of my stupidity. I want to know everything about Hope. What was the first word she spoke? When did she take her first step?

She takes a deep breath, and her eyes sparkle in the moonlight as she begins talking about Hope.

“There are so many precious moments, Luke. She’s such a bright light in my life.” Daisy smiles at me. “Hope’s first word was ‘mama.’ I remember the day so clearly. She was babbling, and I was sitting with her in the living room. She looked straight at me, her eyes wide with curiosity, and then she said it. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.”

I can hear the tenderness in her voice and the way she cherishes that memory. It hits me hard as I realise I missed out on that moment, and so many others, because of my mistakes.

But I’m glad that I succeeded in distracting her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

We settle down on the swing, and I stare at her curiosity as I ask her, “And when did she take her first steps?”

She stares straight ahead with a smile on her face, as if she is recalling that day. Then she shifts her gaze towards me and tells me, “Her first step was another big milestone. She was just eleven months old, and she wobbled a bit before finding her balance. She was so proud of herself, clapping her little hands and giggling. It was the cutest thing.”

A smile spreads across my face as I imagine Hope’s tiny feet taking those first steps, her face lighting up with joy. I ache for the time lost, for not being there to witness these milestones.

“What about her favourite things to do?” I ask, trying to soak up every detail of her life.

“She loves painting,” Daisy replies, yawning. “She could spend hours with her colours. And you already know how much our daughter likes to chatter. She can talk twenty-four hours.” She lets out another yawn and rests her head on my shoulder. “And I can talk about Hope all day. She has given me another life…” and she finally dozes off.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t with you to share those precious moments.” I lean in and kiss her forehead. “But I promise, now I’ll stay with you both till my last breath.”

As I hold her close, wrapping my arm around her, I feel her gentle breath against my shoulder. Her warmth and the soft scent of her hair bring me immense peace.

After a while, I shift slightly, careful not to disturb Daisy’s sleep. I lift her into my arms and carry her back inside. She stirs slightly but doesn’t wake.

I lay her gently on the bed beside Hope and pull the blanket over them. I watch them with a smile on my face. This is my family, and I will do everything in my power to keep them safe and happy.

***

Daisy’s P. O. V.

I wake up in the morning and a smile spreads across my face as I recall last night. I could sleep only because of Luke. He distracted my mind, and I didn’t even realise when I dozed off.

I know I shouldn’t say this, but I’m falling in love with Luke all over again. The way he is treating me and supporting me, it’s commendable.

However, it’s still hard for me to trust him completely. I don’t even know yet why he hurt me in the past.

Last night, when I was talking about Hope, I could clearly see the regret in his eyes. I think it’s high time to get the answers to all my questions.

As I glance at the time on my phone, I freak out. “Fuck! I’m so late. I had to get Hope ready for school.”

“But where is Hope?” I murmur, staring at the empty bed.

My brows furrow as I notice a letter on the bed beside me. I immediately pick it up.

‘Morning, Butterfly. I’m sorry. I left you alone because I had to drop Hope off at school. You can take a shower and have breakfast until I return. If you need something, just give me a call.

Take care. See you soon.’

A wide smile flashes across my face as I read this.

I can’t believe he woke up early, dressed up Hope, and took her to school.

Just control, Daisy. You can’t go crazy in love like before so soon. So just control your heart.

***

I return from the bathroom, decked up in Luke’s black shirt, and find him already sitting on the sofa. While I was taking a shower, I couldn’t stop thinking about yesterday, how he comforted me, holding me close in the bathtub. His touch worked like a balm on my shaken soul.

“Hey.” Luke approaches me, eyeing me from head to toe with desire in his eyes, blazing my body with his mere gaze.

“Thank you for helping me sleep last night and for dropping Hope off at school,” I say, ignoring what his eyes are doing to me. “For everything.”

“I’m Hope’s father, Daisy. It’s my responsibility. You don’t have to thank me.” He places his hand on my face. “Anyway, how are you feeling now?”

“I’m fine now,” I pass him a smile and add, “because of you.”

It’s true, I got over yesterday’s dreadful incident so quickly because he was with me. I don’t know what I would have done without him.

“I’m glad.” He strokes my cheeks with his thumb, making me lose in his soothing touch. “Move in with me, Daisy. Please.”

“What?” I ask, startled.

“You know, I wanted to give you all the time you needed,” he explains, his thumb constantly caressing my cheek. “But now I can’t because I’m scared. After yesterday’s incident, I can’t take any risks. I want to keep you both safe with me here. Please move in.” He gives me a pleading look.

I want to deny him because I’m still not ready to let Luke enter my heart, but his gaze is melting my resolve. And right now, I can’t even think of living alone at my apartment after yesterday’s incident.

“Okay, I’ll move in.” His face lights up at my words. “But when I find a new apartment for me, I’ll shift there.” The light in his eyes dims as I finish my sentence.

I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing by moving into his house, but I can’t return to my own.

“It’s fine. I’ll ask my driver to bring all your things here.”

As he turns to leave, I stop him, holding his hand. “Luke.” He glances at me over his shoulder. “I need to talk to you about something.”

He stands, facing me. “What?”

“About the past. I want to know why you treated me like a slave and cheated on me. I want to know everything.” My voice trembles with emotion as memories of what happened five years ago flood my mind. His treatment was something I had become used to, but his cheating shattered my soul.

The regret is evident in the way his gaze turns solemn.