18. (Not) A Father

Natalie pushed the wheelchair with Dave sitting in it. They are now starting to approach a building painted pink. Dave surveyed the striking building that stood in a secluded spot.

Ri Salon.

Dave knows the place. A place that looks like an ordinary salon is actually a place to find confidential information. High payers must be prepared to spend if they want to get the desired information. There are also many customers who don't know the other side of Ri Salon and purely come to treat their hair and beautify themselves.

People know another side of Ri Salon through word of mouth. They only need to say the password if they want to get the information. Its password is "Sweet Riri". With a password that sounds ridiculous, of course, many people don't believe it. However, not a few also try to believe it and come to Ri Salon feeling embarrassed.

Thinking about Ri Salon, Dave wondered what they had come to Ri Salon for. Does Natalie need any information about someone?

"I want to do treatment on my hair, Brother." As if answering a question on Dave's mind, Natalie told her why she came to Ri Salon.

Dave nodded his head in understanding. Dave looked around after entering Ri Salon. In the past, he used to come here to find information about Natalie, who had disappeared. Ri Salon really knows information that many people don't even know.

Dave was scanning for information about Natalie with the aim of misleading the bodyguards of the Black Eagle, his mafia group which was still under Doni's leadership. Doni used to target Natalie, so he searched Natalie on a large scale. Several times, Dave managed to mislead the bodyguards sent by Doni to catch Natalie. However, it didn't last long because Doni's connections were so extensive that Dave's efforts were only temporary.

Dave felt the movement of the wheelchair stop. A moment later, suddenly Dave's legs were hugged tightly. Dave lowered his gaze to see that a toddler girl who was about 3 years old was hugging his legs with tiny flesh filled arms.

Dave raised an eyebrow in surprise. "This… whose child?"

Natalie observed the toddler, who now seemed to rub her chubby cheeks that contained baby fat. Seeing the behavior of the unknown toddler, Natalie felt exasperated, so she squatted beside the toddler.

"Hey, honey. Where are your parents?" Natalie stretched out her index finger to press the cheek that looked like it was about to burst into tears. Before Natalie's index finger touched the toddler's chubby cheek, her head turned sideways to avoid Natalie's touch.

Natalie just groaned in discontent, so she placed her hand on the toddler's jet black hair that was slightly wavy. Natalie smiled, amused to see the toddler, whose name she didn't know, had been cold to other people from an early age.

"What's your name?" Natalie still doesn't give up on the toddler.

The toddler glanced at Natalie briefly before sinking her face into Dave's feet again. "Zelin."

See! What a short answer given to Natalie! Natalie was so stunned that she couldn't speak.

Dave, who had been silently watching the interaction between Natalie and a toddler named Zelin, stared intently at Zelin. The toddler didn't even reach the feet of Dave, who was sitting in a wheelchair. So tiny that Dave felt it would be easy to crush the toddler if he didn't treat her gently.

"Dad…"

Dave instantly froze hearing a voice that sounded sad, moreover it came from Zelin who looked up at Dave sadly. Dave's eyes widened when he saw that Zelin called him dad.

Zelin's clear eyes filled with tears. Her tiny hands shook Dave's legs with a look on her face that she would cry at any moment. "Dad, come on, play with Zelin…"

"W-what? Who are you calling 'Dad'?!" Dave panicked when the toddler in front of him called him 'Dad' in Natalie's presence.

Natalie looked shocked as she stared at Dave's stricken horror. "Brother, ... this child…"

"No! I'm not her father! This is my first time meeting her and suddenly calling me 'Dad'!" Dave cut Natalie's words because he was worried if Natalie thought things to him.

Dave swears he's never had sex with a girl! It's also more unlikely that he's associated with random women because he spent his youth managing his mafia group.

"I've never had sex with anyone. How could I suddenly be called father by a random child?!" Dave grimaced as he looked at Zelin in disbelief.

Zelin, the toddler, doesn't care about the consequences of her words, which are still questionable. Her tiny fingers gripped Dave's knees tightly, trying to climb onto Dave's lap.

Seeing Zelin struggling to get up and almost falling several times, Dave finally put his hand on Zelin's armpit and lifted the toddler easily to sit on his lap. Zelin immediately hugged Dave's neck, so tightly Dave had to lean forward.

"Zelin, is he really your father?" Natalie smiled as sweetly as possible in the hope that Zelin would answer her question.

Again, Zelin only glanced at Natalie and then nodded her head. "This is Dad."

Only two words to answer Natalie's question and describe Dave's identity. However, these two words have not been able to confirm that Dave is the father of the toddler. Zelin just said 'This is Dad' without adding the word 'My' to express her attachment to Dave.

"Zelin! What are you doing?!"

Natalie turned to the source of the voice and saw a beautiful woman who had extraordinary charisma. Her presence made one stop breathing for a moment to admire the evil-looking beauty. A domineering aura emanating from her body let Natalie know that this woman was no ordinary person.

Eveline, the woman, stared intently at Zelin who snuggled closer to Dave who could only surrender. Eveline's face still looks the same as it did five years ago, even after she had a daughter.

Eveline crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking at her daughter, who was again acting up and making misunderstandings all over the place. "Zelin! Who else are you calling Dad randomly?! Are you causing trouble again?"

Zelin puffed up her chubby cheeks, making her cheeks look even more plump. "No! Mom is bad! Zelin wants to play with Dad!"

Eveline squeaked in annoyance, she was already very familiar with the nature of her daughter, who was full of theatrics. "Come to Mom or you won't let Mom play with Dad!"

Zelin quickly looked at Eveline. The previously teary eyes slowly shed tears. "Evil Mom!! Zelin only wants to play with Dad!! Why does Mom always keep Zelin away from Dad?!"

Eveline took a step closer to Zelin who was on Dave's lap. Dave just sighed heavily, feeling concerned about himself being involved in this drama of mother-daughter fights.

"Are you… Eveline?" Natalie looked at Eveline, who now averted her eyes from Zelin.

Eveline raised an eyebrow, eyeing Natalie. Natalie's face reminded Eveline of someone she had once hated. "You… who? How do you know me?"

This is questionable because even though Eveline works at Ri Salon, she rarely shows up on weekdays where the salon is full of visitors. Eveline's job is always outside to find information ordered by Richard, the owner of Ri Salon.

Eveline tilted her head, her pupils slowly shrinking after she managed to remember who is the person who looks similar to the woman in front of her. "You remind me of my long-dead enemy. You really look like him. Are you related to him?"

Natalie's breath hitched for a moment, she knew exactly who Eveline was referring to. Doni, who else if not her father. Natalie as Doni's daughter certainly has a resemblance to the man. Thinking back to Doni, Natalie's hands suddenly trembled slightly.

Natalie still clearly remembers how she killed Doni, her father, cruelly and mercilessly. Now, when reminded again that Doni was gone, Natalie couldn't help but recall the dark memory that she had hidden so tightly in the corner of her mind.

Natalie took a deep breath then forced a smile. "Eveline, I know you from Dira. She told me about you working at Ri Salon."

Eveline's body jerked back, her eyes staring at Natalie in surprise, with a hint of panic showing in her eyes. "M-Miss Dira? How do you know her?! Who are you?"

Natalie held out her hand. "I'm Natalie, Dira's friend."

This brief introduction can still surprise Eveline. All things related to Dira can't always be ignored. "Natalie? Are you... Natalie Johnson?"

Eveline couldn't help but know the name Natalie Johnson, which few people know. Moreover, the person with that name has a friendly relationship with the Miss that Eveline served.

Just as Eveline was surprised by Natalie, so was Natalie. She didn't expect Eveline to immediately recognize her as Natalie Johnson, even though Natalie deliberately only mentioned her first name because she wanted to avoid bringing up things related to Doni.

Natalie still kept her smile. "Yes, I'm Natalie Johnson."