chapter 12

Sleepily, Sara rolled over and snuggled against Stefan's back, her eyelids fluttered open with the lovely sight of her favorite person close next to her.

They're in a hotel. Sara could tell because of the higher thread count of the sheets. It had been an exhausting the night before, and when Sara is allowed to be discharged,

Stefan brought her from the hospital to the nearest hotel. He hadn't really cared where they ended up as long as there's a bed.

Sara started pressing small kisses down Stefan's spine, starting from the nape of his neck and taking her time as she moved downwards in slow motion, although she could feel her lover finally awaken but she continued to kiss and cuddle amorously. "I love you." Sara murmured in between her kisses.

"I love you too, baby." Stefan affirmed in return; eyes still closed. It was a great way to start the day. Maybe. As if triggered by the mental reminder, Sara body shivered.

Her arms tightened around Stefan torso for a minute, before releasing her grip and moving away. Stefan missed the warmth immediately and turned his back to grab Sara's wrist before she could get off.

She turns around but it seems she's like trying to control her hormones. She let out a heavy breath that sounded as if she'd been holding it when Stefan leans forward and press his lips against Sara's belly button after he lift up her shirt.

They both noticed that their own erratic heartbeat wasn't the only irregular one in the close silence of the hotel room. - "Stefan..." A pause as she took in a breath. "I'm just saying if I'm able to trust you to take good care of our daughter. I mean you can do better than me."

"It's not me. It's us. Both of us will take very good care of our child, darling. We will shower our child with the happiness that she truly deserved." Stefan gently said looking up now meeting Sara's innocent gazes.

"But, Hanie say she wants to live with her daddy and I too, would want you to take care of her." Sara said breathlessly. "Things have to change, Stefan. I refuse to be put in the background while you're around with your wife. You're not happy with her, you are happy with me and Hanie. But there's nothing much I can do, right?" Threatening tears in her eyes.

"Baby, everything will be fine. Things will work out the way we want. Someday our hearts will be together again. We just have to give it time." Stefan wiped away Sara's tears with his thumb .

"Time? I feel like my time is short." Sara didn't get to finish as their conversation were interrupted by Stefan's phone ringing. By the expression on his face, Sara knew. Tiffany calling.

But he can't be bothered with the calls so he switched it off and toss away. Looking back at Sara who is looking down at the grey carpeted floor as if that's the most attractive to see at the moment.

His heart hammering. Since the day they're reunited, he feels his life has changed. He's even scared to death to think of what would happen to himself if Sara would ever leave him once again.

"Sara, do you know what my weakness is? Seeing you crying like this. I'd want to see your adorable smile and I would do anything for it. I truly, sincerely apologize for all the mishaps and I want to assure you that none of them will repeat again, ever."

He saw her cheeks color rose to cherry blossom. He wrapped his arms around Sara's petite waist as he resisted the urge to whisper 'cute' into her ears, but was incapable of stopping himself from giving her a little kiss behind her ear. Sara's weak spot, inciting a little nudge from the younger.

#

The next few days came by without knowing of the storm about to rage.

"Sweetheart? Are you listening to me? Minho here, please tell me you're there?" Minho said waving his hand in front of Sara and continued to dug into his vanilla sundae.

Sara might be daydreaming, her mind went somewhere else because she's unaware that her girl is actually pouting, waiting for another spoonful of blueberry ice cream from her mama.

Minho softly whispering to Hanie, asking her if she wants to play around at the mini-indoor playground, inside the ice cream cafe, in which she nodded excitedly and jumped her way happily not forgetting giving a peck on her uncle Minho's cheek.

Of course, Hanie acting lovey-dovey towards Minho. Why is that? Because since the day Sara was chased out on that uneventful night, Minho has been the one taking care of Sara's wellbeing until the female gave birth to Hanie. He watches the girl grew up too.

Minho, the only son of the business tycoons, he was honed to be both intelligent and proper. He bears the burden of being a model student since he started his education at the most prestigious university. - He is not Sara's partner or boyfriend. Hanie once naming him an Angel, a God send to rescue her mummy.

If you asked, Minho was so rich, where was he during Sara facing difficulties and why Sara and her child lack of nutrients? Well, Sara self-conscious is not letting her to consumed the money given to her.

She push aside some amount and used half to buy instant noodles, ready-to-eat food and leftover vegetables instead. Sara did not share much about her difficulties even with Hailey, her best friend. They both assumed Sara did have enough and they never asked further not wanting to pressure her.

Sara actually felt numb and sick. Thinking how had her life turned into such a mess? She only sought for Stefan's help because of Hanie condition. But look what happened now. She felt her chest tighten, she tried to stifle the first sob, without success. After the first sob, it was relentless, her shook with more tears falling down her cheeks like a river.

Minho tried to remained silent but his entire being was screaming at him to move or say something. So, he did. He pulled Sara into a friendly hug that made the younger cried harder. - "Sara, I promise I will try my best to save you from all this mess. Promise me to not give up too, alright? I need you to fight the battle too." Sara just nodded, trying to get her brain to process whatever the male was saying.

"Why are you on someone else chest, Sara?" Came a masculine voice, one that was cold and obviously filled with rage. Both quickly pulled out from the hug and Sara wiped away her tears before she stood up and walk towards Stefan but the male takes a step back instead.

#

Meanwhile, from Stefan's point of view. He clearly saw Sara resting on someone else chest. He approached their table to alert them and they're startled at his cold voice. The way she looked at him, like she was seeing the male for the first time in years.

She rushed towards Stefan but the clueless male steps back. Sara obviously lost for words. Stefan in a heat moment, he burst out words that he have no intention to said it, actually. "Minho? Really? I guess I am right. You're really her former so called ideal partner. Perfect family." He spoke with a spiteful tone.

"How? How do you know I'm here?"

"Does it matter? You rather me not knowing that you two are here, cuddling and snuggling each other?" Again, he responded in a mocking manner.

Minho then went from charismatic to enraged when he heard Stefan is accusing them. Stefan, of course, controlling his anger by remembering the events of day before. Just yesterday he and Sara, having their moments, and today another man touching her skin easily.

"I think we've come to a point where we have to say goodbye, it's for the better. Don't you think so, my darling, Sara?" He said that because he know she will begged him to not say such things but how Stefan is wrong about that.

"Yes. I think it's best if we go our separate ways." Sara pauses, compose herself and continued. "I won't be standing in your way to find happiness with somebody else, someone who may be better than me."

Stefan then looked in the direction where his daughter came running towards him. She was so happy to see her daddy presence. "Daddy, you're here!" He picked her up as she cradling her to her daddy's chest. They both missed each other terribly.

"She's coming back with me tonight. Call me once you realized your mistake and I will send her back to your apartment." He told Sara emotionlessly and this got her shocked as if she would've seen a flame dancing around them.

"Come on, Hanie, time to go." Sara said, placing her palm on Hanie's shoulder. Minho also packed up the rest of their belongings to leave the cafe. But, Stefan refuse to put down Hanie as the girl clutched her hands on her daddy's tighter.

"Mama, Hanie want to follow daddy, please. Hanie want to sleep on daddy's big bed. It's nice!" She's pleading. Their girl mentioned about sleeping on a comfortable mattress. 'Poor you, my child' Sara thought unconsciously.

"Hanie, if you go back home with daddy, then today will be your last day with mama. You can stay with daddy forever. You won't see mama again."

Stefan brows furrowed when he heard Sara spoke that way to a clueless and innocent child. With that, she turns back to the table, pick up her own sling bag and take out Hanie's backpack from the stroller and left it on the table. She motioned Minho to leaves as well, even though the male is hesitating, they walked off anyway. Leaving the father and daughter inside the cafe.

Fate is scary and terrifying. You don't know what will happen or when it will end but you know that fate will always be there to guide the right path for you. Fate might not always be the right choice for you. It could be in yourself; your heart could give you the right decision instead. Fate is mysterious, you can never tell if it is right or wrong.