Chapter 78
Zendaya’s POV
I felt conflicted as I calmed the children down. I could not believe they had acted like that in front of the man. That was not something I was expecting from them.
“I am very disappointed in you three,” I said in anger as they all pouted while looking at me stubbornly. “I cannot believe you all did that to your own father. Go to the car and wait for me, I’ll deal with you three later.”
They stubbornly trudged to the door as I went around the house looking for Asher.
I felt really terrible for what had happened. I had to find him and apologize for the mistake.
I looked everywhere for him until I found him in his room, sitting in bed with his head in his hands. I pitied him as I watched him think about his life.
I entered and gently tapped his shoulders as he looked up to me with his eyes red from crying.
“Hey,” I smiled at him sitting beside him.
“Where are the kids?” He asked, still worried about them.Content rights belong to NôvelDrama.Org.
“By the car I’m sure. They look eager to go home.”
“I won’t blame them.”
We stayed silent for a few seconds before I decided to apologize.
“I’m so sorry about what happened out there. I don’t know what got into them,”
He chuckled. “It’s fine. I didn’t know what heartbreak felt like until today. To watch my children reject me is more painful than anything I’ve ever experienced.”
I could only imagine what he had gone through. I felt terrible and could see how this was my fault.
“I’m so sorry for making you a single mother,” he apologized. “I did that and I didn’t even give you a support system. I’m so sorry for everything. I was so foolish then and I can see how you had to endure the hard life alone. I should have been there.
“I didn’t even want you gone if I’m being honest. I wanted you to stay and I missed you terribly but I couldn’t bring myself to tell you to stay. I let my pride and ego get into my head.”
This was news to me. I thought he didn’t want me around so he had pushed me away from him. Now he was telling me that he actually missed me and wanted me to stay. I was confused.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“I love you Zendaya,” he said, confessing his love to me. “From the bottom of my heart I do. I was so stupid to have let you go and now I’ve seen how stupid I was. In my life I haven’t given any thought to whether I would live or die.
“I haven’t even given much thought to how I would live. I was the president so it didn’t matter what I did. I cared less about anything and I was more or less existing since I had not seen anything that would make me truly live or give me the meaning of life.
“I only wanted to get married for connections and to build my reputation but the moment I met you on our wedding day my life changed. For the first time I had been attracted to someone and I didn’t even know how to handle it.
“I didn’t like how weak and mushy it made me feel inside so I decided to resist you and treat you like dirt to prove that I was strong and I was not weak. I was afraid of allowing myself to fall for you. I still think about that one time we had sex till date.
“It was an amazing night for me and a night I would never forget.”
While he talked I was silent as I had not known about all of this. I thought he always hated me for ruining his life even if I didn’t know how I had done it since my own life was ruined too.
This was not the Asher I knew. This man was a different person.
I stood up being overwhelmed by what he had said as I started for the door.
“Where are you going?” He asked.
“I just need some air,” I sighed before walking out of the room as I headed for the balcony.
I shut the door, leaned on it as I breathed slowly to keep my emotions under control.
Did he truly love me all this time or was he pretending? I could not tell even when his actions had not lied to me. He had been true to his intentions and if there was one thing I knew about Asher, it was that he never lied.
Of course that logic would change now seeing as he loved me but was harsh on me because he did not want to feel anything for me.
I walked to the dining room to take a glass of water to drink. My eyes flowed with tears as I picked up the cup to drink from only to see Layla staring at me with anger in her eyes.
“What is it?” she asked. “Did he hurt you?”
“Layla, stop it,” I sighed. I was not in the mood for this. “We’ll leave soon so don’t you worry. Just give me some time.”
I found the other children coming to join their sister as I rolled my eyes.
“Oh for God’s sake what is wrong with all of you? I’ll be right with you now, go back to the car and wait.”
I heard footsteps as I looked up to see Asher who looked uncomfortable as ever coming to join us.
I didn’t know what to say to him as I looked away to not see the pain in his features.
“You should get going,” he sighed. “The kids need to get home anyway.”
“Asher,” I sighed.
“You should go. I’ll be fine.”
I nodded, taking the children out of the apartment as we entered the car and drove home.