Running After my Secret Billionaire Ex-Wife by Yoonworks

Ciara could feel how Callum was exerting effort to win Cara’s trust throughout the dinner. And Cara would only silently look at the rabbit as if she were only invested in the stuffed toy more than her father 

Callum seems so contented by the small amount of attention Cara is giving hum. He wasn’t complaining about it, and he seemed determined to kill the coldness lingering between them. 

“Mommy. I want to go home now, she complained and yawned. 

“I’ll drive you back Callum offered as he stood. 

“No thanks, sir. We have our own car,” she answered formally like she was dealing with a client. 

Callum and Cara looked at each other. Ciara nodded, giving him some idea to not force anything yet, and Callum decided to not push it more as well. 

They bid goodbye to each other. Cara just complimented the food presented by the chef and also thanked Callum for the gift as she went into the limousine first, without even properly  Callum on the cheek 

“I could really tell she’s your little version. She knew how to control her emotions so well. Reminds me of her mother a lot,“ Callum commented as soon as the door closed 

Ciara didn’t know what to say. She knew that Callum had seen her as someone cold and distant. Well, she’s like that to everyone but Gwen had always told her she was always different when it comes to Callum. And Callum might actually have seen her like that but she had always found ways to make things easier for him behind his back. 

If only Callum knew half the things she did for him. 

But she was quite at ease that the dinner didn’t really get ruined compared to her imagination that Cara would only insist on going home. Though she insisted on it too, she had given Callum some time to talk to her at least 

“I won’t give up on pursuing our daughter and you, Clara” 

It was those words that marked Ciara’s mind, which Callum said before they went home. 

Cara has been silent all throughout the trip, as the rabbit was sitting on her lap and she was looking outside the window. 

Ciara caressed her head until her daughter glanced at her in her unreadable expression Ciara smiled with warmth. 

“You like the present?” She asked. 

“I already have a bunny. Mommy: I don’t need a lot,” she said in a little yet serious voice. 

“Well, having a lot of toys is fun, Cara 

She shook her head. Tin contented with one 

Ciara could feel how Cara wanted to distance herself for some reason. She was trying to hold back her emotions about not getting attached to her father, whom she had just met after years of existence. 

“Cara, he didn’t know I was pregnant with you back then. He’s trying his best to know you” 

“He didn’t know because he chose someone else,” she explained carefully like she knew what was happening and was disappointed in her father. 

Ciara realized that Cara was her other version, the not–so–forgiving and overprotective part of her who wouldn’t give chances right away if someone hurt her mother or those people who had already inflicted pain on her mother. 

“Are you willing to give him a chance to prove to you that he meant what he said?” She asked, 

Cara looked at the rabbit she was holding. Though she expressed how she was content with one rabbit, she cannot put it away for some reason, as she likes holding it. 

“Are you going to marry him again, mommy?” She asked; her voice was insinuating something. 

Ciara remained silent for a while, looking at her daughter, who was staring at the rabbit seriously. 

“How about Mr. Evander? Don’t you like him, mommy?” 

Ciara couldn’t express what was on her mind. Cara seems bothered by it as it reflects on her face. 

“Do you like Mr. Haynes more?” She glanced at her mother curiously. 

Ciara smiled and caressed her cheek. “Let’s take things slow, alright? Let’s see their efforts. If they were genuine, I guess it’s worth it to fall in love and try to commit again.” 

Cara looked at her expressively. “I don’t want to see you crying, mommy.” 

“Cara, pain is part of love. Shedding tears might be so weak to look at, but crying isn’t bad. We cannot be happy all the time. We might feel hurt and disappointed, but there’s nothing wrong with it. We must express it. We must not hold it back. Because it is an emotion just like when you are happy, angry, sad, and overwhelmed.” 

“But… I don’t want to see you hurt. I don’t want to see you crying.” 

“I don’t want it either, Cara. But when we love someone, we are ready to get hurt for them. We are ready to shed tears for them. We are ready for any emotions. But at the end of the day, we might laugh, cry, or feel disappointed. The important thing is that no matter how we show our expression, we must be responsible for our response to it. We must manage it and make sure that… we should think of the consequences of our actions. So it’s okay. Don’t worry if mommy cries.” 

Cara’s expression softened. Ciara has realized that she hasn’t shed tears with her daughter for once because she showered her with only love. Though she thought that it was the healthiest thing, she noticed how, like her, Cara was suppressing and controlling her emotions as well. 

“Like earlier, you cried. And that’s okay. Because you are hurt. It’s valid, Cara. Crying doesn’t imply it’s a bad thing to do what we need to hide from people. You should not suppress it. The people around us must know when we are hurt so that they will be responsible for their actions next time, knowing that they’re doing something that hurts the people around them. Because we could teach them how to not do it again.” 

Cara looked at her mother carefully. 

“So don’t worry if someone makes Mommy cry. I will be responsible for it. And I will make sure that if they hurt me, they won’t be able to do it again.” 

“My mommy is so strong,” she commented all of a sudden. 

Ciara laughed a little. “I am?” 

“Yes, mommy. You are strong.” 

She sighed and smiled as she crouched and  her forehead. 

“Cara is so strong for expressing her emotions earlier too.” 

Callum was firing his shot continuously for the next few days. He was asking for Ciara’s consent to visit Cara at Sullivan’s. 

mansion. 

The Sullivans were already aware that Cara had talked to his father, and it went well. They were now expecting Callum to take care of Cara too. To be a father to her. 

“You are not busy, Mr. Haynes?” Cara asked when Callum visited again. 

They were in the living room. Lala just placed the snacks on the table with sandwiches and juice as Cara was dressed nicely. her hair in a pigtail, while she was holding her own favorite rabbit, which was the one her mother gave to her. 

“My work just finished. I wanted to see you, so I went here,” he said. 

Ciara is in her office. She lets the two have their quality time. She wanted to let Cara get used to her father, though she was still 

having a hard time dealing with it. She was not used to Callum’s presence, as she saw it as something so strange. 

Cara silently played with the rabbit on her lap, as she didn’t really know how to interact with her father. 

“Lala, can you tell Mommy to come home? I want her,” she said. 

“We could fetch her together,” Callum offered. 

Lala looked at Callum, then Cara. 

“Do you want to change clothes, Cara?” She asked. 

Cara was still thinking for a minute. “But Mommy might be with Mr. Evander.” 

Callum wanted to arch his brow, but he immediately controlled it. But deep inside his mind, he was already thinking of murdering Evander. 

That  . 

“I’ll tell your mom that we will fetch her. Change upstairs,” he said and stood, taking his phone out of his pocket. 

“Let’s go, Cara.” Lala offered her hand, which Cara took. 

As Cara and Lala were already walking upstairs, Callum called Ciara, who was in the middle of reviewing some documents. 

“Hello?” she said when she picked it up. “Is there a problem?” 

“What time are you coming home? “He asked. “And who’s with you?” 

“I’m still at the office. I’m reviewing something important. I might head home two hours later. Why? Is there a problem with. Cara?” 

“She’s looking for you. She wants you home. But we will fetch you, so just tell me once your work is finished.” 

“What? Bond with Cara. I will just call for the driver.” 

“I don’t trust the driver you are calling. I’ll fetch you with our daughter,” he interjected. 

Ciara’s brows are knit. “You don’t trust my driver?” 

“I don’t. Text me once you’re done. I’ll wait for it.” 

Ciara was weirded out after the call from Callum, who insisted on fetching her because he didn’t trust her driver. 

“What does he even mean he doesn’t trust my driver? Does he know my driver?” she asked, a bit confused by his statement. 

But then, as she resumed her work, the sinile slowly crept on her lips, like she was trying to hold back the emotion of being able to giggle about it because she found it too cute and amusing that Callum was out there, doubting the people around her that she would be in trouble. 

“Wow. Did I just catch you smiling here alone in your office?” Serra pointed out as soon as she barged in without even knocking. 

Ciara immediately went back to herself as she looked at her uninvited sister once, then stared at her laptop. 

“You should knock, Serra,” she said. 

“Well, you aren’t the unprofessional type. For sure, you weren’t  in your office, unlike me.” She grinned as she took the chair in front of her. 

Ciara leered at her as she laughed. “Now, I am here to personally ask you how it went. Callum has been persistent since Cara has been sending me photos continuously of the car’s arrival of her father. She is sharing it with me.” 

Ciara knows how close Cara is to Serra. She’s like her favorite auntie, her only auntie who loves to spoil her. “He’s trying to get close to her. Cara is still distant, but she’s giving him some chance to bond with her at least.” “Hmm… I see. That’s good. He’s making efforts for his daughter to acknowledge him.” She nodded with satisfaction. 

“And how’s the bitch? Why is the storm suddenly not showing thunder and rain? What’s this? She’s suddenly over the drama when that one was the most desperate woman who would always try to ruin your life?” Serra asked with a hint of anger. 

Ciara slowly realized it too. Shane has been so tamed for the past few days because he doesn’t show up and spouts nonsense. She doesn’t know if it’s a good thing or if she would worry knowing it was so unusual. 

“Callum is taking care of it, too. He was trying to tame her,” she uttered. 

“Tame?” Serra laughed. “What is she? Callum’s dog?” 

Ciara shrugged. “That’s what Callum told me. He’s taming her. Probably putting up to her vices so..she would not be able to lash it out on me.” 

Serra’s brows are knit. “Isn’t it worsening? If he’s trying to tame her by making her believe that Callum is doing something for the both of them, then imagine the consequences once Shane finds out his real intention. Who do you think she would lash it out at? To Callum? No, of course. It would still be you. She would always blame you for this.” 

Ciara froze for a bit, as the words were now starting to process in her mind. 

“And what would Callum do once Shane won’t listen to him anymore because she finds out he’s trying to pursue you behind her back? Imagine the wrath, Ciara.” 

Ciara leaned against her swivel chair as she clasped her fingers against her stomach while her brows were now knitting. 

“Then what should be the best way to deal with her? I’ve seen her twice, and she would always lash out, Serra. It’s like I am her own trigger to go berserk, which she has done twice the moment we have seen each other again. She is a complete menace when it comes to me.” 

“What happened was an accident, right? You didn’t push her.” 

Ciara nodded. “Yes” 

“Does no one see it aside from you? Someone that would justify that you are innocent…”