A Call That Changed Her Entire Life

Jennifer was left in an extremely awkward position. Sporting a counterfeit smile, she hoped that the awkwardness that bathed the moment would be transient, before she walked away utterly embarrassed.

While, Emily and Jacob stood in the doorway. They remained silent, but the moment their eyes met, they knew that they were still deeply attached to each other.

"Mommy! Who is it?" A child's brisk voice broke the silence. It was Beryl, she clung to her mother and looked outside the door. "Uncle Jacob! Are you here to see me?" Beryl jumped with excitement.

Jacob stared at her with loving eyes, before he bent down and picked her up in his arms, "Yeah! Did you miss uncle Jacob?"

"Yes!" Beryl leaned her head against his chest and answered in an infantile voice.

Emily's heart melted at the sight of such an endearing scene. "Beryl," she called out gently.

Beryl turned around to face her mother with a pair of innocent, twinkling eyes and said, "Mommy?"

Emily was hesitant and doubtful. She weighed the pros and cons in her mind incessantly, but still couldn't decide whether to tell Beryl the truth about her father or not. Finally, she decided to take a leap of faith, "Beryl, he is... He is your real father."

Stunned, Jacob felt like he just got hit by a lightning. The sparks in his brain, desperately tried to connect the dots and instead just caused a short circuit.

'She admitted it!

I am Beryl's biological father! She admitted it!'

Beryl, however, didn't seem as shocked as Emily had expected. Instead, she casually laughed and brushed it off, "I already knew that he is my dad. Didn't you know that, mommy? Ha-ha, mommy you've been such a fool."

Emily had a strange feeling in her gut, but she couldn't put a finger on it. She wanted to keep the secret to herself, but Beryl was sensitive enough to detect her sadness. A small, charming smile broke out of Emily's lips, and she squeezed Beryl's cheeks playfully, "Young lady, you should never talk to your dearest mommy like that."

Jacob held Emily's hand, and almost immediately she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, but she didn't draw her hand back. "It's Beryl's birthday today," said Jacob.

His words took Emily by surprise. A lot had happened over the past few days, and while Emily was busy dealing with her chaotic life, she completely forgot that it was her daughter's birthday.

"Sorry baby..."

feeling disappointed at her

She reached out her tiny hands and touched her mother's face. "You've already given me the best gift in the

"What would that be?"

Beryl let her face flood with a smile and

came out from Beryl's mouth, Jacob's heart melted, as if he had never been

Emily did not have the heart to take that away from her. After all, they were related by blood.

not help himself teasing her.

was supposed to be a heart-warming word for

feeling of uneasiness, but

released her hand, and asked

and asked,

with his soulful eyes, "Well, do you want me to move in and

did not mean

that's exactly

"..."

words back, 'What am I doing? Shooting myself in

wasn't too happy to see the gifts.

with Beryl, "Yes, don't you want to open

shook her head in refusal, "No daddy, I do

overflowing with love for her. He would have given her

go to the beach with mommy and daddy! I've heard that the ocean is blue and the sand is golden, but I've never seen it with my own eyes," said Beryl, under her breath. She sounded sad and

disappointment on his daughter's face, Jacob quickly added, "Sure, we can

be exposed to the sun, the ultraviolet

will be careful," Beryl looked at her mother ruefully and continued, "I

life indoors. She needs to

at Emily with much expectation. Emily did not have the heart to disappoint

his arms and whispered something in her