Ex-Husband's Regret

Pushing the thoughts away, I get in and Gabriel follows next. After his driver get in, he starts the car, and soon we are off.

"Sir, are you rich?" Lilly's voice cuts through the awkward atmosphere.

"Lilly," I admonish. "You're not supposed to ask people such personal questions."

One thing you'll learn about my daughter is that she has no filter. She'll speak her mind; everyone else be damned. She doesn't care if she crosses a line, as long as she get it off her chest and mind Instead of getting angry or irritated like he should, Gabriel just chuckles before asking,

"Why do you ask?"

She shrugs. "Because one, you have a private jet that costs anywhere from two million dollars to one hundred, then there is your car, which is around two hundred thousand dollars, and let's not forget your suit, watch, and shoes. From their material alone, you can tell they're expensive."

Lilly does know her numbers. Apart from cars, her other hobby is watching business channels and reading business magazines. Her favorite is the accounting section.

I noticed this when she was around five years old. Her sharp intelligence and love for anything numerical. I didn't want to let her down and waste her potential. It's why I broke my back to make sure she went to a good school.

Gabriel's small and deep laugh makes me turn to him. There was something akin to pride shining in his eyes. It's almost like his eyes were speaking the words his mouth couldn't.

I know how he feels. I struggled with this a lot, even though I was proud of her. She shared a lot with her dad. In addition to the cars, they also shared their love for numbers.

"You could say that," came his reply minutes later.

also want to be rich when I grow up," she began. "Like filthy rich. That way,

hearing her say that warms my heart... And the fact that she called me mama made my heart melt into a mushy goo. She hasn't called me that in a long time. Once she hit six years old, she transitioned from

turns to me, but I ignore his stare. From the corner of my eyes, I see him nod, and then we

we staying with you?" Lilly fired again after a while, making me groan

to ask Gabriel that, given the contract, but I didn't want

will all be staying for a while," he replied. "In fact, we are

you mom's boyfriend? Are you going

"Lilly!"

girl. What was I going to do

to me, then back to Gabriel when

two questions, and second of all,

in a wide smile at his answer. "Good.

believe that she would say that so confidently in front of Gabriel... Then again, why

Gabriel was the last person I wanted, knowing just how lonely I