Taming My Arrogant Husband novel Chapter 71

"No! Piccola mia, sono io." (No! My baby, it's me.)

"Dad?"

At first, I thought I was just playing by my own ears or I was just imagining his voice, but when I heard him speak again, I suddenly crumpled up the paper on my desk without realizing that it was the attendance sheet that Craig given to me this morning. 

"How are you, my Belle?"

"H-How did you know my number? Where did you get my number?" I asked him, clenching my teeth as the memories and pain of the past rose slowly to my chest and made me struggle to catch my breath. 

"I got it from your friend, I mean I ask him."

"Whose friend of mine are you talking about? Is it Bryan?"

"Belle---"

"Is it from Bryan?"

"Yes, but I told you I asked him to give me your number, so please, don't be mad at him."

"Tss! Mad? Why would I be mad with him? Why would I be mad with the only person who believed in me, trusted me and supported me, which was supposed to be your responsibilities as my father?"

"Belle..."

"What? What do you want? Why did you suddenly call after seven long years? Do you want to set me up again into another engagement, into another agreement? Tell me, Mr. Del Mundo----" but I was stopped by his next words. 

"I'm sorry."

I could feel my breath suddenly stuck in my throat. 

"I'm sorry, my baby, for everything that I've done. I have done wrong things in the past and I apologize for all of it."

I couldn't help but laughed after hearing the words 'sorry' and 'apologize' from him for the very first time in seven years. It's a kind of laughter with pain, longing, confusion and mixed feelings I couldn't explain in words. 

"Sorry? Apologize? Why? What prompted you to say those words?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you, my baby"

"W-What did you say? You didn't mean to hurt me?" I asked forming my fist. 

"I love you, my baby----"

"Stop! Please stop saying those words!" I closed my eyes as I tried to stop the tears from flowing, but they were like streams that no one can seem to stop. 

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I know I was wrong, but believe me, I believed you when you said he molested you. It's just that----"

"It's just that what, you've been bought by millions, billions that De Lucca gave you just to stop me from filling the case against his son? What kind of father are you? You chose them over me! You chose their money over your own daughter?"

"It's because I was afraid. I was scared----"

"You were scared, then what more of me? You were there, you saw me running down the stairs almost naked but you didn't support me, instead, you chose to be blind, you chose to be deaf and you chose to be numb of what happened!"

"My Belle, please let me explain. Believe me, I regret all the things I have done in the past, especially what I did to you----"

"I don't need your sorry, I don't need your apology and most of all, I don't need your explanation! Because for me, we're no longer connected, we're no longer a family! I already cut the ties that connect us since I have left Italy!"

"And you want me to believe you?"

"Belle?" Shock was evident in his voice, maybe he didn't expect my comeback. 

"Why? It's been seven years but why you just decided to call me now? What happened to those six years and why didn't you do something to find me? Why are you telling me all this?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" I repeated sarcastically. "Well, I'm sorry, but your 'sorry' is not enough to fill your shortcomings as a father to me! I have already forgotten the feeling of having a father."

I didn't hear any words from him. A few seconds have passed and we both fell into silence. I was about to end the call when his next words really shocked me into the core. 

"I am dying, Belle."

He barely said a whisper but enough for me to hear those shocking words. 

"I have a fourth-stage lung cancer, Belle, and my doctor told me that I only have four to five months to live."

Yes, I was mad with him. I was disappointed and hurt but never in my dreams that I would want to hear those words. 

"W-What?"

I don't know what to say. I couldn't form any words. I wanted to cry and scream but my mouth remained hanging in mid-air. 

"It took me six years and five months to find out where you are. And from that day when I saw you compete in an international dance competition, I decided to meet you and talk to you. But what would I do? What would I tell you when I'm already in front of you? When I'm face to face with you? That I'm sick and that I only have four months to live in this world?"