Sassy Angel’s Secret Sin

Chapter 43 - The Daddy Problem (Anj's POV) My three girls may be five years old, turning six, as Selene would always correct, but they talk and think like adults. In Sta. Louisiana, where | gave birth to and raised them, we lived in a dormitory where they got to interact with university students and young adults.

Always wanting to be practical, I did not think of needing to live in an apartment where | had to find a nanny, pay a rental cost, and worry about myself and my children. Mrs. Salvador, a retired schoolteacher, looked after my daughters while | worked and studied. Most of the time, my housemates volunteered to take care of them.

Only when | cback that | realize their need to interact with kids their age when Sister Grace remindedwhy she madejoin in Anya’s classes before, but | guess | was too late. Looking at them, | didn‘t want to think | had stolen their precious childhood. “Mommy's free today. What do you want to do?” | asked them while having breakfast. Dylan glanced at me, probably wondering why the girls were quiet. “Mommy‘s not mad, you know,” | added before sipping coffee.

Leyanne pursed her lips as she looked down.

“Why? What happened yesterday?” Dylan asked curiously, and by the looks on his face, | was sure Anya did not tell him anything. “Did you meet the daddy?” “Nope!” Lyra Helene answered, putting her glass of milk on the table. “We hired one.” Dylan raised his eyebrows. “You hired someone to be your daddy?” he looked at them with amusement.

“Uh-huh!” she nodded, looking at me. “Don’t worry, mommy. We paid him.” | pressed my lips, unsure if | wanted to laugh or cry. They didn’t need to pay Sky to pretend to be their father because he is really their daddy. | scowled at Anya, hoping she would not spill the beans as to who they hired to play as their daddy yesterday and just let him know from their staff what exactly happened.

“Will you be hiring him again on Family Day?” Dylan looked at Lyra Helene, avoiding my eyes. “That's in two days. It will be your problem if daddy doesn’t show up.” “It will be mommy‘s problem, Dylan,” | gritted my teeth, hating him for putting my children in a hot seat early in the morning. Lyra Helene started sniffling, climbed down her chair, and ran to me, sitting on my lap. “I'm sorry, mommy. Leyanne toldnot to go out, but I still did. Selene said shed just tell my classmates daddy’s not coming, but | didn’t like it. | wanna tell my classmates | have a daddy.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my shoulder as she cried. “Of course, you have a daddy,” | croaked, rubbing her back. I did not dare look at Dylan because right now, | wanted to strangle his neck for pressuring my children andearly in the morning She moved away fromto look at my face. “Where‘s my daddy, mommy?” | swallowed hard, forcing myself to curve my lips into a smile and hoping no hint of fear would appear.

“Do you really want to see daddy?” | cupped her tiny face and wiped her tears with my thumbs. | glanced at my other angels, and like Lyra Helene, they were waiting forto say the good news. | tapped the tip of her nose.

“This time, | will force daddy to see you. | will divorce him if he doesn’t con Family Day.” When | looked at Leyanne and Selene, | caught a glimpse of Anya and Dylan. Anya looked worried, but Dylan seemed angry, unsure if at himself or atfor obviously lying again to my children.

“Can daddy stay until our birthday?” Selene asked, not blinking her eyes at me. | heaved a sigh. “Why don’t you ask daddy when you see him?” | smiled sadly, wanting to cry and scream, hating myself, disliking Dylan now, and loathing Sky Mars for showing up yesterday.

“I will definitely ask him,” Selene narrowed her eyes as she looked at her glass of milk.

“Me, too.” Leyanne nodded at her.

“Now, | want the three of you to - “I stopped and turned my head to my cell phone | left on the couch. | kissed Lyra Helene on her forehead. “Finish your breakfast.” She returned to her chair quietly, hiccupping as she ate her breakfast. | breathed out as | stood up, pretending | was okay despite feeling my legs wobbling. | knew Dylan and Anya saw my tears rolling down my cheeks, but | wiped them right away before my daughters saw them.

My eyebrows knitted, seeing an unknown number on my phone's screen. | accepted the call, thinking it was probably business-related.

“This is Heaven Scent. Good morning!” | greeted. “Good morning!” It was a cheery sound of an older man. “I received a business card yesterday and wondered if | could do business with the three angels | met yesterday.” Aline etched between my eyebrows, thinking about who the caller could be. “I'm the owner of Heaven Scent.

May | know who's on the line?” “Ah!” He exclaimed. “You must be the mom!” He laughed. “Well, | am calling to order perfumes, but | want to see the samples first, and your daughters said they help you sell your products.” | pressed my lips, wanting to ask heaven what | did wrong for the divine agency to make jokes like this.

“Can | talk to any of them?” He asked. “I don’t want to scare you, but | am a serious businessman, and | am interested in your product.” We both knew that he was not really interested in my product. He probably just wanted to see my daughters.

“Leyanne!” | called, raising my cellphone for her to know the call was for her.

She climbed down from her chair and dashed to me, taking the phone with excitement. This was not the first tmy customer wanted to talk to them rather thanin negotiating before buying “Heaven Scent.

This is Leyanne. How can | help you?” She chimed in her adorable voice, smiling as she greeted the caller just like | taught her. | sat on the couch, watching her as she listened. Her eyes widened in surprise, and the corners of her mouth lifted. “Grandpa!” She beamed. “Uh-huh...” She listened again. “Uh-huh!” My tears rolled down my cheeks as I chuckled, watching my daughter talk to his real grandpa. | wiped my tears right away when she looked at me.

“Uhm... | will ask mommy, but she said she’s free today.” Her beautiful round eyes sparkled as she smiled. “I will give the phone to mommy now.” She handed my cellphone back to me.

“H-hello?” | stuttered, realizing now that | was talking to Steve Mars.

“I am hoping to invite you and your girls for a coffee, and maybe ice cream or cake for them, and as | said, talk about the perfyou are selling,” He went quiet for a while. “I don’t want you to think I'm a bad person, but | want to help you and your girls.” “Okay,” | said, surprising him. “I know you're a busy person. Please tellwhere and what time?” | said, taking a pen and notepad to the center table. He toldthe nof the coffee shop and the time. “Can | see you at ten today?” )) “Sure. See you later,” | answered, not exactly sure if | made the right decision to let him meet my daughters again, but when | saw Leyanne’s face brightened like the sun, my heart screamed at me, telling| had made the right one today.