arushirajguru
|• cho - cho and I owe you a hug •|

"Where are you?" His voice threatened from the other end of the line as Candace swiped across her wrist.

A smirk curled on her lips. "Why the raging wrath?"

"Answer the question." Candace could hear the grinding of his teeth as he held back his anger.

"My office," Candace said as she inspected her nails. Seconds later, she cut the line, a snarl taking a hold of her lips.

He had that effect on her, bringing out the sassiest side of her, the side that liked to mingle with hearts.

I've been waiting for you, for so long.

—

Candace heard knuckles rap on her door before she heard his voice. "It's Ekon. Open now."

Finally.

Candace cocked her head to the side as she pulled it open. He barged past her as she closed the door behind him.

"Give me back Lyra!" Ekon growled, "You can have Olivia but not Lyra! She's a part of me. She's my daughter! You can't hide her forever."

Candace scratched the skin beneath her eye and sighed. "No one is keeping her captive here, Ekon. She's old enough to choose her own home and she's chosen one without you."

"No!" He jabbed her chest with his finger, "You fed whatever bullshit to Olivia which is why she ran away and took Lyra with her. You hid them and yourself for months! I want Lyra back."

She sighed again. "Listen to yourself, Ekon. If Lyra wanted to be with you she would have left months ago. She has a better life without you."

Candace's words seared a hole into his soul, too deep to be refilled ever again. He clenched his fist, though he knew he couldn't hurt her. He used to love her once, adore her more than the world.

"What do you want with her? She's just a child! She never wronged you. If anything, I have. Why don't you just punish me and let her go? Please."

Candace arched an eyebrow. "You really think this low of me?" Her features had formed into that of disgust. "I care about Lyra. She's like my daughter. I'm not keeping her hostage here. I'm giving her shelter because she asked me to. You should be ashamed of yourself! You and Olivia have driven her away from yourselves, and now you come blaming me? I saved her, I saved her from who knows what! You would have driven her to death!" She let out a cry of frustration as she thumped her fists on his chest. She had lost Duncan, the pain was unbearable. She didn't need Ekon to make it worse. "You, Ekon, are just a selfish jerk! You don't know the value of a person's heart, just their body."

Ekon bitterly laughed. "So now you make me the bad guy? You are unbelievable."

"What else are you?" She threw her hands in the air out of anger. "Please enlighten me!"

"I'm better than you, I always was. At least I don't manipulate the minds of others." He turned around to leave, his attempts to save Lyra had failed him. "And just remember." He gave her one last glance. "I will come back, no matter what, for my daughter."

He stomped out, leaving a stunned Candace behind him. Like always.

He came around the corner of her office before he spotted a boy leaving the office beside Candace's.

Lyra...

He rushed behind the boy, hoping he would help him.

"Wait!" He called after him.

The boy had piercing grey eyes, they were like daggers in his gut. They seemed so familiar.

Just like the man whose blood is on my hands. Ekon thought.

He pulled himself together again as he approached the boy.

"Sir, how may I be of assistance?"

Ekon smiled at his kindness and said, "Do you know where I can find Lyra Zwane? I'm a bit lost in this building."

"Yes, her office is just on the right, the way you came from, beside Ms. Candace Specimen's office. You must know her, right?" The boy informed.

I knew it.

Ekon glanced at his watch. "Oh, look at the time! I'm late for a meeting, could you do me a favour and give this letter to Ms. Lyra Zwane?" He had no meeting, he just couldn't face her. "Please?"

"Sure, Sir." The boy took the letter from him and slid it into his pocket as Ekon walked past him after giving him a nod gratitude.

"Sir, do you really not remember me?" The boy asked. Ekon turned around and inspected him carefully. All he could recognise were his grey eyes, nothing else. Ekon shook his head in response before walking away. He wasn't interested. But in truth, he was scared, scared of the grey eyes.

—

A soft knock broke the giggles and the laughter of the two.

"Come on, Tan. Let's see who it is." Lyra placed the baby on her shoulder as she walked towards the door. She opened it to see Jude grinning at her.

"If it isn't my two most favourite people!" Jude took Tanisha into his arms and cuddled her. "Who's the cutest baby on earth?" Tanisha giggled at him as he threw her into the air. "Your father gave me this." Jude handed her the letter as he played with Tanisha.

Lyra felt her fingers shake as they unraveled the piece of paper.

Dear Lyra,

I know you're angry, I know you're sad, I know you hate me, but I still love you.

Come back to daddy, Ly, that's all I want, just come back to me and give me one last hug.

I don't know what Candace or your mum said to you, but it's not the truth. Candace is fooling your mum, and you. I know you don't want to hear this, but it's the truth.

Come back to me my sweet child, daddy needs you.

Your daddy

Lyra wiped away a single tear and ripped the paper in quarters. You wrote to the wrong person, daddy. You should have written to mum. She kept her face away from Jude as she felt a few more tears fall.

"You okay?" Jude walked towards her.

"Yes," Lyra sniffled. "I'm fine, just a bit... nostalgic?"

"Come here, Ly." He engulfed her in a hug, stroking her black hair. "Don't cry, I don't like seeing tears in your eyes."

Lyra closed her eyes as his words warmed her heart. She tightened her arms around him and let herself balance on him.

"Laaaaav boooo." Tanisha screeched.

They broke apart as a bewildered Jude stared at baby Tanisha. "Did she just say 'love boo'?"

Lyra tried to speak in between giggles. "She... said... love you." Jude joined her laughter. They both sat down beside Tanisha.

"You have been teaching her things." Jude laughed.

"Hmm," Lyra responded with a smile. I was rehearsing, so I could tell you.

Jude glanced at Lyra. Her beautiful eyes made his heartbeat too loud. Her smile made him happy, a different kind of happy. Being next to her made his heart erratic. Sometimes he feared he was falling in love with her.

I can't, I can't betray Luke.

—

I sense history between Candace and Ekon, do you too?

Baby Tanisha is the cutest thing that's happened to Hidden within *hugs baby Tan*

Luke and Lyra... where is it going? What about Lincoln?

Thoughts?