Meeting Ezekiel Hayes

Leina pulled the little girl away from the hug. The little girl tilted her head cutely and with a questioning look on her face, Leina smiled at her and squat so she can clearly see the face of the little girl.

"What's your name?" Leina asked, tugging some hair of the little girl behind her ears.

The little girl beamed at her, "Aurora! But Daddy and Grandma and you calls me Rory!"

"Aurora? What a very pretty name."

"You gave it to me Mommy!" Aurora- Rory told her. Leina sighed as she can see excitement in the little girl's eyes.

"Uhm how did you know that I am your Mom, Aurora?" She asked, she wants to know if the little girl is telling the truth or if she is being pranked.

Rory took something from her mini purse and handed it to her. It was a tiny piece of photo paper with a picture printed on it. Rory pointed the picture and Leina's eyes widened in disbelief. The woman in on the picture do not just look like her, it's actually her!

In the photo, Leina's hair was colored light brown. She was wearing a cute yellow polka-dot dress and a ruffly white apron while holding a pineapple. It was a photoshoot that she did before for stock photography. Her best friend set up the shoot for her to earn extra cash for her brother. It was years ago and she thought that all her pictures on the internet vanished already.

"Where did you get this Rory?" Leina asked the little girl, trying not to panic.

Rory looked at her with questioning eyes. "Grandma gave it to me before, she said that the lady in the photo is my Mommy!"

Leina who is confuse by everything that is happening, slowly stood up straight and looked all around them for a hidden camera. But did not find anything. So there is one thing left, she might be being scammed. She thinks that the scammers are using the kid so she can give in and give the little girl a ride home or anything.

Well they should have picked a better target as she is poorer than them.

Leina patted Aurora's head and smiled at her. "Listen kid, your Dad may be looking for your already. You should head back."

Rory pouted. Her cheeks turning red.

"Daddy will not look for me if I am with you Mommy!" Aurora reasoned while shaking her head, Leina thinks that she might throw tantrums soon. She can see the little girl clenching her fists into a ball.

"Don't you know that it's bad to lie?"

Rory looked at her, "But Mommy I'm not lying." The little girl said and she can see tears on the edge of her eyes. Rory's nose started to redden and her lips quiver.

Leina felt a huge weight on her chest. Right at that moment, rain started to pour. She patted the little girl's head one last time and run to get a taxi. Leina felt a fang of guilt when she looked back and saw Rory running for her.

"Mommy! Mommy! Don't leave me again!" Rory shouted at her. Few passerby stopped to glare at her. When Rory is already in front of her, Leina can see the little girl's tears streaming down her chubby cheeks.

Rain started to pour hard and a taxi stopped in front of them. Leina felt that her conscience would eat her alive if she left the child alone on the street decided to take Rory with her.

Leina entered the taxi with Rory and they both settled down in their seats. She got her handkerchief and tried to wipe the water off of Rory's hair and face.

Leina saw the cab driver glanced at the little girl beside her and smiled shyly when she saw him.

"What a lovely girl, reminds me of my granddaughter." The can driver suddenly commented.

"Thank you Mr. Driver. I look like Mommy!" Rory beamed and then looked up at her with pride. She just nodded at the little girl.

The cab driver chuckled at Rory being talkative. "She's got her mother's smile." He added and then smiled at her.

Leina's feeling exhausted from everything that's happening could not even conjure herself to speak a single word. She just smiled and nodded at the driver. Their whole ride way back home was full of fun and stories as Rory would not stop telling her and the driver her dreams and all that's happened to her life.

When they arrived at her apartment, Leina quickly got Aurora to shower. She then dressed the little girl in a cute pajama with hearts printed on it. She was about to give it to her goddaughter as a birthday present, good thing that the party was postponed. Leina then offered a meal to the child but Rory refused, saying how she ate a whole pizza earlier.

"Mommy . . .hot. . ." Rory keeps on tossing and turning and couldn't seem to sleep. She doesn't have any choice but to turn on the air conditioner in her room. Leina has been saving electricity for the past months but whatever, she'd rather have additional bill for next month than have her hand broken from excessive fanning.

She sat beside the little girl and started to gently stroke her hair.

"What's your full name?" Leina asked the child, trying to extract some information from her. She needs to bring the child back tomorrow or else, her parents might charge her of kidnapping.

She was distracted earlier that she never thought of reporting the case to the police. When they got home it was already too late, Rory wanted to sleep already and she does not have the heart to say no to the kid.

"Did you already forgot, Mommy?" Rory asked her suspiciously.

Leina chuckled nervously, "Of course not, I just want you to recite it for me."

"My full name is Aurora Savion Hayes!"

Hayes? Sounds familiar.

"Then what's your Daddy's name?"

Rory yawned and started to close her eyes slowly. "Z-Zeke Hayes. . ." the little girl answered and then drifted into sleep.

Leina quickly got her phone and dialed up her friend's number. If she wants to find that Zeke Hayes fast, she needed to get her information from the number one directory she knows.

"Leina! Hi, how are you!"

"Jessi, hello. Are you busy?"

"Not right now no, why?"

Leina fixed Rory's blanket and got out of the room. "I wanted you find the address of Zeke Hayes."

A sudden pause from the other line before Jessi speaks again. "Do you mean Ezekiel Hayes?"

She knotted her forehead in confusion. She do not really know anything about that man. So Leina just agreed. It's worth a try.

"Okay then, I'll send you his address. By the way, why do you want it?"

"I just have something to return to him. Thanks Jessi!"

--

The next morning, Leina cooked some simple meal for the both of them and then hailed a cab after. Rory was very excited when she told her that they are going home.

Leina was a bit shock to find out that the address Jessi has given her last night is where all elites of the society resides. The créme de la Créme. As the destination nears, Leina could not help but to feel anxious and nervous. What if the little girl's parents thought that she kidnapped their daughter.

When they arrived, Rory jumped quickly out of the cab and knock on the huge gate. A few seconds later and it opened. Leina followed the little girl inside when they were greeted by a young maid, running at them.

"Young Lady! Thank God!" the maid said hysterically and quickly hugged the child, ignoring her presence. "Where have you been dear child?! Your father has been worried sick about you!"

"I was with Mommy!" Rory beamed and held her hand. The maid then noticed her presence and slowly lifted herb gaze to meet hers.

The maid was taken aback when she saw her. "Madam. You're back? Young lady showed me your picture b-before." The maid stuttered, "W-welcome back."

Leina did not say anything as she confirms that the family has been using her picture without her knowledge to con the little girl. She needs to give a piece of advise to the so-called father and some scolding too.

As soon as they entered the main door, Leina could not help but to hold her breath. She felt like entering another realm. Everything's sparkling. A huge chandelier hangs on the center of the foyer. It's probably bigger than her ceiling at home.

"Daddddddddyyyyyy!" Rory shouted and ran towards somebody who came out of one of the rooms. The man lifted Rory up and hugged her.

"Where have you been, Princess? I was worried sick!" The man said, his voice familiar.

Rory giggled and pointed her. "I found Mommy!" Leina was stiffened when the man gaze at her direction. She then wished that the soil would grumble down and eat her alive.

The man- Rory's father is gorgeous. His eyes that seems so hollow and cold but turns soft everytime he looks at his daughter. Pointy nose and well-defined jaw line. His air of pinkish lips that seemed so soft and sweet. Suddenly, Leina had the urge to taste them and find out herself if they are really sweet.

But one thing stops Leina, not only is the man gorgeous but she is the same man that was drenched with hot coffee earlier. The coffee that she spilled.

Oh she is so doomed.

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