"I had to forgive a person who wasn't even sorry.. that's strength." ~ unknown.

—

Della's manager had informed her that Garreth had booked the royal suite and was requesting to see her. She wondered what could be the problem... She had known the forty-five year old man ever since she started working at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. He was a very nice humble person. Della wondered at first why a rich successful man like him would have any interest in a maid like herself. Garreth said he saw her as family, he mentioned seeing his young sister in her—

which Della found very weird.

Whenever she needed anything, he was always there for her. Even though she would never accept his money, he offered to sponsor her college fees so she could get her degree in Literature. That, she accepted.

"Sugar daddy can't seem to get away from you." Mila said sarcastically. It made Della laugh ofcourse that's what it looked like to anyone who didn't know her friendship with Garreth.

"You know Mila, God can use anyone and anything to help you in times of crisis and I think Garreth is that person for me." Della smiled briefly. "Besides he is close to over two decades older than me."

"I know, I just think there is something more to it." Mila replied as they walked down the hallway of the hotel's twenty-second floor. "That much kindness is rare, what if he will use it later to blackmail you ?"

"I really doubt it for some odd reason, in the four years that I have known him. I know I can trust him. He is a good listener besides if he wanted me in that way he would have approached me." Della said putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

Mila nodded and they changed the topic and spoke about something else. Mila still didn't trust it but she would keep it to herself until she found some dirt on the old man called Garreth. She didn't even know what he did for a living but all they knew was that he had some shares in the Ritz-Carlton hotel and some various businesses. He was honestly creepy and Mila thought he was a conniving pervert who wanted to kidnap Della and make her his mafia Queen.

or maybe Mila watched too many Telenovelas.

-

Garreth uncomfortably fixed his armani suit, he knew today was the day when he would finally tell Della the truth and his intentions. He was nervous, he had never been nervous whenever he opened up to Della and talked about everything that bothered him. It all started four years ago when he was drunk and accidentally broke the whisky bottle or maybe it wasn't a mistake rather he was angry that his ex-wife had once again kicked him out of their house.

Della was there like an angel helping him clean up the mess ;which was her job but cleaning up his wound wasn't part of her job description. He blabbered all his problems to this girl who was understanding and didn't judge him. The next morning he apologised for his behavior and even offered to pay her a chunk of money but she refused. The rest of the following months that led to Garreth's divorce, he talked to Della about it. She was way better than his personal advisor ;Mrs. Henderson.

With Della he felt sane but when she opened up to him about her own problems, he realised he had it good. He felt like a brat because his problems weren't even that bad. Della's problems were much worse. All he wanted to do was help her, she refused but the least he could do was offer her scholarship to study. He read some of her drafts and realised how substantially talented she is.

He was startled when he heard someone enter his huge suite.

"Room Service." Della's voice echoed. He smiled thinking about how much he missed her. He had been gone for a while. He had many properties around the world but still choose to stay at Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

"Della, how are you ?" He opened his arms wide so he could hug her. she didn't hesitate to hug him back.

            "I'm alright, you just disappeared!"

                        "Is everything okay ?" She asked taking a seat on the expensive looking couch with gold carvings.

"Yes, everything is fine but there is a matter I have been meaning to talk to you about." He walked towards her. Handing Della a glass of water, he knew she wasn't much of a drinker and that's all he could offer her besides bourbon.

"Uhm okay, now I'm nervous. Did I do something wrong or wait Simon said something bad about me." Della panicked.

"No no no, you know I would never allow them to fire you. I am the majority shareholder and you do your job very well. You are always employee of the month aren't you ?" Garreth said proudly taking a sip of his whiskey on the rocks.

"Uhm thank you, Garreth." Della was short of words. She wondered what could be so important that he had to call her at this time of the evening when her shift was almost over. Leo must be sitted alone and bored alone in the Lobby, Della thought but little did she know that he was far from being bored with his father or rather friend around.

"And how's our little boy doing at school?" Garreth asked with a solemn expression.

"He is just always excited for school and he is a math genius. You were right about that school, it's honestly the best and that's all I want for Leo, the best!" Della added.

"Roosevelt International Private School is quite an admirable and reputable school." He paused. "My step son went there." Garreth looked sad talking about his past life. He couldn't have kids but adored kids dearly.

"Anyways I'm becoming anxious over here, what did you want to talk about ?" Della responded calmly.

"I just want you to know that, I hope whatever I say doesn't change anything between us. I have grown to love you so much like family and all I want is to see you happy Adela." He said his eyes becoming blurry, what always touched Della's heart was that he always called her by her full name Adela and Andre used to do that but that was the past.

"Please don't tell me you are dying?" She facepalmed clearly dying of anxiety.

"No no no." He chuckled. "It's quite the opposite. To myself it's good news but to you, I'm not sure it might be good or bad." He explained.

"Okay." Della sighed holding her breath waiting for him to speak.

"Adela have you ever asked yourself why you have an American citizenship and your surname isn't as Spanish as you are?" He genuinely asked gulped down all his whiskey to give him courage.

"Well kids in my class always teased me saying I'm a fake latino because of my last name but I really didn't mind it." Della explained reminiscing parts of her childhood.

"My grandparents had citizenship maybe that's how I also got it." She added.

"Well Adela, my last name is also McCarthy." He said leaving Della appalled but most of all confused. It was as if a ton of bricks were cascading on top of her head as she processed this new information.

"Does-" Della's eyes became blurry and the tears couldn't stop streaming from her eyes to her cheeks. She almost choked on her saliva. "Does does- but— what?" She asked oblivious to the whole truth her hand clasped on her lips as she refused to let out a sound of crying.

"It makes me your father, darling." Garreth said letting out a sigh.

"But but but no —Uh—you are so young, it can't be." She let out a whimper as tears streamed from each eye like the Niagara Falls, this was indeed a touchy topic.

"I'm forty-five and I was only sixteen or seventeen when you were born." He let out another sigh, he didn't know if he should comfort her or give her some space after tapping such a touchy subject.

Della couldn't believe it, she had always wanted her father around in her life. So many questions were now answered as to why sometimes her skin grew pale or how her eyes a lighter shade of brown. How her hair wasn't always jet black but instead rather brownish.

"You-" Della choked on her breath. "You you didn't wanted me!"Della let out another cry. Garreth was beyond heartbroken by the state his daughter was in, so he shifted a little so he could hold his little girl as she cried. She needed to let it all out. She cried softly in his arms as he softly rubbed circles on her back. She cried for everytime that her mother told her she was useless, unwanted, unloved, undesirable, good-for-nothing, waste and worthless. She cried for the words her ex-husband threw at her on the last day they ever saw each other.

"YOU CHEATING WHORE OR PERRA PENDEJA WHATEVER YOU LATINAS CALL IT. YOUR FATHER KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING WHEN HE LEFT BECAUSE YOU ARE A DAMN CURSE. NO WONDER YOUR MOTHER DOESN'T EVEN WANT YOU AROUND. I'M SO DISGUSTED TO HAVE FELL FOR A CUNNING WOMEN LIKE YOU."

She cried because of all these questions that her abuela was never able to answer. After a while she was silent, just thinking. Every Flashback was just hitting her right in the face.

"I'm sorry Adela." Garreth let out, he had tears on his cheeks, watching his daughter cry, this pulled his heart out of it's ribcage. Della didn't reply, she stayed silent and hid her face on his chest.

"My parents—"

"My parents when they found out... I had impregnated a girl especially the fact that she was Latina. They cared more about their reputation and what people would say. They shipped me off to a boarding school in Manchester. I didn't even know I had a child. When your mother came with her parents to confront me, I wasn't around. My parents took this opportunity to threaten them with deportation or whatever threat they could use since your grandparents were refugees. I think it worked because I never heard from your family again or your mother. My parents didn't tell me anything until I was married and told them that I couldn't have children. That's when my mother finally told me what she had done years back. Meeting you was a mistake, it wasn't planned but the night you told me about your personal life. Everything seemed to click, I knew then and there that you were my daughter. I looked at your file and everything but I just knew you were mine from the very first day there was something that drew you to me."

Della was listening attentively as her father stroked her soft hair, like she always saw in the movies except in this category she wasn't a little girl anymore.

"I'm sorry Adela." He said with silence following right after.

"I may not be the one you marry but I will be the one you will think about twenty years from now while listening to oldies and holding a drink that tastes like regret as you look over at the ugly lump of fuck you married." ~ Pinterest

—

"I was giving her space but now I won't do that anymore." Andre let out another exasperated sigh.

"Well, ami don't you think you should sort out the thing you have going on with your son..." Luc replied to his brother who seemed to be in deep thought. Andre's only thought was how close him and his son had grown in the past month. Leo was everything he had ever wanted in a son. He never wanted kids but Leo changed his mind. Being with Leo and seeing Leo made him happy but Luc was right he couldn't continue seeing him behind his ex-wife's back.

"She will say no." Andre took a sip of his Starbucks latte.

"He is your son and you have rights to be in his life whether she is okay with it or not." Luc muttered as a matter of fact.

"Mom took away my rights as soon as she kicked her out of the house and forced her to sign the divorce papers." He paused. "Goodness I can't believe my own mother did what she did. Wasn't it obvious that Della made me happy. I didn't care if she came from a wealthy family or not. I loved her for the person she was not her none existent reputation." Andre looked rather frustrated as he had his fingers in a fist ready to take out his anger on anything.

"Hey hey hey- calm down ami." Luc replied softly not wanting his brother to cause a scene in public. He knew Andre was capable of doing anything when he was angry. Before they could continue with their conversation both their phones rang signaling a message.

"Speak of the devil." Andre added looking at the text message his mother had sent him.

"I would rather be at a club than this stupid McCarthy gala." Luc said a tad bit irritated.

"I have to go, it's good for business and if I don't mom will never let me hear the end of it." Andre added.

"The good thing is its being held at the Ritz hotel so you get to see your Cinderella and maybe take her upstairs after her shift." Luc wiggled his eyebrows.

"Shut up Luc! You are such a retard." Andre playfully hit Luc on his shoulder but a small hint of a smile on his lips.

—

"If you are my mom's dad, does that make you my grandfather ?" Leo asked anxiously looking at the man who had introduced himself as his mom's father.

"Yes exactly, you are such a clever kid huh?" Garreth said ruffling Leo's blonde hair, he hated when people did that.

"I will probably find my dad when I'm grown up too." Leo said oblivious to the fact that he had just opened a wide unsealed wound. He continued playing his video games as he was slumped on the couch.

"Uhm Leondre ?" Della looked at her son questioningly. This boy never seemed to surprise her. Leondre was just too clever for his own good.

"Mom, I'm sorry I wasn't being rude. I was just saying besides I have a-" Leo remembered that his mom would be mad if he had said anything about his Rendezvous with Mister Andre.

"You have??" Della asked the little boy who gave her a quirky smile.

"I have a grandfather now but he looks so young. Wait till I tell my friends at school!" Leo said his eyes fully fixated on his game with full volume.

Della smiled before looking at her father who seemed amazed. What the little boy meant to say was 'I have a friend....Andre Levetté.'

"He never gets off that thing, i swear. He once cried when I hid it away from him." Della said with a glimmer of happiness in her eyes. She was beyond happy, this shocked her at first but after sometime she got used to it. She understood his reasons infact she didn't care about the past, Della just wanted to use the time they have right at this moment. Mila was shocked when Della told her about the news that had occurred the other day. Most of all Della wondered if her mother knew about Garreth McCarthy. He was well known, she had to have known but didn't want to say anything.

Della's mother wasn't the perfect example of a mother. Marcela was the worst example of a mother. Adela thrived in making herself the opposite of what her mother had been. When her grandparents weren't around, Marcela forgot to feed four year old Adela infact she didn't forget...she was out doing what other teens without kids did. Adela had to strive for herself at an early age. Sometimes Marcela threw things at little Adela whenever she cried; resulting in the little scar that Della had on her lower back. Adela didn't even call her mother, mother. She remembered the little details from her childhood bit by bit they haunted her sometimes.

"Mama mama mama." Adela ran up to her mother who had came to fetch her from kindergarten but Marcela shoved her away.

"Shut up you little schmuck. I'm not your mama it's Marcela." She rolled her eyes. The little girl who had her pink satchel in hand looked at her mother with blurry eyes attempting to cry, she didn't. Instead she smiled at Marcela, this just annoyed Marcela further.

"But you are my mama." Adela hiccupped a whimper.

"Say that again and I will end you. I'm not your mama okay, I'm your sister Marcela." She said as they walked away from the school down the sidewalk. "If your teacher asks who is your mama you say it's abuela okay ?"

Adela nodded sadly.

Adela grew up calling her mother by her name. She treated her like a sister. When she was young she couldn't understand but things started to make sense as she grew older.

"Marcela.." Thirteen year old Adela called her mother who was texting on her phone.

"Marcela ?" She called again.

"What do you want Adela?" Marcela replied in a Hispanic accent.

"I don't feel too good." Adela said in a sad tone.

"So what do you want me to do? do I look like Mother Mary to you." Marcela asked clicking her tongue at the little girl.

"My pee has blood, i think I'm sick." Adela said oblivious to the fact that it was that time of her adolescent phase.

"It's called a period dummy, ew. Go put some paper towels from the kitchen until abuelita comes home and shows you what you need to do." Marcela replied going back to texting on her phone. "That also means you cant be fucking boys or riding dick because you will get pregnant like I did but you could still suck someone off."

The television volume was also on its highest and could hardly hold a conversation. Marcela was obssessed with Enrique Iglesias. Adela didn't protest she walked away, feeling how sticky her panties were becoming. This was an odd feeling for her.

Adela had never needed her mother, she learned that at an early age. When she found out she was pregnant, she didn't want to hate the child because of the father's mistakes. She grew up in a hard environment, she just wanted to give her son the mother she never had. Adela had been an emotional wreck from an early age so when Andre hurt her, she had reached rock bottom and wanted to die but only lived because of the little soul that was growing inside her. Leo gave her strength to want to go on. She defended Jeanine because she didn't want her relationship with Andre to go south because of her. She never wanted anyone to experience what she had as a child. A mother and child relationship was something that was important to her. She had a soft spot for that part of life. Adela couldn't complain that much because she had her grandparents who loved her dearly.

It wasn't a shock to her that her mother lived in the same city but never visited or called. It was rare for her to call her own daughter. Della had come to terms with the fact that her mother did not care about her. After the divorce that was one person she needed but she was no where to be found. Della went to her mother's home after the Levetté's kicked her out. Only for Marcela to tell her that she couldn't stay there. Infact not even Marcela's husband knew about Della. Marcela had moved on, she had a son and husband. She told Della to stay away from her family—

her family.

Everyone pushed her away so she learnt to love herself and her son. She told herself that she would never depend on anyone again. Her son was all she had, she knew he wouldn't turn against her and every time Leondre kissed his mother good morning and good night, she knew it was worth it and beyond everything she felt loved and not alone.

"A daughter should not have to beg her father for a relationship." ~ milk and honey book.

-

"Is it really necessary for me to come along?" Della asked her father with a sincere expression. "I mean I love working extra shifts and this gala is a great opportunity for that." She explained as Garreth continuously typed on his laptop. After sometime he looked up and gave his new long lost daughter a smile.

"Adela, i want to introduce you to all my close friends and everyone else who needs to know you are my blood and heir. I will not allow my only daughter to be cleaning up tables while I dine with the upper crust." He said giving her an assuring smile.

"This is to make up for lost time, my darling you are a McCarthy." He said with a grin on his lips and a glimmer in his grey eyes.

"I have already sent for Donato Vivaldi to have your outfits for tonight set." Garreth said in an excited tone. Della looked rather confused maybe because she didn't grow up with the beau monde moneyed class. She had always longed to be wanted and loved, of course her abuela gave her that but this was different because the very same man whom she thought abandoned her was here making her feel like a priced ruby.

"Who is Donato Vivaldi?" Della asked anxiously. He had to be one of the upper crust people she thought to herself.

"That's one of the best designers in the business, he usually makes me custom made tuxedos whenever I am to attend a pretentious event like the one happening to night." Garreth said proudly.

"Oh but you don't have to spend alot of money-"

"No no Adela, do not worry yourself money is not a problem and you shouldn't have to ever worry about that okay?" He asked a hint of his British accent coming into play. It amazed Adela, she never thought that her father was from Britain. She always imagined he was some Mexican mechanic who wore blue work suits and had a mustache. That was initially the idea her mother gave her whenever she described him with the worst Mexican insults.

"But I don't want to stop working, I mean I enjoy being occupied." She composed herself.

"Yes yes dear but I want you to focus on your writing. I know you have a few drafts planned out, have you thought of finally looking for a publisher." He asked.

"No, i felt like it wasn't ready to be published yet." She said with a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Your work is excellent my dear. How about you continue working seeing as you don't want to stop but also let me help you look for a publisher. Your story could help other people out there suffering from depression." He told her with a genuine smile making her feel a certain feeling that she had always longed for. She always wanted her mother to say she was proud of her and now it was even much better because her father was the one who was saying it.

"Not to cross the line or anything but what about Leo's father.. Is he maybe around?" Garreth had been meaning to ask but didn't want to push any boundaries. He knew this was something that really hurt Della. Remembering the first time she told him about it, how she cried showing how broken she was. Allowing him to see her at her weakest.

"He is —uhm— he is around." She said looking away. She didn't want to ever think about Andre, he made her feel dirty, stupid and above all worthless. She didn't want to be reminded of the hurt that he made her feel, she didn't want to feel whatever she had felt back then. She just wanted to move on and that was far from impossible considering that he had started asking questions. What relieved her was that he had stopped, she had not seen him ever since their encounter at the park.

"I always thought Andre Levetté was a well respectable young man until I realised what he put your through." Garreth said in deep thought.

"No, he is a respectable person. Don't let my view about him change the way you see him." Della didn't know why she was defending him but she just wasn't the type of person to purposely hurt others because of bitterness.

"I can't help but be maddened by the way him and his family treated you. I read the papers and when you told me your side of the story... I finally understood what type of vultures those French imbeciles are." Garreth was beyond angry, he was a down to earth person but when anyone crossed the people he loved, he became the worst.

"Don't mind them, it's in the past." Della said putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I can't help it my dear but I won't let that ruin my night." He said grabbing his glass of whiskey and gulping the rest down. Della had never felt so appreciated... this was different. Garreth had told her that he wanted to introduce her to his world but it didn't mean she should stop being herself because he had grown to love her the way she is.

-

"You have nice curves, yes?" Donato said in a deep Italian accent. Mila wanted to laugh hysterically at his behavior because he would jump back and fourth with a dress in hand then wonder around for the jewellery that matched with a certain dress. He was certainly serious about his line of work.

"I'm jealous of that ass too." Mila pouted making Donato give her disapproving look.

"I wasn't talking to you young lady." Donato rolled his eyes acting quite dramatic. Mila laughed with Della who stood in a red dress that shaped every curve of her body. It molded her like a hand in glove. When she walked in even Leo gasped.

"Mommy you look beautiful like a Queen." Leo said making her mom feel all emotional.

"I knew this one would be perferto." Donato said clearly proud of himself.

"You look amazing." Mila said out of words. When Della stared at her self in the huge full length mirror, she almost didn't recognize herself. The dress was sleeveless and strapless. leaving her beautiful collar bone out for show and her breasts shaped well in this dress as well as her curves and ass that now even looked bigger. She felt beautiful and she hadn't felt that way in a long time. Her eyes were glossy with tears wanting to fall. Her hair looked beautiful in waves and her makeup not too much but a hint of natural look carefully done. Her dark red lipstick making her look beyond alluring, graceful, divine, elegant, refined, dazzling even pulchritudinous—

no word could describe how beautiful she looked.

"Don't ruin the make up." Donato said cheerfully. " You will have all the man in a trance even the married men." Donato said with a quirky smile.

"Thank you." Della said showing off her pearly white smile.

"Now that I'm done with the first lady, young man get in your suit and Milano get in your dress." Donato demanded.

"It's just Mila." Mila said rolling her eyes.

"Sì, Your parents failed at Italian class because it's Milano." He said in an nonchalant tone. Della and Leo held back laughter as Mila cursed some incoherent words in Spanish.

"Idiota." Mila muttered under her breath as she walked in to the dressing room. Luckily Donato did not hear any of that otherwise hell would have broke loose.

-

It had been over fourty minutes and the guests were becoming in-patient.

"McCarthy is never on time." One of the guests muttered to the other guests who were dressed formally for the event. When Garreth finally arrived with Leo walking right behind him, all the attention turned to him. He spoke to a few business man and welcomed them. Andre was beyond bored, after his second glass of wine and looking around the servers hoping he would see his Della but nothing. Luc had talked to half of the single women in the room and grown tired. Classical music played continuously by the orchestra and the guests chattered amongst themselves.

Andre felt someone tap him and turned around only to see nothing, that was until he faced down... Leondre. "Hey little man." Andre said surprised to see him in a suit and his hair gelled to perfection.

"Hey we look like twins." Leo said making Andre think obviously, you're my son. They practically had the same features. He wondered where Leondre's mother was before he could ask, Garreth McCarthy was on the stage and asking for everyone's attention.

Adela and Mila walked in the middle of the announcement not wanting to draw any attention. They both looked magnificent. Everyone had their attention focused on the person who was standing at the stage.

"Evening everyone." Garreth greeted and everyone responded in incoherent replies. He apologized for being late. Went ahead and talked about his latest charity campaign against women abuse and also about the donations he was holding for the people of Puerto Rico that had a devastating natural disaster. Everyone listened attentively, he mentioned how important it was to be a helping hand especially if you have the resources. Della felt proud to have a father like him, he was so kind and Mila on the other hand felt guilty for having called him a cunning bastard but never mind that, she had to look for her own millionaire around here.

"And lastly I would like to introduce to you, my long lost daughter who is here tonight. Adela, I'm sorry for not being there all your life but I'm going to make up for lost time and hopefully be the father you have always wished for. Everyone the beautiful Adela McCarthy, my daughter and my heir." He said with a proud smile on his face.

The spotlight went on Della and she felt beyond nervous but Mila gave her a gentle squeeze. Everyone was amazed by how beautiful she was they gave an applause. Garreth moved from the stage and went to stand beside his daughter.

"She is a McCarthy." Jeanine said to her husband clearly shocked.

"There always was something about her." Ben replied. Andre was shocked infact dumbfounded, he couldn't believe it. This had to be a dream. "That's my mom." Leo said tugging Andre who stood there astonished not only by the words that had came out of Garreth's mouth but because of the way his wife.. ex-wife looked, she didn't look beautiful; it was beyond that and her smile lit up the room. The way she talked to the guests who came to hug her and introduce themselves had him in awe. He knew he had made a mistake and wasn't quite sure if he would be able to ever fix it.