DIGGING DIRT SHOULD BE DONE IN THE MORNING
DIGGING DIRT SHOULD BE DONE IN THE MORNING
When he arrived earlier in the afternoon, they were a bit confuse and afraid. They were not informed ahead of time that someone of his caliber will come and visit the orphanage. If possible, they didn't want to have anything to do with him.
"I'd like to know if this kid is here." Mr. Damien stated and handed them an old-creased picture. "The little girl is my daughter."
Atty. Lewis looked at the man again before turning to the picture. Jade resembled the man a little but most of her features were taken after her mother. "I'm afraid you are too late Mr. Damien."
"What do you mean?" the man held on to his can tightly, waiting for the bad news.
"Your daughter got adopted already."
"By home?" his agitation was clear but Atty. Lewis steeled himself to fight for the righteousness. Personally, he didn't want the little girl to fall in the hands of her father. He might be considered cruel and heartless for depriving the little girl of seeing her biological father but, it would be better than getting hurt and putting the child's life in danger.
"I can't divulge that information to you Mr. Damien. Even if you are the child's father, we cannot tell you her whereabout. That is against our privacy."
The man looked towards Atty. Lewis without saying anything for a while. They didn't know what he was thinking but Atty. Lewis knew that it was something bad.
"I understand. I will just find a way to know where my daughter is." Mr. Damien stood up and left, followed by his men.
Atty. Lewis and Jiya waited for them to leave the office before releasing a sigh of relief. "I can't believe that person was Jade's father! He even has the guts to show up!" Jiya exclaimed with obvious distaste towards the man.
"This is a big problem. Make sure to remind the kids not to take anything from strangers. I'm afraid that man will bribe the children to locate his daughter. I will call Travis to let them know about this."
"Okay Uncle Lewis. I will leave this matter to you.'' Jiya also stood up and left the office. Atty. Lewis was in a daze for a few seconds.
"Anton, please guide your daughter and keep her safe. Her life had been in danger several times now. I don't know what else to do." Atty. Lewis whispered into the thin air, without anyone listening to him. He picked up his phone from the drawer and dialed Jillyanna's number.
Travis was currently keeping his things away when Jillyanna's phone rang. They talked about switching their phone few days ago and now he was using Jillyanna's phone. "Atty. Lewis is calling." He informed his wife who was busy eating grapes on the couch.
"Go ahead and answer it. I am busy." She popped a piece of seedless grapes inside her mouth. "M mawtsful (My mouth's full)." Travis knew that she was just being lazy but he didn't care about that. On the third ring, he picked up the phone and answered it.
"Travis speaking."
"Can you hand the documents tomorrow?"
"Why so urgent? You said that we can give it back after few days of consideration." Travis retorted which grabbed Jillyanna's attention to him. She stopped eating and wiped her hands with a tissue.
"Jade's father came out. He is Mr. Walter Damien."
"I don't care whoever he is. He abandoned his child once. We like the child that he gave up so, we won't give her back to him." Travis stated calmly. "I will have someone send the documents first thing tomorrow."
"Okay. No matter what happens, I will help you keep the child." Atty. Lewis told him some information about Walter Damien before finally ending the call.
Jillyanna stood up from her seat and walked towards Travis. "Jade's father was looking for her?"
"Hn. He has a big name in the society. Have you heard about Walter Damien?"
"Oh shit! He is Jade's biological father?" Jillyanna asked in surprise. "That person who was running a hotel with hidden illegal casino?"
"Yup. That man."
"How did he become Jade's father? As I listened to Jade's story, it seemed to me that he abandoned them long ago. If he was this reach, how come her wife died in giving birth? Jade was left alone with no relative, too? If not for the orphanage, that lovely child would've been gone already! How dare he claim his daughter back!"
"Calm down." Travis held her hand and gently squeezed it. "I won't let anyone take our child."
"But what if Jade wanted to go to him?" Jillyanna questioned the thing that she was most afraid of. "I know that we just spend a few hours with her but I can't give her up. I love that child."
"Is it because you see yourself in her?"
"Hn. Despite the difficulties and challenges, she was struggling to live. She deserves to live. She's kind, and honest. She loves her family which sadly left her alone. She is just like me."
Travis hugged her and rubbed her back. "Don't worry, I'll think of a way. Let's talk to Jade tomorrow. Don't think too much for now."
Jillyanna sighed and pouted. "Every time something good happens, bad luck follows right after. I hate this."
"Everything happens for a reason. As long as someone lives, danger will never cease. Bad luck and lovely good luck co-exist in human lives. This is just part of our trial. We'll get trough this. Trust me."
"I always trust you. Anyway, let's talk about Jade. Do you want to change her name? How about Jade Venus Madrigal?"
"Naming her after my mother?"
"Yup."
"That's a great idea. How about her birthday?"
"Let's not change it. After all, it is her information that would connect her to her biological mother. Let's not take it away from her."
Travis pulled the envelope which contained the documents and gave it to her. "Here. Just fill up the information. I'll sign it after you are done."
Jillyanna reached for the documents and read through it before filling in the information. "Jade Venus Madrigal. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." She mumbled happily to herself. Seeing her happy like this, Travis loved it and he hated it when some people wanted to rob off her genuine smile.
He contacted Shein immediately to look into Walter Damien. "Dig as deep as you can. Take out all the skeletons in the closet of this person. He is making your sister unhappy."
Shein was planning to put off the task until the next morning. However, when he read the last statement, his eyes turned cold and fierce. His hands started flying over his keyboard, not stopping until he was done with the task.
Shein's dark eyebags and tired face almost startled Jade's innocent soul when the morning came. "Uncle Shein, what happened to you? Are you sick? Should I look for a doctor?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine." Shein waved his hand in front of him.
"Don't worry about him sweetie. He must have played with his computer all night." Riley stated with a chuckle. "You got a last-minute task?" she asked her boyfriend as she led her down towards the kitchen.
"Big bro needed something. It wasn't that urgent but when he said that big sis was unhappy, I needed to vent my anger. So, I end up digging so much dirt until four in the morning."
Jade, who didn't understand what they were talking about, thought that Shein was digging literal dirt. "Uncle, don't dig dirt at night. You can do it in the morning at the garden."
Her innocent remark made Shein and Riley stifle their laughter. They really couldn't stop themselves from laughing when she was looking so serious yet adorable when as she spoke to them.
In this same moment in city C, Walter Damien just received the news from his subordinate. "Sir, we found who adopted the young lady. It is the business man in city B, Travis Madrigal."
"That young business man? Why did he adopt my daughter?"
"Uh..you might have not known of this news sir but, Mr. Madrigal got married not long ago. His wife must have wanted a daughter and found the young lady."
"Oh? Then, let's give them a visit."