CHAPTER THREE: REVEALING THE HIDDEN SECRET.

It's been months since Andrew and Sophia started dating. He asked her to be his girlfriend on their second date, he wanted to ask her on their first, but he had to change his mind when he saw Sophia's mood after talking about her late father. Another thing that made him wait was what she had told him to be her fear. He wished he could just walk away from her and let her be, but it's hard for him, very hard for him.

Florence was alone in her living room, very busy with her laptop that was on her leg. As she was working on her laptop, she had some files on the table which she was checking out and also separating. She was about to lift a file that was on the other piled files when she heard the doorbell rang, she checked her wrist watch and wondered who it was. She knew it's only Sophia that shows up in her house without informing her, but Sophia had gone to spend the weekend with Andrew in his house.

She rose up on her feet and walked to the door, when she opened it, she didn't see anybody. Her eyes caught the flower that was on the ground, and she picked it up before she stepped out from her living room to see if the person that dropped the flower had left or... She huffed and snapped at herself for not wondering who dropped the flower but was concerned if they've left or were still luring around the corner of her house.

She did not know why she picked the flower in the first place without inspecting it, what if it's dangerous. After giving the flower a thorough look and seeing that it's just a beautiful and harmless flower, she decided to head back inside and continue what she was doing, because she's too busy to have the time of whosoever dropped the flower and their motive. Either they wanted to prank or....

She was about to open the door of her living room with her thoughts when a hand grabbed her waist and pulled her to himself, hugging her so tight. She was at the verge of screaming and pulled away when she recognized the smell of him, and how her body is familiar with him. She steady her body and returned the hug, for about a minute, they were both in each other's arms in silence.

When they pulled away from each other, but his hand was still on her waist, he pressed his lips on her forehead not before moving behind her ear, a strand of hair that was stubbornly disturbing her eyes.

"I want those lips on mine," Florence said seductively tilting her head back. He smiled at her revealing his deep dimples. He cupped her cheeks in his hand and started kissing her slowly, he pulled her closer to himself, and to help herself get enough of his lips, Florence wrapped her hands around his neck opening her mouth for him to claim her tongue. For some minutes they both stood there kissing and exploring each others tongue.

"Oh Daniel, I miss you." Florence confessed resting her head on Daniel's chest trying to catch her breath when they pulled away from the kiss.

"I miss you more, face timing you everyday wasn't enough, I was praying for us to finish the project on time so that i could come back home to see my baby's face again." He replied, stroking her hair.

"But you told me, you'll be arriving next week." Florence complained with a frown, looking up at Daniel who had a wide smile on his face.

"I wanted to surprise you, didn't you like it?" He answered before pecking her lips.

"I love it," Florence said, staring at the flower that she has been holding since she picked it up from the ground. "But I thought it was from one of my admirers." She teased and bit her lips to prevent herself from laughing so that Daniel wouldn't know she was teasing him.

"To hell with all your admirers, they better be admiring and never get that nerve to come close to you" they both busted into laughter as Daniel said that and they both walked into the room with Daniel hand on Florence's waist.

Florence Edward is a twenty_seven years old blonde lady with brown eyes. She's an Entrepreneur who's got a restaurant to her name. She's in the same age range with her best friend Sophia Carter, and also the same height which is 5'3 tall. She and Daniel Williams have been dating for over a year.

Daniel is the managing director of his father's company, and he was on a business trip for a month before paying Florence a surprise visit. He's twenty_nine years old who has brown hair and ocean blue eyes with a perfect and jaw dropping masculine figure.

*****

TWO YEARS LATER

After two years of dating, Andrew planned a surprise proposal with Florence to ask Sophia to be his wife. Their plan was Successful as Sophia didn't suspect anything. Florence had lied to Sophia to escort her to a friend's birthday party, but when they got to the event, it turned out to be a surprise proposal party for Sophia. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Andrew at the party and wanted to ask Florence if she's the one that invited him.

When she turned to ask Florence, she couldn't find her beside her and she turned her face to look at Andrew whom she almost lost balance of standing when she saw him on his knee with a diamond ring on his hand. Sophia looked around in search of Florence to come tell her what was happening and when her eyes finally caught Florence, she was smiling where she stood gesturing with her head to Sophia to move closer to Andrew, because they had quite a big distance between them. Sophia could feel the rate at which her heart was pounding so fast as she took each step toward Andrew, who remained where he's been kneeling and hasn't said a thing.

"I don't think I want to continue living without you Sophia, I'm not sure I could endure those cold nights without you by my side anymore. Marry me, be my wife, please." Andrew said truthfully, staring at Sophia who had her hands shuddering. He knew she loves him too, just like the way he loves her. And he never wanted to hurt her, he never for a reason wanted to be the reason behind her pain. But there he was doing what he knew would bring her nothing but pain the moment she accepted his ring.

When she moved closer with teary eyes, the only answer she was able to give that moment was to nod her head as she stretched out her hands for Andrew. He slid the ring into her finger and rose up to give her a heartwarming hug. Sophia buried her head on Andrew's chest and sob silently on it.

"I love you, believe me when I say I do." Andrew whispered to her ear patting her back, and she was too busy crying to answer.

It was a week later that Andrew was with Sophia in her living room, he had been keeping her company with his jokes which weren't even that funny to him, but got her laughing out so hard that she had tears in her eyes. He couldn't help but to admire how she looks more beautiful with the way she laughs. He knew right there and that moment he would tell her the truth, but how he is going to break it to her so that it won't shatter her, is what he doesn't know.

Sophia stopped laughing and stared at Andrew whom she noticed just gone silent all of a sudden and was staring at her in an unusual way.

"You look disturbed, what is the problem?" Sophia asked, her face full of concern and seriousness.

"I need to tell you something Sophia," the moment he said that, his heart started pounding so fast that it got hard for him to breathe.

"What is it that you want to tell me that gets you all this worked up?," Sophia asked, getting anxious and curious already. Andrew inhaled deeply before exhaling, he stood up from where he was sitting.

"Andrew, you're scaring me with that weird look of yours, and your silence is killing me. Just say the damn thing and free me from this suspense." Sophia said after standing up when he expected Andrew to say something the moment he stood up, but he just stood staring at her.

"I..I'm a father Sophia." He dropped what felt like a bombshell to Sophia's ear. Even though he said it with all seriousness, Sophia found it funny and couldn't help but burst into laughter. Andrew sighed, lowering his head, and wondered what she'd do, how she'd react if she finally came to realize he's not joking.

"What a nice joke you've got there...."

"I'm not joking Sophia, it's the truth. I'm a father, a father of two kids, a boy and a girl." Sophia went speechless in that minute, and there are thousands of feelings she hasn't felt in ages creeping into her body, making it difficult for her to move from where she stood.