Bittersweet Arrangements : A Sugar Dady Affair

Devan stood motionless in front of Erick’s room, fulfilling the conditions given by Jeremy. Conditions that made Devan doubt their success. But why not give it a try? After all, Erick was his son. Why should he be afraid just to say that he was going to get married again? Actually, getting married again wasn’t the main issue here, as Erick had long given his permission. The real dilemma was who the woman would be.

“I will give you my blessing as long as you meet the conditions I will give you!”

“First, ask for permission from Erick and your parents. Remember, there should be no coercion or threats!”

“Second, I will give you permission to meet Elena at a time that I will determine.”

“Third, you two will only get married when Elena turns 22.”Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

“Fourth, points 2 and 3 will not apply if you fail to meet the first point.”

Like a documentary film continuously playing in his mind. Each sentence uttered by Jeremy this afternoon kept echoing. It sounded easy to meet these conditions. However, the reality was quite different. Asking for permission from his parents might be easier than asking Erick to accept Elena as his stepmother. Elena and Erick were only two years apart, meaning they were more suitable as siblings than as mother and son.

Slowly, Devan’s hand lifted, intending to knock on the door he had been staring at. However, instead of knocking, Devan’s hand fell back. He needed some time alone to decide on the steps he would take. His heart and mind were in chaos right now. Maybe tomorrow or the day after, he would talk to Erick as a father and son.

“Meet Erick now. He’s already an adult and needs to know everything. Sooner is better than him hearing it from someone else,” Dion said, unnoticed by Devan, who had been observing him from the front of the bedroom door.

Devan turned to Dion with a meaningful look. Apparently, being honest with Erick was much more challenging than with everyone else. He took a deep breath before deciding whether to continue his intention or to postpone it. Upon reflection, Dion’s words had some truth to them. It was better for Erick to learn the truth about his relationship with Elena directly from him rather than from someone else’s lips.

Two knocks on the door were enough to open it. The teenager who had been ready to sleep stood before him.

“What’s up, Dad?” Erick said, standing at the doorway.

“I want to talk to you for a moment,” Devan replied, a request that Erick immediately accepted.

Erick opened the door wide, allowing Devan to enter. Unintentionally, Erick noticed Dion standing in front of the guest room door, where his uncle was staying. Suddenly, Erick became suspicious of his father’s visit. It was unusual for his only parent to invite him for a private conversation in his room.

Curiously, Erick closed his bedroom door and joined Devan sitting on the edge of the bed. Erick turned on the light that had previously been off.

“Is there a problem, Dad?” Erick asked, looking suspiciously at his father, who seemed agitated.

“Dad wants to get married again,” Devan replied, instantly freezing Erick. Without beating around the bush, Devan revealed the purpose of his visit.

Devan’s statement, of course, shocked Erick to no end. As far as he knew, Devan was close to a woman named Dinda. But so far, Devan had never introduced Dinda as his father’s girlfriend. If it was true, why did his father seem upset? Erick admitted that recently his father’s behavior seemed different. The man often smiled to himself while playing with his phone. His father’s appearance now was neater, and he always smelled good. As if someone who was in love. Even after work, his father still seemed enthusiastic.

“Yes, Dad wants to get married again,” Devan replied, answering the question that echoed in Erick’s frozen heart.

“Wh-who is that woman, Dad? D-do I know her?” Erick finally managed to speak, although a bit stammered.

“Of course, you know her. In fact, you are very close to her,” Devan said, locking Erick’s two eyes, implying curiosity.

Erick’s feelings became instantly unsettled. His guess was off the mark. Dinda was clearly not the real answer. Erick began to delve into Devan’s heart through their locked gazes. They demanded answers to the ambiguous questions they hadn’t voiced yet. Boom… Erick’s heart instantly pounded loudly when a certain someone’s name emerged in his mind. A woman who had lived with them before, a woman who always provoked his emotions with her behavior and absurd statements.

Erick shook his head slowly, trying to dismiss thoughts about that woman. No. It couldn’t be that the woman he was thinking about was the one. The woman he saw talking to his father at Kia’s birthday party, the daughter of his father’s friend. Erick’s mind returned to that night when he saw his father staring at her with a teasing gaze. Even the woman, who seemed shy, was noticed by Erick.

Understanding Erick’s facial expression, Devan held his breath. Erick’s guess was correct. Since Erick was little, Devan had taught him to communicate through eye contact. It wasn’t surprising that Erick often chose to stay silent when he saw his father upset. Erick didn’t want to disturb Devan with all the questions he would undoubtedly ask.

“Elena?” Erick whispered, his gaze filled with disbelief.

“Yes,” Devan replied briefly, reaching for Erick’s hand.

“Hahaha… Erick doesn’t want to joke, Dad! Since when did Dad become so good at making jokes like this?” Erick replied, shaking off Devan’s attempt to hold his hand.

“Dad is serious, Erick!” Devan admitted softly, laden with regret.

Honestly, Devan didn’t know why he fell in love with a teenage girl like Elena. The feeling just appeared without him asking for it. He had tried to dismiss the feeling several times, but Devan couldn’t. His heart continued to yearn for Elena.

Erick’s rejection naturally shattered Devan’s heart into pieces. His only hope was Erick. Yesterday, his father Zaky even instructed him to talk to Erick first. And Devan’s fear came true. Erick wouldn’t accept him.

“Erick is sleepy. Dad should leave Erick’s room!” Erick ordered, his eyes shining with anger. Apparently, his premonition was correct. Elena’s arrival at his home was a huge disaster for his family.

Devan took a long breath, then exhaled slowly to calm the deep disappointment. Carrying the shattered pieces of his heart, Devan got up. He glanced at Erick for a moment, who was openly turning away. Without saying anything else, Devan left his son’s room. Now Devan realized. There was no more hope for him to be with the girl of his dreams.

***

At two in the morning, Elena was still awake. Her eyes seemed to refuse to close. Since yesterday, she hadn’t met her Daddy at all. Elena knew her beloved man was still angry and unwilling to see her. Now, it wasn’t the pain of heartbreak like the rejection from Devan she felt before. But more than that. Apparently, being ignored by her Daddy was much more painful.

A feeling of warmth began to spread on her face. Her eyes were also getting teary. Her heart started beating unusually. Everything felt bland. Elena got up and went out of her room. She knocked on the door of the room next to hers. However, there was no response from inside. Elena sighed and walked towards the stairs.

Elena continued to descend the stairs. Once downstairs, she fell silent. She stared at the closed door of her parents’ room. It had been a long time since she disturbed their sleep. In the dimness, Elena walked towards the door that had been the center of her attention.

Elena’s hand hovered in the air, ready to knock on the door. However, she refrained immediately. Disturbing her parents’ rest would only make them angrier later. Tears began to well up in Elena’s eyes, moistening her pale face. Since yesterday, her sleep schedule was messed up. Even her appetite was gone. For two days since her Daddy got mad, Elena hadn’t come out of her room. Her mind was chaotic like tangled threads, making it difficult for Elena to sleep. Sleep had become the most challenging activity for her at the moment.

Then, without caring about her parents’ reactions, Elena pressed the doorknob, which fortunately was unlocked. Whether her parents did it on purpose or forgot to lock Elena up doesn’t matter. The most important thing tonight is that he can hug his Daddy to cure the longing that torments him. Elena carefully entered the room. Unusually, tonight his parents’ room was dark. However, Elena could still clearly see two figures sleeping in a hugging position. It’s not a strange thing indeed. Elena is used to seeing scenes like this. Usually Elena, without caring, just crawls into the blanket. Then sleep right in the middle of the two of them. Separating the two lovebirds who always looked intimate.

Elena roughly wiped her tears. Without caring about her father’s anger, Elena just climbed into bed. Right behind his Daddy.

“Miss you Daddy,” Elena sobbed as she hugged Jeremy’s body tightly.

Jeremy, who felt disturbed, finally woke up. Hearing the sound of sobbing from behind his body, Jeremy immediately opened his eyes. Then Jeremy slowly moved Vanessa’s head from his arms onto the pillow. In order not to disturb his wife’s rest, Jeremy lifted Elena’s hand from his body and then turned around.

“Go to sleep!” Jeremy said then hugged Elena’s body tightly while smiling. Jeremy had guessed that tonight his beloved daughter would definitely come to their room. So, before they went to bed, Jeremy ordered Vanessa not to lock their bedroom door. Even Jeremy was willing not to ask for his share tonight.

Soon Jeremy felt Elena’s regular breathing in his arms. It was a sign that the girl was asleep. But suddenly a hand hugged him from behind.

“Don’t forget I’m here!” whispered the sexy woman behind him in a hoarse voice typical of waking up which sounded very seductive.