Chapter 359 - Childhood

"And stop with the guilty stare, " Diana laughed when she noticed that Michael wouldn't stop looking at her like he had done something so unforgivable, if only he knew the joy bubbling in her heart.

They ate and talked about other things, after eating, Diana covered the containers and placed them back in the basket. Lying down, she placed her head on his legs as she relaxed, letting the cool breeze fan her face. 

Her smile couldn't leave her face, that day had become one of the happiest days of her life.

Michael brushes her soft hair with his hands as he gazed at her.

"Tell me about your childhood."

Diana said suddenly, and Michael was quiet, she waited a moment and when she did not hear him speak, her eyes opened and she looked at him with worry,

Did something happen in his childhood?

Michael blinked and smiled,

"My childhood was the darkest part of my life."

He paused for a minute as though trying to recall the memories he had hidden away in the deepest parts of his mind.

"My parents passed when I was five, in a car accident, and I was taken to the orphanage. Although we weren't wealthy, we weren't poor either, so moving to the orphanage was very traumatic for me as a child.

I was yet to recover from the pains of losing my parents, but no-one cared. The minute I was brought into the room with other kids, I became another orphan child.

I was forced to become an a.d.u.l.t at that tender age. At night, I would cry my eyes out and at the same time try to hold it in. 

The day I cried out loud, I was mercilessly beaten by the older kids.

They reminded me that they didn't have parents too and that I should get used to it. That was the day it dawned on me that my parents weren't coming back and I was on my own.

Four years flew by so fast, and then on that day, she walked into the orphanage.

I had prayed to all the gods I knew to be adopted, but most of the families wanted children between two to five, once a child got to ten, most times they weren't adopted and the ones who were, were mostly good looking.

I wasn't this handsome as a kid and given my very quite and nerdy nature then, no-one noticed me. I had lost all hope until that day,

She had come asking for a child of nine years, my age exactly. One of the caretakers, came calling us out we were about eight kids, we were brought to her,

I was very shy and quiet then, so my eyes were glued to the floor as I stood behind other kids who were eager to be adopted, but strangely, she walked up to me and raised my face.

And then she smiled.

'I want this one' that was what she said,

I thought I didn't hear correctly so I blinked, but she was still there holding my hand, and that was when I knew I was leaving the orphanage.

She was my life saver, she became my god, I didn't see any wrong in anything she did, I did whatever she asked me to do without a question.

Now I think about it, she chose me for a replacement for her son because I looked quiet and I seemed like someone who could easily be manipulated. That was what she was looking for, someone she wouldn't have trouble eliminating and I was her perfect match.

I was grateful to her for everything, so I didn't pay attention to the things she said to me."

"What did she say?" Diana asked curiously,

"She was fond of reminding me who I was, an orphan and a nobody and that I should never forget my place.

I would never forget who I was or where I came from, but her constant reminder hurt my heart, but that didn't stop me from wanting to please her. I even called her mother."

He paused as though remembering something, he laughed,

"I can remember one of the days I came back from school, I had gone to see her in her room and I called her mother,

She had screamed at me and tossed a jar towards me, saying,

I'm not your mother, you wretched orphan child!

I was speechless but I quietly turned around and left.

She never let any of my friends visit,

I was mostly in my room, or helping her with some chore. I didn't think much of any of those because it couldn't compare to sleeping with some bunch of kids who would whip your back while you slept.

The funny part of it all was how she treated me when we went outside, like she loved me with everything in her, she made sure to treat me like I was her son. It was so different that I got confused at some point. Why was she treating me so nice outside but was utterly different in private? at that time I couldn't understand. 

I wanted to be a pilot and and I told her, and she stared at me pointedly and told me to study business mamagement, and I knew that I didn't have a voice, so I studied business management, which led me to managing her company with all my soul for her son.

I only knew what I was to her after Liam came back to live with us. She was quietly giving everything back to him. I didn't mind, they weren't mine to begin with but she wasn't going to end at giving him everything. She wanted to end my life too.

Like I was nothing, she wanted to kill me when all I did was want to please her."

Michael stopped talking, then he looked at Diana with a smile,

"I didn't know what it felt like having parents, cause I was very little when my parents died. And I grew up with Catherine who didn't bother about me. I was never cared for, so I thought it was normal not to care. 

I was never loved, well until I met my friends, those boys made me smile in the hardest times. Catherine didn't let them come to the house until I took over the company. They were the people keeping me sane... until I met you."

Diana swallowed,

"I can't imagine how it felt… it must have been so sad for you…"

She said as she tried to imagine herself being in that situation and her heart squeezed with pain, she breathed out slowly, pushing the thoughts away. It must have been hell for him.

"It was sad until I got used to living it, then I felt nothing. It is only sad when you want it to be, if you see it as normal, it wouldn't feel sad anymore."

Diana sat up from his legs and threw her arms around his him, hugging him tight,

"why didn't we go to the same school? I would have fallen for you early and made you smile, you had to go to another school and I had to fall for someone who barely looked at me."

Michael chuckled,

"On the contrary, I might not have seen you because you would have been a short little baby in junior class, and I went with the bad boys so you would have obviously not fallen for me."

Diana raised her head as she stared at his face,

"How old do you think I am? And what baby? Didn't I tell you I was among the prettiest in class?" she glared at him,

"Babe, you're 24, your age is pasted on every site on the internet, and I'm older by 2 years so we wouldn't be in the same class."

Diana pouted, "I still would have fallen for you though, there's no way I wouldn't have fallen for you."

She said, a blush forming on her chin as she stared in his eyes, her hands on his chest. 

Michael smiled,

"So you're saying you fell for me the first day we met?''

Diana's gaze fluttered and she cleared her throat, 

"Well, I was still thinking about my one sided crush, but I was sincerely wondering what artifact you walked out from. You were insanely handsome, and you spoke so sweetly that I didn't want to leave."

Michael grinned "interesting…" 

" stop smiling like you won a trophy, it's not like I even remembered you after that day."

"Says the woman that begged to take me out."

Diana glared at him,

"You always win, don't you?"

Michael laughed, pecking her lips quickly, making her blush amidst the glare in her eyes.

"you're so annoying!"

She glared at him, helplessly. 

Michael was about to say something when his phone rang,

After the call, his eyes flashed at the time and he turned to Diana,

"It's almost five, didn't know we've stayed so long,"

"Wow, it's late already, we should go."

Diana said, standing up, she folded the cloth, and Michael carried the basket in his other hand as he held her.

He placed the basket at the back of the car and opened the door for her.

"Urggh, I don't want today to end."

Diana groaned as they drove out.

Michael smiled,

"What do you say, let's go watch a movie?"

Diana beamed, "Perfect!"

Diana chose a drive in theater, she didn't want anyone looking at them in case... well, just in case,

After buying some snacks, they sat in the car as they waited for the movie to begin,

"I prefer eating ice cream when watching movies to popcorn, I don't know why most people prefer popcorn,"

She said,

Michael turned to look at her and noticed a stain of ice cream on the side of her lips, 

"Well because they don't want it to stain their lips, like yours is right now…"

He said and kissed her lips, licking off the ice cream with his tongue.