I was working at the studio in my house when Andrea entered.
"Queenie. Mayor Julian Williams requested to see you." Andrea told me.
I stopped my work and looked at her. "When am I free?" I asked Andrea.
"Wait, let me check." Andrea looked at her tab. "Tomorrow you'll be free all afternoon until evening."
"Then schedule a meeting with him tomorrow." I said. "Where does he want to meet me?"
"His assistant said he has booked a dinner at a five star restaurant downtown." Andrea answered. "And he also requested for Troy to come."
I looked at Andrea confused. "Troy? Why would he want him to come?" I asked.
"Maybe he knows that Troy was the one that saved you 8 years ago and wants to confirm your identity." Andrea thought.
"Hmm, maybe your right." I said.
My plans are moving. Now that I have my father's attention I will work my way to get the company out of my stepmother's hands. I know that after my father has been mayor he was so focused on his work that the one who runs the company has been Victoria.
"Not long I will get back my mother's company." I said.
"Williams Group of Companies is from your mother's inheritance, right?" Andrea asked.
"Yes it was my mother who started that business from the inheritance she got from my grandfather. I am the rightful owner of the company. And for me to get that back I need to get my father's trust." I said.
***
I have dressed simple for the dinner with my father. I chose a light pink dress with short sleeves and a pink handbag to match. Troy was coming with me. He wore a white suit and black pants. I looked at him in a daze. My angel looks so dashing and handsome.
"I'm going to melt if you stare at me for so long." Troy said jokingly. I was snapped out of my daze and blushed embarrassed.
"Stop teasing me." I said while smiling.
Troy laughed. "Sorry. But you also look beautiful." Troy looked at me with those emerald eyes. Those eyes started to enchant me with their spell again. He walked towards me and held my by the waist and pulled me close to him. "May I kiss you?" he asked for permission.
I stared at him in awe. I was already under his spell and only nodded in agreement.
Troy leaned towards me slowly and puts his lips in mine. I savor the flavor of his sweet lips. The heat and tenderness in them makes me want to have more.
Troy parted his lips from mine. "I'm afraid that will be all for now." he said. "If I continue I'm afraid we're going to be late at our meeting." he smiled at me playfully.
I was woken up from his spell and composed my self. I felt shy and can feel the heat on my cheeks.
"Well then let's go." Troy offered his arm. I put my arm on his and smiled at him.
"Thank you for coming with me." I said. "Actually I'm really nervous."
"Don't worry. I'm just here beside you." Troy put his hands in mine to calm me.
***
At dinner my father was alone to meet us. We just made small talk while eating.
"Would you like to ordered some wine?" my father asked us. We have just finished dessert by then.
"Is it okay if we order champagne rather than wine?" Troy said. "She can't intake strong alcohol or her headache attacks will be bad."
My father made a surprised expression after he heard that but composed himself fast and smiled. "Oh okay. Then champagne it is then." my father had ordered from the waiter a bottle of champagne.
"Has Queenie said to you why I want to talk to the both of you?" my father asked Troy.
"Yes Mr. Williams. She had said that she resembled your dead daughter." Troy answered.
"Oh please just call me Julian. Yes, she looks so much alike my Jill." my father said. "May I know when and where you saved her?"
The champagne arrived. The waiter filled out glass. I took a sip from my glass and tasted the sweet champagne. I see Troy take a sup as well.
Troy nodded. "I was here in N city 8 years ago. I was sailing on my sailboat back then when I saw her floating in the ocean. I swam to get her and have done CPR to revive her. Fortunately she was breathing. So I rushed her to the hospital." Troy said.
My father was listening carefully. I gauged his reaction and saw that he was kind of hurt while Troy was retelling the events that day.
Troy continued. "At the hospital the doctors concluded that maybe she survived a huge fall to have injuries all over her body. She had many bone fractures and a concussion in her head. She was in a coma. After a week and no one knew her identity I decided to take her with me to Paris. After 3 months she had woken up from her coma and can't remember anything. She was diagnosed with amnesia. That's when me and my mother decided to adopt her to our family."
My father was silent for a moment. I can see tears building up in his eyes. "Now I am certain that she is Jill." he said.
"But how can you be so sure I am your daughter." I asked him.
"Call it a father's instinct." my father smiled at me gently. My heart clenched. All my life he had been cold to me but now I can see the love he has for me. "And after what Troy has retold I am now pretty certain. Jill jumped at a cliff near my wife's villa. It was a huge drop to the ocean. All of Troy's story match what happened to Jill 8 years ago."
I was happy. In my heart I was delighted that my father has acknowledge me now. Back then I thirsted for his affection and approval.
"If you want to have concrete evidence and if you are willing, we can have a DNA test done." my father said.
I squeezed Troy's hand. I was feeling emotional and don't know what to say. Troy looked at me. He knew what to do so I let him make the decision.
"Then we are willing to have the DNA test." Troy said. "I am sure Queenie would like to also know her origins."
My father's face lightened and gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. You don't know how this means much to me." he said.
'Oh daddy. If you just knew that this means much to me as well.' I thought while fighting back the tears.