I Am Not A Poor Daddy

18

“No. She doesn’t want to see you anymore. ‘Poor daddy’,” Sara replied sarcastically, as if belittling Sebastian’s efforts to be involved in Dinda’s life. Every word that came out of her mouth was like a needle that stabbed his heart deeper.

 Sebastian felt pent-up anger. “This is too much, Sara! I’m not the ‘poor daddy’ you mentioned! I may not be Dinda’s biological father, but I want to be a part of her life,” he said, his voice rising, but he tried to make sure he remained polite despite the anger. 

 But Sara just smiled sarcastically, making him feel even more hopeless. “She might be better off without your drama-filled presence. Why don’t you just focus on yourself?” she replied, shrugging as if none of this mattered to her. 

 Sebastian was completely fed up. Everything he had done, all the effort he had put into protecting Dinda and speaking up for the little girl seemed to be in vain. “You only care about yourself! Dinda deserves to know about me and has the choice to meet me!” he shouted with emotion. 

 He thought about how Dinda had become the center of his world, and right now, he felt like he had lost all hope. The fond memories with her flashed through his mind, and he didn’t want to just ignore them. 

 “Give me some time to meet Dinda. This isn’t just about us—it’s about her!” Sebastian pleaded again, feeling the depth of the injustice he was experiencing right now. 

 However, Sara remained firm, “No more discussions. This is my decision. She lives with me, and I won’t let you get close to her.” 

 Sebastian felt his soul being crushed by this harsh reality. He knew that Sara would continue to stand in his way. Within him, a new strength grew—he wouldn’t give up so easily. Even though all his efforts seemed to be fruitless, he knew that he had to find another way to fight for Dinda. 

 Sebastian took a deep breath and resolved not to let this discourage him. He would find a way to protect Dinda from all the lies and deceit—and this time, he would be more prepared than ever. 

 Sebastian felt like he had no other choice. With a heavy heart, he decided to leave Sara without saying any last words that could add to the tension. All the frustration and anger would only lead to violence—something he didn’t want to do. He walked out of the cafe feeling empty, determined to find another way to fight for Dinda. 

  Meanwhile, when Sara returned home, she found Dinda playing in the living room. With a fake smile, she approached her. “Dinda, soon you will be living with ‘rich daddy’,” she said, trying to arouse her interest with a cheerful tone, even though she knew that there was tension in her heart. 

 Dinda, who was still young, heard this statement, immediately glanced at her mother in confusion. “But… Why isn’t Daddy Sebastian home?” she asked innocently, as if she felt something was wrong and wanted to know more. “I’m still confused too, Mommy. I miss him.” 

 Sara felt turmoil in her heart when she saw the question. Facing Dinda with feelings of guilt, she tried to explain. “Sebastian… he’s busy with his own affairs. He made the choice not to come back. But it’s okay, honey. We will have lots of fun things in our new ‘rich daddy’s’ house,” she answered, trying to present everything as positive in front of Dinda. 

 Dinda frowned, her eyes full of curiosity and a little doubt. “But, Mommy… I like playing with Daddy Sebastian. Can’t I meet him again?” She spoke in a very soft voice, as if she didn’t want to disappoint her mother.

 Sara felt a little stressed, but quickly tried to cover up her feelings. “We’ll be fine. ‘Rich daddy’ will make our lives more comfortable. Dinda doesn’t need to worry,” she whispered, trying to calm her child, even though she herself felt unsure.

 Dinda nodded slowly, but confusion still haunted her. She didn’t understand why everything had to change and why Sebastian wasn’t by her side if everything seemed fine when they were together.

 “Mommy, I just want to see Daddy Sebastian. He’s good to me,” Dinda said, her voice full of longing.

 Seeing Dinda’s sad and confused face, Sara’s heart trembled. Even though she knew what she was saying to her child, she also realized that Dinda loved Sebastian and didn’t understand all the drama that was happening between them. She felt pain in her heart, but she covered it up with a fake smile and hope for the new life they were planning.

 “Honey, everything will be fine. We will have a better life with ‘rich daddy’,” she said, trying to instill confidence at the end of her words, even though in her heart there was an uncertainty that could not be ignored.

 Dinda still stared at her doubtfully, and the atmosphere between them felt tense. Sebastian's presence in her life had given Dinda the comfort and affection she craved. Everything that had happened instead made her miss him even more. 

 Sara knew that there had to be a better explanation, but right now, she felt trapped in a difficult situation, trying to find a way to make Dinda feel safe and comfortable, even if it meant hiding the painful truth. 

 Sara felt satisfied when she finally got what she wanted. With steady steps, she had control over the situation and planned a future with Rendy, the man she had chosen to be her life partner. However, behind all that, there was regret in Sara's heart, a feeling that she couldn't ignore.