Gold
I didn't know what to feel, should I be happy that my wife cheated on me for 25 years and my daughter that I used to have sex with almost every day for two years wasn't my daughter? Or should I be devastated that my wife lied and cheated on me for 25 years and none of our children are mine? After the initial shock of my revelation, all I could think about was Belle. This was what she wanted, a way for us to be together. It was finally a possibility. But instead of running into my awaiting arms, Belle rejected me. She told me she was in love, it felt like another stab in my back. It was so hard for me these past 8 months to become a better man. But she couldn't see it because she was too busy falling in love with a teenager. If only I didn't lie to her, if only I was really trying to find a way for us to be together like she wanted, I probably could have even discovered Cora was cheating before I made the mistake of having sex with her.
While Belle was at her friend's house I did some contemplating. Belle was still going to be my daughter by law once I get the divorce. I'm an attorney and no judge anywhere would grant Cora with custody after she cheated for our entire marriage and lied about our children. Belle would still be mine, the problem was making her see that she still wanted me and not Will Scarlet. It shouldn't be hard, Belle wanted a man, a daddy type of individual, not some boy who probably doesn't even know where to stick it in.
After Belle came home from her friend's house Saturday morning, all she did was sleep in her room basically the whole day. I didn't understand until Regina told me she had being drinking at that so called girls night.
"Dad chill, they we're safe, inside, and she's fine, just hung over."
"Regina she's 16."
"Come on dad we just found out your not our father and mom's been lying to us our whole life. Hell I even threw back a few shots too in my room. And didn't I see an empty scotch glass in the sink this morning? I'm sure you had a drink yourself."
Regina was right, what Cora did would be enough to drive anyone to drink so they could forget. My meeting with my ex wife quickly approached. I thought of all of the questions I had for her and I even brought a tape recorder. I'd done divorce proceedings before, Cora wouldn't stand a chance after I built enough evidence against her. I thought the privacy of my pawn shop would be a perfect place to meet. My son Baelfire ran it. I passed it down to him after he was finished with college, he majored in old world artifacts and treasures. While there it would give me chance to explain what happened and why I was divorcing Cora. I knew it would be hard for him as this would be the second one of his mothers I was divorcing.
"Hey Dad, good to see you." He said as I was entering through the shop's front door.
"Its good to see you too, I wanted to talk about Cora."
"What about her?"
"We're getting a divorce."
He scoffed. "It's about time."
"What?"
"Yeah its about fucking time, Cora was a bitch. Always treating Regina badly because of Henry, she barely paid any attention to Belle unless you were around to witness it. She wasn't too fond of me either.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was a kid, you wouldn't have believed me."
"No, you are my son, I would have listened." I explained saddened by the fact that he would think I wouldn't listen to him. "Even now son, if there's anything I can ever help you with let me know."
"Well there is one thing, maybe you can help me with the expenses for me and Emma's wedding."
"Bae, son you've made me so proud. Your sisters too." Oh God, this was the part I feared, but he was a member of this family and there weren't going to be any more secrets. Well maybe just one. "Bae there's something else, the reason why we're getting a divorce is because Cora cheated on me our whole marriage. And your sisters-"
"Stop. I don't care, they will always be my little sisters. I don't care what that bitch did. Those girls are my sisters."
"I knew you would say that son." I said placing a loving hand on my son's shoulder. "And I will always be their father, and Belle grows more beautiful with every day that goes by."
"You always did like to baby her, glad nothing's changed, or will.
"Cora is on her way here so I can have her sign the divorce papers and set up a hearing so I can obtain custody of Belle."
"Well good luck with that, I don't want to be around here when she comes, no telling what I might say."
"Not to worry Regina said enough for all of us."
"I'm sure she did, see you later dad." He said before leaving the shop.
It was a minute until noon when I flipped the sign on my shop's door to close. I waited for her in my backroom stacking the divorce paperwork neatly on the desk in front of me. A few minutes later I heard the bell above the door chime to signal that someone was entering. Her heel's clopping on the wooden floors as she made her way to my backroom. She stepped in wearing a sad expression. I knew what she was trying to do, she was trying to gain my sympathy so I would go easy on her with this divorce. She had a better chance of finding ice water in hell.
"Have a seat Cora."
She did so and I placed the stack of papers in front of her along with a black pen. She thumbed through the papers and sighed deeply. "So this is really happening, you're really divorcing me?"
"Of course I am. You cheated on me. Now tell me why."
Cora shook her head pitifully. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"When I met you there was only one thing I wanted from you, your power." My ex-wife explained. "I know It seems silly, a 20 something year old girl craving a man only for the material things he could give her."
"No, it doesn't seem silly at all, you're a gold digger, but that was my fault for not seeing it."
"Rumple don't you get it, you were already established as the richest and most powerful man in town. I could have taken or done anything I wanted just because I was wearing your last name. I just didn't know that it would leave a hole in my heart."
"So you filled that hole by cheating on me with others? You used me and when it wasn't enough you cheated on me?"
Cora nodded. "I was so miserable because I didn't love you. I felt trapped and it drove me to seek affections elsewhere."
"You don't have a hole in your heart, you're just plain heartless." I said redundantly shrugging trying to remain indifferent. When she was about to answer I held up a hand to stop her. I didn't want this conversation to turn emotional or violent, I just wanted to get my answers. "Who is Zelena's father?"
"Rumple we don't have to get others involved in our mess."
"But you did just that. My daughters deserve to know who their biological father's are. Or perhaps you don't want visitation rights to Belle?"
She sighed while giving in. "Fine."
She told me about all of her affairs, Zelena's father was a doctor name Jonathan Oz, Regina's was Doctor Henry the hospital's director, and I already knew about Belle being Moe French's. She also told me that Zelena's father left after she told him she was expecting and that Doctor Henry had no idea about Regina. I couldn't believe the mess Cora caused all because she wanted power and stature. The meeting went better than I expected and I got all of the information I needed. She signed the divorce papers and I would be meeting with her representative in the coming weeks for the custody hearing. When Cora left my shop I poured myself a drink and toasted to being a free man, and to starting a new life with my daughter Belle.
xox0xox
It was Sunday morning when I awoke from the most pleasant night, no cheating wife in my bed, no nagging about my drinking, no more worrying about getting caught with Belle by Cora. Just pure and absolute freedom. The mouthwatering smell of bacon and fresh coffee drew me from my bed and I followed the aroma until it led me to the kitchen. When I saw Belle cooking in her little pajamas, I wasn't hungry for food anymore, but rather for her.
"Wow that looks good, is it for me?" I asked walking into the kitchen looking at the food she was preparing. Bacon, fried eggs, toast, and oatmeal. The breakfast seemed vaguely familiar.
"Yeah I thought you might need some cheering up, and it's my way of apologizing for drinking Friday." She said while I began wrapping my arms around her waist and inhaled her scent from the crook of her neck. Although, I was quickly brought back from my trance when I heard her clear her throat. "I'm not on the menu dad."
"But I'm not hungry for breakfast just for my daughter. How about we go to my room and I can show you how appreciative I am for you cooking for me?"
"No how about you sit there at the table so you can eat your breakfast."
I chuckled before walking away from her and having a seat at the kitchen table. She was so beautiful and my eyes never left her as she cooked for me. Just watching her do a superfluous task only to make me feel better gave my heart such a warm feeling. Maybe she wasn't completely over me, maybe I just scared her. Perhaps if I could show her that she didn't need to be frightened of me anymore and that I had no intentions of hurting her again would bring her back to me. It was worth a shot, because I wasn't ready to let go of her.
"All done." she said preparing my plate before walking to place it before me. "There you go dad."
I looked down at the plate with a curious look. The arrangement of the food brought on a bout of déjà vu, like I'd seen this before. That's when I realized I had. Cora used to prepare my breakfast just like this. The bacon was crispy and almost burnt, the toast was wheat, the oatmeal was sweetened with honey instead of sugar, and the eggs were fried over easy, slightly runny just how I like it. Everything was perfect. But how did Belle know how I preferred my breakfast?
"This is just like Cora used to make my breakfast, I'm glad she was useful for something, did she teach you to prepare it like this.?"
"No, it's the way I've always done it."
I thought to myself for a moment. "So you have been preparing my breakfast all these years and not my wife?"
"Mmm hmm." she hummed while nodding. "I've been doing it since I was 8. I remember how you like your meal from when we used to go to Granny's for breakfast and I learned how to cook the eggs from a cookbook."
"Oh God Belle, I've been blind all this time. Cora never cared about me and you've been here picking up her slack the whole time. Damn it why couldn't I have seen it?"
"Rumple it's not your fault, I didn't see it either. She's fooled us all."
"Belle promise me if this Will boy ever lies to you just once, you leave him. Don't let him do what Cora did to me and what I did to you."
"I won't Rumple and besides Will's different."
"So then this love you have for him is serious?"
"Yeah we have a date tonight at Granny's, I was wondering if it was okay if I went."
No. No. No. "Do you remember your new curfew?" I asked giving in, forbidding her to go would only push her into his arms more.
"Yes dad 8 o'clock."
"My other rules?"
Belle groaned. "No sex and always answer your calls or texts."
"Good girl, It's the only way I know your safe. I trust you Belle, it's that teenager I don't trust."
"Dad please stop calling him a teenager, his name is Will."
"I don't give a damn what his name is. I'm calling him what he is. Teenagers are the most vile creatures to ever live. Not particularly useful in society either. Their only motive is to cause trouble and rebel against the people who love them the most, their parents."
"But dad I'm 16, I'm a teenager too."
"You're different Belle, I sheltered you your whole life, I gave you everything you could possibly want, in hopes that when you did become a teenager you wouldn't trust the actions of your friends but rather listen to your parents. I may have manipulated you a bit, but it was worth it."
Belle rolled her eyes. "So Regina's going to teach me how to drive when she wakes up."
Just great. Another way for her to keep away from me. If Belle learns how to drive she would be out the house more and away from me. I have to act fast and make her fall in love with me again to prevent that. I don't want to lose her love. I just wish we could take some time for ourselves. Just me and her alone for a few days, or even a night. I could picture it now. Me in my suit and tie, my daughter's arm intertwined in mine while I escort her to the finest restaurant. Money wouldn't be a concern, she could have whatever she wanted. We would talk about things she enjoyed, like reading, school, books, Game of Thrones, and then we would talk about our future, one where we're together. Then after dinner, I'll take my 16 year old home for a night cap. I'll shred my little girl's clothes off of her body and throw her on the bed before kissing her until she was weak, until her pussy was aching for me to be inside her and she begins begging daddy to fuck her.
"So what do you think?" Belle elicited pulling me from my lucid daydream of her.
"Huh?"
"Dad were you listening?"
"Uh- yeah, yes to whatever you said babygirl." I said still mesmerized by my fantasy of her.
"Great, so I'll tell Will he's invited over for dinner this upcoming Friday." Belle reiterates.
"What?"
"Daddy you already said yes."Belle said before kissing me on the cheek and getting up from the table. "Thanks dad I love you."
Damn it, what have I just done?
xox0xox
Around 5 PM I was in my media room watching the fourth season of Game of Thrones. Sansa Stark and Little Finger were in a snowy courtyard located in the Vale of Arryn. Little Finger, who was now Sansa uncle through marriage, was explaining to her that he was going to make everyone pay for how they treated Sansa. The Stark girl seem so captivated by his words until finally they kissed while Petyr's wife, Lysa Arryn looked down from a balcony with an envious expression. Suddenly my doorbell rang very unexpectedly.
"I got it dad." Belle called out storming down the stair excitedly before stopping in the entrance way and turning back to me. "It's just Will. How do I look?" she asked while posing with her hands on her hips.
Did she really think I would answer that? Of course she looked beautiful, but it wasn't for me, it was for Will. She had grown into this sexy bookish type, Belle was attired in black tights, with a black skirt that didn't pass her knees. A white high neckline blouse complete with a navy and pinstriped blazer.
"He wouldn't appreciate it anyways, he's just a boy. Belle how about you stay home with me and we can watch a movie together."
"Dad Will's already here." She opened the door and greeted her date with a delighted shrill. I suppose he brought her flowers or something like that, I didn't care to look. "See ya dad." She said closing the door behind her. Sooner than you think.
After they left, so did I. I drove behind them stealthily, trying not to get too close. But close enough that I could see them through his back windshield. It wasn't far from my house to Granny's but the route he chose was the slower way. I suppose he chose that in order to extend their alone time together. If she would've just given me one more chance I could show her she doesn't need Will, that I could give her all the love she needs. But my jealousy quickly turned to anger when I saw Belle lean over and rest her head on his shoulder. He was probably playing some stupid teenager song that they could both relate to. The great thing about being Belle's father was that I already knew what she liked. Every song, every book, every movie. I didn't have to get to know her. I knew her even before she was born when I used to talk to her in Cora's belly.
Finally Belle and Will pulled up safely at Granny's Diner. They got out of the car together and he took her by the hand. The 17 year old even held the door open for her like some Casanova before walking in behind her. I waited a few minutes more before getting out my car and proceeding with step one of destroying my daughter's date.
"Looks like you guys have room for one more." I said while scooting Will over with my shoulder to make room for myself at the table.
"What the hell dad?" She whispered angrily under her breath. "What are you doing here?"
"I found myself quite hungry and with no wife or daughter to cook for me I thought I'd come to Granny's for dinner. You can imagine my surprise when I saw you two here."
"Dad you knew we were coming here." She said slightly irritated.
"Belle its fine. Your father is more than welcome to join us." He said so pleasantly. Will was so proud and arrogant, God I hated him. "So Mr. Gold do you like being a lawyer?" He asked very energetically.
I snickered at his question. All he was trying to do was to get to know me so he could look good in front of Belle. He was the competition. "Yeah Will." I said sarcastically and just as lively as him. "Being a lawyer is so much fun." I added before rolling my eyes. I then turned back to my daughter to give her a compliment. "Belle you look lovely this evening. You're not cold are you? Your jacket is in my car if you need it."
"Oh my God, dad you're so embarrassing."
"I think your dad is pretty cool Belle. He got you a library and he's a lawyer, maybe I can be a lawyer when I'm finished with high school." Will said brazenly.
He was doing it again, he was trying to make himself seem better than me to Belle by using flattery. "We're not here to talk about me, we're here for Belle and let me remind you that you will never be good enough for her."
"I know Mr. Gold. She's too good for me. I'll probably never deserve her, but one day I hope I will." He said and I saw the awestruck look in Belle's expression. She was really falling for this?
Before I got a chance to rip this kid a new one, the waitress approached. "Welcome to Granny's!" Ruby Lucas said. "Hey Belle. Hey Will." They both greeted her back, Belle with the same bubbly enthusiasm as her friend Ruby.
"Hi Mr. Gold. Crashing Belle's date?"
"No I'm here having dinner with my daughter and her.. uh-… friend."
"Boyfriend." She corrected. "But dad maybe you'll be more comfortable at another table." She turned to her friend before asking. "Ruby is there another table for my dad?"
"No this one suits me just fine." I interjected.
"Mr. Gold there's a booth right there." She leaned into me and whispered. "You'll still able to watch Belle's date from there." Giving me a reassuring smile and wink.
I looked to Belle who was mouthing Please dad silently and I gave in. "Okay I suppose I'll leave you two alone then."
"Thanks dad."
"I'll show you to your table Mr. Gold." I got up from my daughter's and her date's booth and Ruby escorted me to a lonely booth in the corner of the diner, although I still had a good view of Belle, the distance was further so I couldn't hear what they were saying. "What can I get you to drink?"
"Iced tea."
"That's Belle's favorite too." Ruby noted. But I was barely aware of what she was saying as my eyes were still fixed on Belle who was giggling and smiling at the teenager who was wooing her. "Mr. Gold don't worry about Will. He's a nice guy, he wont hurt Belle."
"That's what I'm scared of. He's so nice she would forget about me."
"She won't forget about you. You're her father." Ruby caught me off guard by sitting down in the empty booth seat with me. "You know Mr. Gold I never knew my father, but if I did I Imagine him much like you, overprotective. Which isn't a bad thing. I think it really sweet that you love Belle so much."
"I do Ruby, Belle is all I have left, I'm sure she told you what happened with my wife." I said, pulling my eyes off Belle who was still smiling at her date. "What does she like so much about him?"
"I'm not sure, Will's very protective of her too. I read somewhere that girls date boys who remind them of their father." Ruby explained. She was right, how I treated Belle as she was growing up, sheltering her, or babying her like my son called it, it must have shaped her view of boys. "But that doesn't mean she's replacing you, on the contrary, she found someone who duplicates you."
It was actually sort of beautiful the way she explained it. But she didn't understand that I was trying to be with Belle so Will was actually replacing me. I still had time to prove to her that I could be that better man she wanted, that she didn't have to look elsewhere. I wanted to be with my daughter, and I wasn't gonna let this so called duplicate actually replace me.
I smiled at Belle's friend and thanked her for talking to me, she gave me a smile back before leaving to get my drink. When I look to Belle again at her booth I saw her avoid my eye contact and shifted her eyes downwards in a kind of uncomfortable way. It was the same way she would do when she saw me kissing Cora when our affair was just beginning. Was she jealous? Was me talking to Ruby making her upset? I gave her a curious look as she continued to talk to Will Scarlet. Ruby came back with my iced tea and I decided to test my theory.
"Here you go." She said placing my tea on the table with a few packages of sugar. "So what can I get you for dinner?"
"I'm not really hungry Ruby. I only came to spy on my daughter." I quipped causing Ruby to giggle behind her hand. I glanced quickly to Belle again who was watching our exchange of words with a confused expression.
"I knew it! That's why I had to do damage control. No offense, but a girl's got to take up for her friend." Ruby said still smiling.
"You're a good friend to her Ruby. I know it was pretty embarrassing for her father to interrupt while she's on a date, but I had to make sure he was right for my Belle."
"I understand Mr. Gold, well just let me know if I can get you anything else."
"Will do." She gave me another smile before turning to leave.
I looked to Belle's booth and she was mouthing silently what was that? I played coy and shrugged my shoulders like I didn't know. Then she got up from her table flattening down her skirt before walking to the back of Granny's towards the restroom. When she disappeared into the back I got up and followed her. When I reached the restroom door I opened it and she was standing in the mirror fixing her lip gloss.
"Belle." I called while closing and locking the door behind me.
"What is it now, shouldn't you be talking some more to Ruby?" She asked applying the gloss to her bottom lip.
"Why would I do that?" I asked stepping closer to her.
"She seems to like you." She said with a shrug before putting her lip gloss back into her clutch.
"Belle your friend was only looking out for you, that's why she moved me."
"But you were making her smile and laugh."
"I'm sure a lot of waitresses smile in order to get a better tip, don't you think your over reacting a bit?" I asked but she ignored me. Belle was so cute when she was jealous, I turned her around and pulled her in close to me. "The only person I want to make smile is you Belle. Can't you see that the love I have for you is true and it's nothing compared to what Will can give you?"
"You don't know Will, you don't know what he can give me."
"It won't be the same as my love for you, that's why I'll always continue to fight for you and your happiness." I whispered softly before merging my lips with hers. And to my surprise she didn't pull back right away. I quickly became intoxicated by the kiss and she even let me dip my tongue in her mouth. I knew she was feeling the same arousing feeling that I was when I felt her grab the lapels of my suit to hold herself steady while she continue to exchange her tongue with mine. I felt Belle tried to pull away, but I held her flushed against me and the closeness of her body filled me with need and I felt my cock swell in my pants. I knew she was becoming increasingly overwhelm as well when she begin moaning in my mouth. I wanted so bad to reach down between her legs and feel how wet I was making her, but I raised my daughter with class, she was too good to be fucked in a diner's restroom. "Let's go home, we can sneak out the back door." I whispered against her lips.
"What about Will?" She finally asked.
"What Will doesn't know, won't hurt him."
She winced back dropping her hands from my suit and gave me a peculiar look. "Is that what you told yourself when you fucked Cora?"
"Belle I-"
"I don't want to hear it, this was a mistake and I've already made too many. I don't want to hurt Will."
"Screw Will. I can tell I'm still what you want." I said with my hand still around her waist.
"No you're not, Will is."
"Then why did you let me kiss you?"
She scoffed and budged me out the way before exiting the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. I sighed and licked my lips to taste her again, and look down to my pants and noticed my erection was still there. Why couldn't she answer my question? This was the second time she let me kiss her since she's been with Will. There was something still there. It had to be, she wouldn't have allowed me to kiss her at all if there wasn't. Perhaps somewhere up under all the lies I told her that love she once had for me was still there. The tricky part was just helping her realize it.