"Mr. Robert?” The inspector asked.

“Are you OK?"

Robert simply nodded to the inspector, but his eyes clearly depicted the turmoil in his heart.

The inspector narrated the events of past to him, “As I said earlier to you, the man, who kidnapped your wife, is dead. The kidnapper, Jake, was mentally unstable. This man had lost his wife and child in an accident. The death of his family was too much to take. He had lost his sanity. When he saw your wife, Mrs. Isabelle, he thought she was his wife, well and alive.” 
The inspector gulped silently before uttering the next words, “So he kidnapped Mrs. Isabelle. Your wife also said in the statement that he had never mistreated her.”

Robert did not know how to digest this news. To him, the man was of least importance now. All that mattered was the bastard child, that this dead man had left behind, in his wife's hands. This felt like an extra burden on his shoulder. A burden he wanted to get rid of. However, he trusted Isabelle, his wife, more than anyone. The burden was not the child but was the anxiety that it would be a memory of the pain the man might have inflicted on Isabelle and a proof, mocking him, that he was unable to safeguard his wife. 
Robert firmly believed in Isabelle. The moment she has said that the child was his, he had believed her. But a part of him was still scared and skeptical. Skeptical, because it had been a year away from her. His wife had been away for a year and when she returned back to him, with a child in her hand, it had shaken him to the core. 
The existence of the child was playing a sick game with his mind. Robert was unable to see the facts that were laid in front of his eyes. The only way to win this game was the DNA test. The test would relieve his mind and would bring some content to his heart as well. He knew that his decision might hurt the sentiments of his wife. Hence, he had decided to do it in complete secrecy.
Robert inhaled a deep breath in and looked at the inspector. “Can I have this kidnapper’s picture?”, he asked the inspector. 
“Yes, sure.”, the inspector said and picked up a file from his table's right side. He turned a few pages and handed the photograph over to Robert. “Here you go.” The inspector added. 
Robert took the picture. The second he looked at the photograph of the man, his breath was stuck in his lungs. The sample in his pocket, the baby's hair, was completely futile now. The picture screamed and mocked him. It mocked him that he was a failure of a husband. He was unable to protect his wife. His failure had cost his wife to move around with a bastard in her hand. 
The resemblance between the kidnapper and the child gave him the message with a painful punch in his heart. The reality was smacked right into his face. The room of the police station had become suffocating for Robert. He closed his eyes tightly comprehending the facts. Seconds later, he opened it and shot up from his chair. He shook hands with the officers, thanked him, and left. 
Robert drove to his house and parked his car outside the house. He had no guts to go inside and spill the beans to his family. He simply sat in his car analyzing the facts and telling his mind the truth, over and over again.  
It had been an hour since Robert arrived. He was still in the car, with no heart to pop out Isabelle's bubble of beliefs. He could understand the reason behind his wife’s web of lies. She was not at fault at all. It was his incapability. Incapability, to save his own wife. He did not count it as cheating. The circumstances had made his wife vulnerable. It was an opportunity for the fates to play with their lives and that’s what it had done. 
*********
Robert rang the doorbell and the sound kicked in sudden anxiety in his mind. Isabelle opened the door with a smile on her face and winked as soon as she realized it was Robert at the door. Her cheerful smile lit Robert's mood and his face up. It relieved him of all his worries and exhaustion. He hugged Isabelle tightly and she returned his hug, warmly. The moment lost it's charm when they heard little Camilla's cries, who was carried by a maid. 
Isabelle's motherly instincts kicked in. She immediately let her husband go and took Camilla in her arms and started cooing her. Robert, on the other hand, glared at the child with hate and disgust. Robert was kicked out of his reverie by his little girl's voice. 
“Daddy! Daddy!” Gabrielle cheerfully rushed to Robert from the corridor. He bent down to his daughter’s level and picked her up to twirl her around in the air. Gabrielle giggled at her father's loving gesture. He placed her in his arms and Gabrielle started with her blabbering.
“Daddy, do you know? Mummy doesn't let me play with Camilla. I want to play with my little sister. Mummy is still mad at me.” 
Gabrielle calling the baby ‘sister’ irked him and he put her down and scolded her, “your mother is absolutely right. You should concentrate on your studies. So better go to your room and study.” 
Her father's changed demeanor flinched Gabrielle and she ran to her room with tears in her eyes. 
“Robert,” Isabelle said with a sigh. She was about to lecture him when the maid came with Isabelle's phone in her hand. Isabelle looked at the screen and said to Robert, “Robert please hold her na. I want to take this call.” 
Reluctantly, Robert held Camilla in his hand. Little Camilla sucked on her thumb and looked at Robert with a glint in her eyes. Robert kept on staring at her arms, her face, analyzing how her features matched to her father. But to his dismay, he was not the father.
“Robert dear!” Marina said, who was observing them. 
Robert turned to his mother in law and said in a relieved tone, "Thank God, Mum, You are here. Take this baby. I can't even see her face." Saying this, Robert shoved the baby into Marina's arms.

He rushed to his study room as if running away from Camilla's responsibility. Marina silently followed him while holding Camilla.

"Did you gave her samples for DNA testing?", Marina said. It was Marina who had suggested a DNA test to Robert. She just wanted to restore peace in her daughter's life. She knew the mental agony this kidnapping had put Robert through.

Robert sat on the couch placed in his study and stared emptily at the carpet, shaking his head, to and fro.

"Why?" Marina questioned, surprisingly.

"There is no need Mum. There is no need. I have known now, she is not mine."

"Don't jump to conclusions without the DNA testing, Robert," Marina suggested.

Robert looked at her with sadness in his eyes and smiled softly. He took out the photograph of the kidnapper.

Marina was perplexed. However, when she saw the photograph, her eyes widened I shock. She looked at the photograph and Camilla, back and forth, comprehending the truth. She choked on her sob as soon as she realized the truth.

Robert patted her back, constantly, comforting her.

"This is not possible, Robert. Oh, God. What we will do now?"

"I don't know Mum. I don't know."

The uncomforting silence enveloped the duo. But the sob of Camilla broke the silence and irritated them.

"Just take her and leave. I don't want to see this child. I hate her. Just take her away."

Marina was looking at the innocent Camilla, with disgust in her eyes but her son in-law's dilemma was not hidden. So she took the child away with her.

*******

Robert went to Gabrielle's room and just as he reached the door he heard sobs. He looked over at Gabrielle, who sat on her table with books scattered on her table and shaking shoulders. He realized he never scolded his daughter and today, unknowingly, he had hurt her.

"Hey, princess!"

Gabrielle stared at her father with her glassy eyes. She did not complain but her eyes depicted the pain of her heart, "Daddy, please don't be angry. I'm sorry." And more tears ran down her eyes.

Robert hugged her and patted her back to calm her down. Gabrielle kept on shedding tears and hugged her father back.

"Shhh. Princess, It's alright. You don't have to be sorry. Daddy is sorry. He shouldn't have scolded you"

His little princess was still crying. He hated to see fear and pain in his daughter's eyes. He blamed Camilla for the pain on his Princess's eyes.

******
Robert did not know how he would discuss this with Isabelle. He understood why Isabelle had lied. However, he could not stand Camilla. Her face reminded him of the kidnapper, of the failure of a husband, he was. He had asked Marina to not let Gabrielle and Camilla bond with each other. He had started making arrangements for Camilla.

Marina made sure that Gabrielle and Camilla never get attached to each other. Gabrielle was distanced from Camilla and whenever Gabrielle questioned or asked to play with her sister, she was told to stay away for her betterment.

Isabelle failed to notice these changes, in the demeanor of her husband, mother, and daughter. Camilla was her priority. Camilla was an infant and her focus was always on Camilla. Gabrielle hated the fact that her mother did not pay much attention to her. Gabrielle had noticed that her mother's prime focus was on Camilla. Gabrielle being a child failed to understand that no one was at fault here, being an infant Camilla needed the attention of her mother. It was normal for the elder sibling to feel ignored. The fact that made them hate it is just that it was a time to grow up. The lack of attention was not a problem, but the new responsibilities of making them grow older was.

******
Isabelle was pacing in her room carrying little sick Camilla in her arms. Camilla had been crying all night and even did not let her mother sleep. Isabelle was worried about her. The dark circles were evident under her eyes. Gabrielle ran into her room shouting, without paying much attention to the sobbing baby, “Mummy! Mummy! I can't find my socks."

Isabelle shushed Gabrielle and said, "Dear, ask Martha aunty to help you." Martha was their middle-aged maid.

Gabrielle whispered, “Mummy, even she is unable to find it. I'm getting late. Please help me."

Isabelle chuckled, looking at her cute pouty face. She went into her room carrying Camilla in her arms and cooing her on the way. She made Camilla sit on Gabrielle's bed. And kept pillows around her, so that she would not fall.

Isabelle started looking for her socks in the closet. Gabrielle was drinking her milk. Gabrielle sniffed as she smelled foul hair and gagged. She turned around and saw the bedsheet beneath Camilla all wet. Camilla had peed on her bed. Her eyes got wide. "Ewww", Gabrielle screamed.

Gabrielle got enraged when she saw her favorite Doraemon pillow, which was gifted by her grandfather was drenched towards the edge.

She took the same pillow and smacked Camilla's head. Since Camilla was surrounded by cushions, she did not fall on the ground. But with the smack on her head, she fell on one of those pillows. And the sudden movement terrified the baby, making her cry eventually.

Gabrielle smacked her again, for the second time and shouted, "don't you know where to pee. You filthy" she was about to smack her again.

The pillow was snatched from her hand and thrown away somewhere in the room. A loud noise echoed in the room and Gabrielle felt a sting on her cheek. She looked at her mother who was possessed by fury.

Gabrielle started crying, the pain and her mother's eyes filled with wrath scared her as wells as hurt her. Isabelle's eyes soften at her daughter's tears, but it was too late. The damage was done. She was about to comfort her when Gabrielle moved back and Camilla cried harder. Isabelle looked at Camilla, who had vomited all over herself. Isabelle picked Camilla up and carried her in her arms.

Gabrielle glared at her mother, who did not spare a glance towards her and busy was taking care of Camilla, not caring about her tears at all.

Both were crying, but Isabelle had to choose Camilla over Gabrielle. One, because she was an infant and second because she was unwell. She picked Camilla and rushed into her room, leaving a pained Gabrielle in tears, behind.

Gabrielle wiped her tears and ran down the stairs, to the dining hall, where she saw her grandmother serving breakfast to her dad. Looking at her dad, Gabrielle lost control over herself and quickly ran up to him, breaking into a hug.

Robert hugged his princess back but a few seconds later, his wet shirt and her shaking shoulders petrified him. He pushed her back and saw tears in her eyes along with a few red marks on her face.

He was enraged and asked, “What happened! Who did this to you?"

Gabrielle shook her head in a no and did not say anything. She simply stood there crying. The pain was excruciating. Gabrielle gave out a hiccup and said, "Mummy hit me."

"What?!" The revelation had caught Robert off guard. He continued in his astounded tone, "But why?"

"Camilla! Camilla-" Before Gabrielle could complete her sentence, Robert grabbed her hand and took her in his arms. He took large predatory steps towards Isabelle's room. Just the word 'Camilla' was enough to make him lose his cool. 
******
Isabelle sat starring at a wall in her room. She was already disturbed due to Camilla's health. To add to her misery, she felt guilty for slapping Gabrielle. Camilla had slept peacefully. Isabelle assumed that Gabrielle might have gone to her school and decided to talk to Gabrielle, once she returns back home. Isabelle was brought to the real world by a loud thud of the door, startling her.

She saw an angry Robert glaring at her with Gabrielle in his arms. She understood that Gabrielle must have complained to Robert. However, what surprised her was, instead of letting Gabrielle go to school, Robert had held her back to fight over a petty issue.

"Robert, listen to me, I can explain." She wanted to sort out the issue so that Gabrielle would not miss her day of the school.

"Save it. I don't need your explanation." Putting Gabrielle down. Suddenly, something came to Robert's mind and he walked out of the room. "Robert! Robert!" Isabelle shouted and ran behind him, with Gabrielle running behind both of them. He went to his room and opened a bag. He smacked papers on the coffee table in the room.

"What's this?" Isabelle questioned.

"Adoption papers. We are giving Camilla for adoption."

For a second, Isabelle could not believe her own ears. "What?!", she asked, puzzled.

"I have already found a family for Camilla. They would love her like their own. They are interested in adopting Camilla and I'll make sure, all her requirements are met."

"What! Are you crazy? Are you even listening to yourself? Why would you do this to our daughter?"

"Our daughter? Seriously. Fine, let me enlighten you." Robert inhaled a sharp breath and continued, "She isn't mine!"

Isabelle stumbled listening to him, “why would you even say that, Robert?"

"Why wouldn't I? Isabelle, you went missing for one year. Do you even know how long a year is? And when you came back, you have that thing in your hands! How could she be even mine? "

"Robert!" Isabelle sobbed. "Please! I swear to God, she is yours. She is ours" she said moving her pointer finger back and forth. "I never cheated on you, Robert." She continued shaking her head. 

Robert was unable to avoid the tears in her eyes and walked towards her to cup her face, “I know darling, you never cheated on me. That bastard raped you, and that's how you have Camilla." Isabelle immediately removed his hands from her face and looked at him in disbelief.

Gabrielle, who was not understanding anything, quickly left the room to call her grandmother. She knew that her parents were fighting and her inability to solve their matter made her rush to her maternal grandmother.

Isabelle, in the room, stared at her husband in utter disbelief, "What rape? I was never raped." She said moving her head in a 'no'. "Robert, what's going on? He didn't even touch me. He took care of me. He was mad, but he took care of Camilla like his own."

"Of course he would take care of Camilla, like his own. Because she is his own." Robert counterattacked.

"Robert, please. Camilla is ours. Not his. Ours. She is the symbol of our love."

"Gabrielle is a symbol of our love." 
"Robert, look. Camilla is ours. Not his. When he realized that Camilla is not his, he tried to kill both of us. That's why I able to contact you. If she is his. Why would he try to kill her? Huh? Just think about it."

"Because he is mad," Robert said gritting his teeth.

"Oh God, Robert. Please! How could you be so sure that she is not yours? Don't you trust me?"

"I have every reason to believe, she is his. I was about to take a paternity test as well. But, when I saw that kidnapper's photo. It was already clear that she belonged to him."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"Her skin!"

Isabelle clearly understood what he meant by his statement and she knew she had lost the verbal war.

*********
Hey guys,
I'm a little bit disappointed. Most of you haven't commented, read for sure. But not commented, your comments and votes always motivate me to write well. 
Last week, I literally wanted to take down 'The Shadow ' thinking it's better not to continue. I'm so confused about this, because of a lack of votes and comments.

And please don't compare it with 'Too Late'. Some of you are literally scaring me. It puts a lot of pressure on me, so please try to understand and don't compare it.

Comment guys and let me know your views about this one.

This chapter is edited by theKiara

I'm posting this story on Inkitt too. 
I have posted sample chapters of 'Too late' too there. If possible, do leave your review there.

If you guys are on Inkitt and on Booknet, please follow me.

Follow me on Instagram, Wattpad & on Inkitt: vshreee_90
On Booknet:vshreee