Armand felt guilt creep into his mind, but he pushed it down. He would be good for her, even if that meant doing something bad for others. He just knew that he would do whatever it took to keep her in his life.
Keep her safe and healthy. Give her everything she could ever want.
She was his little princess. The only thing he needed. The only thing in the world that mattered.
Armand held her to him tightly, whispering the same words over and over again.
“I love you,” he murmured.
He was obsessed with their daughter, and he knew it. He would have her in his arms every moment that she wasn’t sleeping.
Celine would beg him to let her hold her, to be her mother and spend time with her. Armand would deny her every time.
“I’m her father. I know what she needs.”
It was almost a year before he finally relented. He let Celine feed her when she was hungry, let her help him with her baths.
But as soon as she fell asleep, Armand had her back in his arms. He would spend hours just staring at her, playing with her hair and telling her stories.
He couldn’t get enough of his princess. He needed her to be near him at all times.
Celine began to try and steal time with her away from him. She would take her from his arms when he was sleeping, holding her against her chest.
Armand would wake up, his heart pounding as he reached out for his daughter. He would find her gone, and his heart would swell with anger.
He would go to Celine, pulling his daughter from her arms and cradling her to him again.
“You know I don’t like it when you do this,” he whispered.
Celine glared at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t understand why you do this! I’m her mother!”
Armand tightened his grip around his daughter. “You can’t take care of her. I’m the one that has done everything for her since she was born. I’m her father.”
“But I’m her mother! I want to have my own time with my daughter!”
“You’ve had time with her.” Armand paused. “Besides, she likes me better. She cries more when she’s with you.”
Celine let out a sob, reaching up for their daughter again. Armand held his daughter tighter to him, leaning away from her.
She hit him, tears still streaming down her face. “She’s my daughter! I deserve to see her! I want her back!”
Armand felt anger swell in his chest. No one was allowed to take his princess away from him. He would never let that happen.
“Please, Armand,” Celine cried, tears dripping down her face. “Give her back to me.”
Armand didn’t think. He just reacted.
He pulled away from her, moving towards the door. “You’re going to have to take this up with my staff. No one is allowed to see her without my permission.”
Celine fell to the ground, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed loudly, reaching up for him.
He didn’t look at her as he left the room, holding his princess to his chest and taking deep breaths.
She didn’t need anyone but him. And he didn’t need anyone else but her.
Celine deserved better than him, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take what he wanted. He wanted his little princess, and that was that.
She was the only thing that could calm him, the only one that would ever truly be his.
His little princess.
He began to pace around the living room, humming softly as he cradled his daughter to his chest. She wrapped her arms tighter around him, clinging to him as she sniffled and tried to calm down.
Armand bent down and pressed his lips to hers, holding her tighter.
“I love you, my princess. I love you more than anything else in this world. You’re my little girl. My heart.”
Celine sat in her room and stared at the bars on her window. She had never felt so trapped, so alone.
It had been two years since Ruby had been born, and Armand still wouldn’t let her have any real time with her daughter.
Celine loved her husband, she loved her daughter. But she couldn’t take the pain anymore. She couldn’t take feeling like a prisoner.
She heard the door open and turned to see Armand walking in, Ruby on his hip. He set her down on the bed and smiled, walking over to Celine.
He cupped her face, smiling at her. “You look beautiful today,” he said. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.
She kissed him back for a moment, but then pulled away. “Armand.”
He frowned, his eyes narrowing. “What is it?”
She felt tears prick at her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. “I need to see my daughter. I need to have time with her.”
Armand’s face tightened in anger. “What do you mean? You spend time with her!”
“Only when you allow me to,” she whispered. “You take her away from me when I try to hold her. You’ve taken my daughter from me.”
Armand let out a harsh laugh. “Taken your daughter?”
“I’m her mother, Armand!” She screamed. “I deserve to see her!”
“No one is allowed to have Ruby without my permission! That is not changing! You will have time with our daughter when I choose to give it to you!”
Celine felt anger and sadness boil in her chest, tears spilling down her cheeks. “What happened to you? How could you be so cruel?”
“Cruel?” He let out another laugh, his eyes cold. “I’m only doing what is best for our daughter.”
“Our daughter that you won’t let me have,” she hissed.
“You have her when I say you can,” he snapped. “And don’t you dare question me!”