“I Was Forced to Come”—The Girl Said Coldly on Blind Date—But the Single Dad CEO Changed Everything…
The Cold Honest Truth
“Should we sit down?” They moved to the table Daniel had reserved.
It was one near the edge of the terrace where they could watch the plaza activity.
Daniel settled Sophie on his lap. She immediately became fascinated with rearranging the sugar packets on the table.
She built little towers and knocked them down with delighted giggles. A waiter appeared and took their order.
Coffee for Daniel, a sparkling water for Catherine, and apple juice for Sophie. The silence that followed was awkward and heavy with things unsaid.
So Daniel began trying to find solid ground. “Margaret tells me you work in marketing.”
“I do,” Catherine said, her voice flat. “I’m a senior marketing director at Hartwell and Associates.”
“It’s a demanding position, but I enjoy it.”
“That sounds rewarding,” Daniel said, genuinely trying to engage. “What kind of accounts do you work with?”
Catherine launched into an explanation of her work.
But Daniel noticed that she spoke as if reciting a resume rather than sharing something she cared about.
Her eyes kept drifting away from him. She looked at her phone on the table or at other diners.
She looked anywhere but at him or Sophie.
When she finished there was another silence.
Daniel waited for her to ask him something. He hoped for anything about his life or his work or his daughter, but she didn’t.
She just sipped her sparkling water and looked vaguely uncomfortable.
Sophie, oblivious to the tension, held up her teddy bear to show Daniel. “Papa, Mr. Bear wants juice too,” she said in her sweet little voice.
Daniel smiled warmly at his daughter. “Does he? Well we’d better make sure Mr. Bear gets some then.”
He poured a tiny bit of Sophie’s apple juice into the cap of her cup. He held it near the teddy bear’s mouth.
“There you go, Mr. Bear.”
Sophie giggled with pure joy. Daniel felt his heart swell the way it always did when he heard that sound.
This little girl was his entire world. Everything he did and every decision he made was for her.
When he looked back at Catherine, he found her watching them with an expression that was hard to read.
It wasn’t exactly cold, but it wasn’t warm either. It was resigned or tired even.
“You’re very close with her,” Catherine observed. It sounded more like a statement of fact than a compliment.
“She’s my daughter,” Daniel said simply. “She’s everything to me.”
Catherine nodded slowly. Then she took a breath as if steeling herself for something.
When she spoke her voice was quiet but clear. It cut through the pleasant afternoon air like a blade.
“I was forced to come,” she said coldly. Daniel blinked, certain he’d misheard.
“I’m sorry?”
“To this date,” Catherine continued, her expression unchanging. “Your sister and my mother are friends.”
“They’ve been scheming for months to set this up.”
“My mother threatened to stop helping with my grandmother’s care home expenses if I didn’t agree to at least meet you.”
“So here I am. But I want to be honest with you. I’m not interested in this, in any of this.”
Her eyes flicked briefly to Sophie. The girl was still playing happily with her teddy bear, unaware of the conversation happening above her head.
Daniel felt as if he’d been slapped.
He’d been on unsuccessful dates before. He’d experienced awkwardness and lack of chemistry.
But he’d never had someone sit across from him and tell him with such cool indifference that they’d been forced to be there.
“I see,” he said quietly, working to keep his voice steady.
He didn’t want Sophie to pick up on his emotions. Children were perceptive that way.
“I’m sure you’re a nice person,” Catherine said. Daniel could hear the weariness in her voice.
“And I’m sure you’re a good father, but I need to be honest. I don’t want children. I never have.”
“I’ve built my career carefully. I have plans for my life that don’t include diapers and playgrounds and all of this.”
She gestured vaguely at Sophie. Daniel felt anger beginning to simmer beneath his calm exterior.
This wasn’t about him. He could handle rejection.
But dismissing his daughter was different. Treating her as if she were an inconvenience rather than a miracle was harder to swallow.
“Then why did you come at all?” Daniel asked, keeping his voice low and controlled.
“You could have told your mother no.”
Catherine laughed, but it was a bitter sound without any real humor. “You don’t know my mother; she doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“And honestly,” she paused, looking away across the plaza. “I’m tired of fighting with her.”
“I’m tired of defending my choices. I’m tired of being told I’ll change my mind or that I’ll regret not having a family.”
“I’m tired of being told that I’m selfish for wanting something different than what everyone else wants.”
Daniel heard something in her voice then that gave him pause.
Beneath the coldness and the defensive walls she’d built up, there was pain. It was real, genuine pain.
“That must be difficult,” he said, and he meant it. “Having people not respect your choices.”
Catherine looked at him in surprise. It was as if she’d expected him to argue with her or tell her she was wrong.
“It is,” she said quietly.
“But that doesn’t change the situation. I shouldn’t be here, and you shouldn’t waste your time on someone who’s made it clear this isn’t what she wants.”
