CHAPTER 11
ARIA’S POV
I take a step to the back when the man wheels himself forward again, getting even closer into my personal space than he already was. Looking to Regis for help in that moment doesn’t help one bit because he also has the same look of confusion written in clear lines all over his face.
“I can’t believe it’s really you. Look at you, all grown.” He’s smiling through tears.
When he grabs my hand out of nowhere, I yelp at the unexpected contact, backing away from him. It is exactly what Regis needs to break out of his confusion as he steps between us. I hide behind him, rubbing the hands the man held not too long ago.
“Sir,” Regis says, “Is everything okay?”
At Regis‘ words, the man breaks out of whatever spell he’s been put in since he saw me.
“Oh, how rude of me,” He says and then meets my eyes to continue, “I apologize if I made you feel
uncomfortable. I just couldn’t help myself.” He chuckles at the end of the words. However, that isn’t enough to convince me to step out of what I deem to be Regis‘ protection.
“You came all the way here for answers, please, do not let my mistake take that from you.” He says again in another attempt to convince me. Regis looks at me, squeezes my shoulder and nods with a reassuring smile that I don’t return but is enough to convince me that he is here with me and everything will be fine.
The man wheels himself back through the opened door and we follow into what first seems like a visitor’s room before stepping into a much bigger place with a living room set–up.
“Please, make yourselves at home. The maids will attend to you.” He says and pauses to look at me for a brief moment before disappearing into the house. I heave, realizing I’d been holding my breath since I walked in here.
Regis urges me to sit on one of the three seater couches in the living room and he settles beside me too. A maid soon comes by to offer us tea; while Regis declines, I immediately opt for water instead, needing something to calm my nerves.
I am only halfway through the glass of water when the man appears again. He looks to be more put together as he rolls towards us now and I make use of the opportunity to take a good look at him. He might have specks of gray hair on his full head of hair while his beards are entirely gray but he doesn’t seem to be older than fifty not to mention how he looks oddly familiar when I am sure I have never met this man in my entire life.
“Once again, I apologize for my behavior.” He apologizes as soon as he stops in front of us. I nod, telling myself that his reaction to seeing me doesn’t matter as much as knowing why Grandmother gave me the key chain that leads here.
“I couldn’t help myself especially when I have been waiting for this moment for so long. When Regis told me a young woman named Aria Miller had my card, I just knew had to be you even though your last name had me second–guessing. Isn’t your mother’s last name Cook?”
His words bring me to the edge of the couch. Cook was my last name before I married Adam. It was my mother’s
Jast name.
“You knew my mother?” I haven’t heard anyone speak of my mother in years, not even grandmother who avoided the topic of my deceased mother. I know so little about her ince she died before I was even old enough to start elementary school.
“How do you know my mother?” I ask again, impatience and urgency working together to drive words out of me. The man nods his head.
CHAPTER 11
+25 BONUS
“I met your mother when I was still studying to take over my family’s business. Our meeting wasn’t exactly a proper one back then….” he hesitates, risking a short look at me and then clears his throat, “She worked at a club I frequented while hiding from the burdens of my family and the business I was going to take over.”
He’s clearly hiding a bit of information in the middle of the truth he is telling but I want all the answers.
“What kind of club was it?” I ask. His eyes give a silent plea but I refuse to back down until he sighs.
“A strip club.”
I grip the edge of the seat tightly and gulp. I asked for this but I wasn’t prepared for it to hit this hard. I do not know how I am supposed to react to knowing my mother was a stripper. Is this why Grandmother never talked about her?
“Your mother was a good woman…I fell in love with her despite our differences. I visited the club every time just to see her. I should have controlled myself knowing what we had would be frowned upon by the public and my family but I couldn’t. I loved Susan too much to give her up.”
“I…we…” he seems to be at a loss for words. He buries his head in his palms, his back rising and falling. When he brings his head back up, his eyes are red, at the brim of tears again. Guilt is written all over him and I hate this thing I am starting to feel from seeing him like that. This dread fills me and makes me want to run out the door before I hear the inevitable truth.
“I’m sorry, Aria. I am so sorry for not fighting for you and your mother. I’m sorry I gave you both up when you needed me the most. I am sorry for choosing fame, money and my family over you. It’s been years and those things haven’t saved me from the unimaginable pain and regret I go through everyday knowing I lost an important part of me.”
I lift myself off the couch slowly, looking down at the man who is now shaking with tears.
“Stop,” I say, my voice barely audible. I refuse to believe what my head is making up from his words is true, Please stop.” I beg before I can hear him say the words I am dreading with every part of me.
“What do I do to earn your forgiveness? What do I have to do to be worthy of being called your father, Aria?” Covering both my ears with my palms doesn’t save me from hearing the truth I was afraid of. The world seems to go silent as he says that. I find myself in a void with the distant and repeated call of my name but I am unable to process anything until Regis taps me.
I blink, finally dragged to the present that my mind ran away from for a brief second.
“Aria, are you okay?” Regis‘ worried voice reaches my ears again and I shake my head, slowly backing away.
“Home…” I say breathlessly, “I want to go home. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
The man who claims to be my father comes closer to me, “Aria”
He tries to touch me but I recoil.
“Don’t touch me!” He also recoils backward, hurt clear in his tear–filled eyes.
“Please… Live with us. I want to make amends for my mistakes,” he begs.
“Us?” I ask.
“You and your brothers. They are waiting for you dear,” he says.
I turn to Regis, eyes pleading.
“Please take me out of here.”
CHAPTER 11
+25 BONUS
Regis nods without hesitation.
“Sir, I think it’s best we leave now for both your sakes.”
A hand grabs my wrist suddenly just as
I have already turned my back to him, too shaken to look at him anymo another one squeezes a small brown envelope into my hand and closes my palm around it.
“I’ve been punished for so many years because I gave you both up. I deserve every punishment I have gotten. If you decide not to see my face again too as a punishment for what I have done, I shall accept it but please don’t punish me that way, my child. It will kill me to know my only child hates the sight of me.”
Squeezing the envelope he gave me tightly in my hand, I turn without a word and walk out of the house not caring if Regis follows or not. I get into the car and Regis joins seconds later.
The drive back to Regis‘ home is quiet but my thoughts are the total opposite. Once we get to his house, my room immediately, tearing the damn envelope into pieces to get to its content. Out falls a black card but something else that falls catches my eyes instead.
It’s a picture.
into
“Mom…” I whisper as I look at the photo where she’s smiling brightly. He’s there too–my father–right beside her, looking at her with so much love and adoration in his eyes instead of looking directly at the camera. Together, they hold an infant in their arms. Me.
I fall to the ground by the bed. I cannot hold my tears back as I stare at the picture of the family I should have had. The family I was robbed of and made to live without. Grandmother knew this and she waited all these years, waited till I was in desperate and in need before leading me to the truth.
My tears escalate into sobs so loud they draw Regis‘ attention as he races into my room in concern. He stops when he sees me and without asking questions, he falls to his knees beside me and gathers me into his arms.
I bury my head into his chest as I cry harder than I ever have.
