Weeks later, Nick and Ivy had their wedding. After a long persuasion from Ivy, Nick decided it was better if he did not invite anyone but Gabriella. She attended the wedding and told Nick that she supported him. Something that Nick enjoyed to hear from her. After the wedding, Nick was asked by Gabriella why he did not want Oliver, Trevor or Roel to attend the wedding and he just said it's complicated.
***
Roel was becoming more upset by each second. He was seated on a chair next to his bed, gun in hand. His phone rang and he and he quickly answered the call.
" Did you find them?"
" No sir. I'm still trying to locate Nick."
" Then why did you call?"
" Sir, I need more money." Roel chuckled sarcastically. His face then hardened.
" You have not gotten a single information about that jerk's whereabouts and now you are asking me for more money? Can you hear yourself? You know what? Leave it to me. I do not need you to find him. I'll do it myself." He angrily hang up the phone.
I am going to find you Nick. You cannot hide her from me. Neither can you marry her when I am still alive.
***
Ivy and Nick enjoyed their first day after marriage. Nick did not go to work that day. He stayed home with his wife and that is when he thought of bringing up the topic of Roel again. They were seated at the living room, Nick holding a glass of juice. He was staring at Ivy who was seated opposite him, typing something in her laptop. He was trying as hard as he could to start the conversation but he knew that she must shed a tear and that is what he was scared of.
" Nick, you have been staring at me for a long time now. Aren't you tired?"
" Sorry."
He said then looked away. Ivy slowly stood, laid her laptop aside and walked to him. She sat next to him. She knew something was disturbing him. She gently massaged his right hand shoulder. He turned to her slowly and tried to compose the question.
" Ivy, about... My brother. You said..." He sighed and looked away.
" He took me to his place." She said while focusing on his shoulder. He turned to her and saw the thing he did not want to see. Her eyes were already filled with tears. She blinked several times trying to push back the tears. Nick just stared at her sadly.
" He forced me to do many things that I did not want to do."
Nick had a sudden change of emotion. His sadness was replaced by anger. Ivy saw it in his eyes and went quiet. He controlled himself and became calm.
" Things like what?"
" Like ..."
She broke down again. Nick hated what he was doing to her and wanted to tell her to stop but he had to know what Roel did to her. He gently took her hand and Ivy expected him to tell her it's okay. She preferred telling him these things bit by bit. However, she was surprised when he encouraged her to continue. Nick could see the shock in her eyes but he ignored it.
" He just forced me to do whatever he wanted. I was expected to never resist him."
" He would tell me if I give him a hard time he would not hesitate to kill one of them. All this while he locked me up in his room and only bought me clothes and brought me food. So I knew nothing that happened outside. One day I played along and stole his phone then called my sister. She came to my rescue when he wasn't around. I told her about mom and dad and she said that they were found dead in a certain forest the day after I disappeared." Nick turned to her sadly. In his heart, he felt everything Ivy was saying was true but his mind kept reminding him that Roel is his brother and he couldn't hurt anyone that much.
" Roel found out I had escaped and had some men look for me. My sister and I kept fleeing from him but one day he found my sister. Since then, I never heard from her. I am sure he killed her. So I chose to flee and I came here. I never saw him until the day I met him at your parents' house."
" If what you are saying is true, why didn't you report to the police?"
" I chose peace and letting go. It is all in God's hand now Nick. I know he will pay for his actions."
She continued massaging his shoulder and Nick stared at his front. She turned his face to hers and looked into his eyes.
" That is why I did not want intimacy with you yesterday. I did not want you to find out that way." Nick turned his gaze to her lips then her eyes.
" What were you afraid of?"
" Losing you." Nick just nodded and looked away. Ivy looked at him worriedly.
" What do you feel about everything I told you Nick? Do you still love me?" She immediately bit her lower lip for asking such a stupid question. He looked at her for long.
" I do not know how I feel about everything you told me, but I do know that I still love you Ivy." He then moved closer to her.
" Very very much." He then kissed her.
***
Trevor observed Roel as he walked to the kitchen area. He scoffed and turned to his phone. Roel walked to him and sat next to him.
" Roel, I just found out from Mom that she went to Nick's..."
"... Do not mention the name of that jerk anywhere near me."
" Mhm okay then." Trevor looked away.
***
That night, Gabriella and Oliver had a serious fight about Nick. Oliver had just found out that Gabriella had gone to Nick's wedding and was asking her why she did not tell any of them.
" Well, he did not want me to. Not even Trevor."
" Oh yeah? What are we to that son you picked up from nowhere?"
" You are his family, Oliver Robinson. You are his dad."
" No. I am only Roel and Trevor's dad. That son of yours does not consider me his dad so I will not consider him my son. He did not even ask for my permission to marry that girl. He did not invite me to his wedding. He is not my son Gabriella. I only have two sons."
" It's clear to me that you do not like Ivy."
" Of course I do not like her."
" Wow Oliver. So you expected Nick to invite you to the wedding? He knows you guys do not like Ivy. That's why he never invited you."
" Stop covering up for him! If that's the reason, then why did he also leave out Trevor who supports him in almost everything."
" You will stop shouting at me Oliver." Gabriella said calmly.
" No I will not! You brought that boy to this house and since then things changed. You choose him over Roel and Trevor. Your biological sons!!"
" I love all of them."
" Then if that's true, tell me who is going to take over your company."
Gabriella squinted at him.
" You had to check my documents, huh?"
" I heard you on the phone. I never checked your documents."
" Yes you did. They had moved from where I kept them. Oliver, that is my decision to make and I made the right choice, okay?"
" No. I will not allow it Gabriella. Why not Roel? He is the firstborn."
" Oliver do not question my decisions." She turned to leave when he grabbed her hand and turned her around forcefully.
" I will not allow that orphan to take over your company."
" He is not an orphan. He is MY son."
" The son you picked by the roadside?"
" No. He is my blood." Oliver raised his hand to slap her. She stopped him midway and slapped him instead.
" Do not even let me start, okay? I am well aware of what you did."
Oliver's eyes went wide open with shock.
