Secrets
Chapter 5
Tonight I'm going over to my family's house for our usual weekly dinner together. The smell of my mom's famous roasted chicken fills the air, making my mouth water.
"This looks delicious as always, Mom," I say, taking a bite. The flavours burst into my mouth.
"Thank you, Zia," she replies with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."
My dad nods in agreement as he takes a sip of his wine. "Your mother's cooking is always a treat."
My younger brother rolls his eyes playfully. "Zia only says that because she can't cook at all."
I stick my tongue out at him. "At least I have other talents."
"Please," Mom chides gently, though her eyes twinkle with amusement. "Let's enjoy our meal in peace."
We settle into a comfortable silence, savouring the food and each other's company. These family dinners are a cherished tradition, a chance to catch up and reconnect amidst our busy lives.
After a few minutes, Dad clears his throat. "So, Zia, how are things at work? Anything interesting happening lately?"
I pause, considering his question. I encounter all sorts of interesting situations at the office. But one thing, in particular, has been weighing heavily on my mind lately concerning Eli.
My brother perks up, always eager for juicy details. "Ooh, do tell! Is it some workplace drama? A company scandal?"
I can't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. "Nothing quite that exciting, I'm afraid. It involves Eli and her desire to learn more about her family history."
Mom tilts her head curiously. "Her family history? That's certainly an unusual interest. What made her want to look into that?"
I take a sip of water, gathering my thoughts. "Well, from what I know about Eli's life back then, she had a pretty rough upbringing. She was raised by her grandmother, but she never knew her parents or the full story of her origins."
Dad looked at me and said, "That's unfortunate. Everyone deserves to know where they come from."
"Exactly." I agree. "So Eli has been trying to uncover the truth about her family. And let me tell you, it's been a tangled web of secrets and lies."
My brother leans forward, entranced. "So, what has she found out so far?"
I take a deep breath, bracing myself. "Quite a bombshell. It turns out that Eli's biological father was a wealthy businessman named Andrew Grayson, and her sister..." I pause for dramatic effect. "Her sister is none other than Margot Grayson, one of the top oncologists at St. Anthony, where Eli received her treatment."
The reaction from my parents was instantaneous and shocking. Dad's fork clatters to his plate, his eyes widening with what looks like horror. Mom's hand flies to her mouth, stifling a gasp.
An uneasy silence settles over the table as I look between them, bewildered by their extreme reactions.
"Mom? Dad?" I prodded hesitantly. "What's wrong? You both look like you've seen a ghost."
Dad opens and closes his mouth a few times, seeming at a loss for words. Mom's hand trembles slightly as she lowers it from her face.
"Zia..." she begins, her voice thick with emotion. "What you've told us about Eli's family... is quite shocking."
I stare at her, utterly confused. "What do you mean? Are you saying you know something about Eli and the Graysons?"
Mom exchanges a heavy glance with Dad before turning back to me, her expression grave.
"Your father and I... we've been keeping a secret from you and your brother for many years," she says slowly. "A secret tied directly to the Grayson family."
A chill runs down my spine at her ominous words. My brother and I exchange a wide-eyed look, our sibling telepathy kicking in. What bombshell are our parents about to drop on us?
Dad clears his throat, looking deeply troubled. "You see, your mother and I used to be friends with Andrew Grayson a long time ago."
My eyebrows shoot up. "You knew him? How?"
Mom wrings her hands together, shoulders tense. "I used to know one of Andrew's mistresses."
"The name Andrew Grayson rings a bell. He had been a major corporate giant years ago, but under mysterious circumstances, we didn't hear anything from him," Mom continued.
"But...why keep that a secret all these years?" I ask, perplexed. "What's the big deal?"
Another weighted glance passes between my parents, laden with unspoken meaning and regret. Finally, Mom speaks up in a troubled voice.
"Because there's a deep reason behind Andrew Grayson's. Reasons we've kept buried for decades to protect our family."
A leaden knot forms in my stomach at her grave tone. This goes far deeper than I thought.
My blood turns to ice in my veins as the implications hit me. Mom reaches across the table to grip my hand tightly.
"We never wanted you and your brother to know the sordid details," she says, anguish lacing her words. "All that happened with the Graysons is better off buried and left in the past."
My head spins, revulsion curdling my gut. I had never imagined my parents knew something about Eli's family history.
Mom squeezes my hand like a lifeline. "Zia, whatever you'll find out soon, I hope you understand why we keep the truth from you."
My mind reels, struggling to realign my perception of my parents.
"So...you're saying this whole time...you knew the truth about Eli's dad?" I ask hoarsely.
"We knew Andrew had fathered a child out of wedlock with one of his mistresses, but he kept Eli's existence a tight secret, even from most of his inner circle," Dad said.
A heavy silence descends over the table, thick with unearthed secrets and revelations of sordid pasts. I feel almost dizzyingly unmoored—as if the very foundations of my life have cracked and shifted.
"You never imagined we could have been caught up in something like that, did you?" Mom asks, her voice heavy with regret.
I can only numbly shake my head, mute horror rendering me momentarily speechless. My brother looks similarly shell-shocked besides me.
Dad lets out a weary sigh, suddenly looking much older than his years. "We're deeply ashamed of our actions and choices back then. More than you'll ever truly understand Zia."
A shudder runs through me at the implication of what other consequences they could have faced. My head is still spinning from this gut punch of a revelation.
My brother finally finds his voice, which sounds younger than his years. "So you've just...been living with this dark secret hanging over you this entire time?
