Which Billionaire

Chapter 31

Vincent's POV
Annie leans herself against the counter, like if she didn't her legs would give out from under her. Adeline goes over to help support her but she waves her off "I'm ok" she says quietly

Her brown eyes turn to me "how-...who told you?" Her voice shows obvious pain as she looks at me "I suppose that's a dumb question considering Marie and Edward are the only two people who know" she sighs

There's silence in the room, each of us trying to figure out what to say next "will you two come sit with me?" She asks

Adeline looks at me and we both nod, Annie slowly pushes herself off the counter and walks over to the black curtain, pulling it back and walking through. I follow, grabbing Adeline's hand and walk into the dim back room.

Annie sits facing away from us, her hands intertwined and shaking nervously. I pull Adeline into my lap, in the chair across from Annie, even though she protests. I hold her to me and stare over at Annie "Vincent...I just want you to know, I never intended for any of this... I didn't know what to do" she sighs, tears filling her eyes

"Explain" I say a little coldly but I can't help it, I'm tired of being confused and lied to. I want to know the truth and how the hell any of this happened. I don't want to ask questions I just want her to tell me point blank.

She nods while Adeline plays with the hair on the nape of my neck, the simple action soothing me immensely.

"It was a long time ago-"

"Try twenty five years" I interrupt holding onto Adeline and the armrest maybe a little too tightly, my eyebrows knitted together

She frowns at me "don't interrupt" she scolds "let me get this out before you start judging"

I sigh and sit back, letting my hand roam under Adeline's shirt, running my hand up and down the soft skin of her back to distract me.

She starts again "like I said it was a long time ago...Jo had gone off to Africa, he was a missionary and was helping others learn while also nursing the sick" a tear slips from her eye as she remembers "we got married so young, I was seventeen and he was twenty, he left six months after we were married" she says "I was here, a young girl, I had just opened the shop and was stressed without a husband to lean on...I was alone, my parents were in England and my husband gone" she sighs looking down "months past and I was so worried without a letter from him, turns out he stayed there, to help with the people longer than we both thought so again I was alone...it felt like I was alone forever" she wipes her eyes "then your father walked in my store....he was older and handsome" she smiles "that was when he first started to build his company, he came in on accident. It was pouring down rain that day, his car broke down outside and he was looking for an auto repair shop, when I told him there were none around he asked if he could stay for a little while, until the rain stopped" she says finally looking up at me "now I want you to know now, I had no idea he was married and had been for two years...not that I could say much" she sighs "we started to talk, we talked for hours, he was so ambitious and fascinated with the world, he talked about how one day he would be rich and famous" she says looking outside, by means of the window "when he left, after a tow truck came and took his car, he begged to see me again, I didn't know how to say no, I know I should have, I knew it was wrong but I was so lonely and at the time I thought he just wanted to be friends"

I listen intently to the story, my mind wondering back on my Father...his younger years. To hear someone actually talk well of him is a little shocking...back then he sounds so carefree and not heartless.