The Best Man's Speech

27: A Bastard's Child

✵ LYRA ✵

"Let's go." I nodded and followed him out. His hands entwined with mine, making me look up at him, questioning his intentions, "I think I am ready to tell the world that I love you." He smiled as he declared his love for me. I blushed in response before nodding, happily willing to go on with his plans.

We walked down the long and narrows corridors till we met with the Roman-inspired architect, only to meet the unwelcoming group of people in the assembly hall where everyone was meant to meet... before the wedding. "What's going on here?" James coldly asked, his eyes wide with annoyance and frustration as everyone's attention turned to focus on us. I wasn't sure if this was a great time to reveal our relationship or not.

"I am so sorry." My mother mouthed to me, after last night's declaration of my love for James, she had become aware of how useless her attempts to change that would be. My focus diverted and met my sister's sad gaze. I couldn't understand what was happening, so I turned to look at ELiza, who was too busy sending harsh glares towards James.

Looking up at him, I noticed how confused he looked. The room was silenced as we walked in with our hands in each other's. "Look who's here Luis." Julie's voice echoed before she carried a cooing baby towards James, "Daddy's here."

I, instantly, snatched my hand out of his and watched as his eyes looked confused while his face wore a confused expression. I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched the scene unfold before me. The baby happily cooed as he stretched his arms out towards James.

"Please explain this to me. Now. James." Eliza angrily demanded, and James looked at her confusingly, while refusing to hold his son.

I looked away before being pulled into my father's arms, hiding my face in his embrace. Someone please dissolve that baby and take us back in time, so that I could pull James away from this room and keep him to myself.

"I don't under-" James was cut off by Julie who started to talk, "James and I were engaged to each other... we separated because he wanted to prioritise his career and I knew that me being pregnant would only get in the way. So I pulled myself out of the picture, alongside our son, Luis."

"James, how could you do this?" Meia asked, softly as she tried to understand his motives. Or at least was looking for an answer that wouldn't hurt me. The tears kept pouring down my cheek as my fists rolled my dad's shirt into creases as I tried to block out the noise that kept spilling out of Julie's mouth. "James, this is our baby. I raised him on my own all along. But I can't do that anymore, he needs you." She just kept talking, as if she was trying to convince him to go back to her.

No words. He stayed silent.

"James, please don't push me away anymore. I did this for us, for you. And now that your dreams have come true, please make mine come true. I want us to be a happy family... to go back to the old days." She explained herself to him, as if they were the only people in the room.

My heart skipped several beats, as I jumped out of my father's arms. James was now shouting at Julie, while his son was crying out of fear, "Don't you dare lie about this!"

I turned around to find Meia holding onto Nathan tightly, while my mother had held her hand to our heart. My brothers on the other hand were as shocked as everyone else in the room. Spinning around, I caught sight of an angry James who was glaring down at a scared Julie. "The last time I saw you was three years ago... before I even met Isabelle or Lyra. And this baby is only a year old. it doesn't make sense since the last time I slept with you should be four years ago." He was talking through gritted teeth and I watched as Julie took a few steps away from the man I love, who was too busy trying to play with her mind brutally. Everyone was taken aback by James' outward confessions that had me melting inside: I was no longer sure of what to believe.

He continued to talk, "This baby is not mine." His fists were rolled into balls as he tried to hold himself back. The baby continued to cry in the arms of the vindictive woman who held him.

"He is! James, this is your son!" She was now crying and holding her son close to her chest as she tried to convince no one but herself.

I continued to face his back before watching him dramatically spin on his heels to face everyone, "You really know how to make a show, don't you?" His eyes turned back to face her. My dad's arms were now wrapped around my waist, holding me close to him, as if to keep me from going anywhere or possibly from crumbling to me knees.

Julie stood still, looking confused but angry at the same time. Her makeup was washing off of her face with the glistening tears that shone with regret and mistakes.

He continued to talk, "You left me. For Stephan. You sold me and my secrets to him. When I did nothing more than love, trust and protect you!" His words were shuddering with hatred and regret, "And now you want to come back into my life and act like that premature baby is mine!" He was now accusing her. I bit my lip as I continued to watch the truth unfold before my eyes.

"You sold me out and now want to act like you deserve a happily ever after from me?" He walked towards her, his voice lowly cold as he spoke loud enough for us all to hear. "Get out of here. You are unwanted. And if you don't leave on your own, I will have security throw you out." He snatched baby Luis from her arms, before handing him over to Eliza who confusingly held the baby boy.

"My baby." She sobbed.

"You wanted a happy family? I want that too, but with the woman I love." His finger was now pointing at me, I froze. "But I also want that for him." He was now pointing at Luis. "And he will get that, without a vindictive bitch like you in the picture." He gritted his teeth before watching her move towards him, slowly. "Security!" He called out before she could get to him, and watched her be dragged out, without him or her son.