The Billionaire's Inconvenience (TBB 5)

Family

Chapter 23 - Family

DANIEL HUNT

"She's so cute." Danny whispered to Lexi.

Maya had stuck her face to the glass.

"So many babies.." she said in an awe

Lexi had suggested that they needed to see Channing first before the reunion. Everybody had met her except for Dan. Kudos to Lexi that she succeeded in making him feel like a family.

"How many more days she'd be here?"

"I don't know. I can't wait to take her home."

Dan turned towards her. "What about you? Are you okay? Kari told me that your delivery wasn't as normal."

"Blabbermouth." She muttered under her breath. "I'm fine. I just couldn't die knowing my daughter would be raised by a grumpy old man who'd never forgive me for leaving him." She gave a teary smile.

"You ain't gonna die so easily. You've yet to boss around your kids and all of our kids."

"That I definitely have to do." Lexi agreed. "C'mon sweetheart. Let's go meet your grandma." She whispered to Maya who turned around with big wide eyes and a mile long smile.

They took the elevator to the parking lot and walked quietly towards the car.

"Why didn't Kayla come with you?"

"I signed the papers."

Lexi didn't say anything to that. He knew she had tons and tons of things to say but she wouldn't.

Dan took the driver's seat while Lexi took the backseat with Maya.

She had taken a liking to Lexi and chatted all the way. Dan was relieved that he had sometime to himself to ponder as to how he would break the news to his family.

All he hoped that Logan hadn't already told them about Maya.

********

The moment Dan stepped in the door, a silence fell in the room.

Logan might not have told them anything but he sure as hell had managed to get every single person under one roof.

Maybe it was because he wanted Maya to know the whole family or maybe he wanted to embarrass him in front of the whole family.

Nonetheless, everyone was present including Tessa's assistant and his new girlfriend.

Maya had a hold onto Lexi's hand and damn was she nervous.

Daniel swallowed and with a deep breath he strode towards his family.

"Everyone, this is Maya." He said aloud as she took his hand and wrapped her small fingers around his.

"This is your family, angel."

The minute a meek "Hello" escaped her lips, everyone rose to their feet and crowded around them. Maya hid behind his legs.

"Okay, let's not scare the kid, shall we?" Lexi said aloud and everybody froze.

"Let's sit our asses down."

Everybody murmured something or the other under their breath but his mother stepped forward.

"Hey sweetheart. I'm your Gramma."

Maya looked at her shyly.

"Go ahead." Dan nudged her forward and watched as she tentatively placed her hand in Cass's outstretched one.

Cass shook her hand and picked her up.

"Damn, she's heavy. You're one healthy girl, aren't you? Your father is feeding you well, I suppose."

Dan shook his head. Leave it to his mother to question the kid's diet.

Maya nodded vigorously. "Yes. We had some ice cream just yesterday."

Dan frowned. "I don't remember giving her any icecream."

"Aunt Kay bought me some."

"Where is Kayla? It's been a long time since I met her." Cass frowned

"She's tired from the trip. She headed home." Lexi piped in without missing a beat.

"What trip?" Cass narrowed her eyes.

Maya took that moment to squirm in her hold as if sensing her father's discomfort and trying to change the subject.

"You wanna meet the others."

"Yes." She answered

Cass put Maya down, back on her feet and led her towards the sofa.

She began introducing everyone, one at a time when a hand on his shoulder had him turning

"We need to talk."

That voice and those words were something he dreaded but he nodded and followed his father to his study room.

Maya was having fun and wouldn't miss him for a few minutes.

He didn't know that Lexi was trailing behind him until he sat down in one of the chairs and Lexi did the same beside him.

"How old is she?"

"Nine years" he replied

"Nine years you kept us in the dark." George took a deep breath before opening his mouth when Lexi cut in

"Oh cut him some slack, old man. He did what he thought was right."

"I raised him to be a better man. Not to whore himself around and then hide his daughter like a dirty little secret."

"Well you gave me no choice." Dan finally yelled.

"No choice. All you had to do was bring her here and we would have raised her right."

"Raise her right?" He said incredulously "I did right by her. I gave her everything I could. Don't you come telling me how wrong I have raised her because you look her in the eye and you ask her if I've done anything wrong by her."

"You devoid her of family."

"What family? The family that I have. The family that's so into keeping their business running that they doesn't care what happens to their youngest son. The family that takes in Zach because what, he's like rest of the Hunts. The family that pushed me away because I did not follow my father's footsteps like the rest of them."

George looked taken aback. "If that's what you think about us son, then I did something wrong. I did everything I could-"

"And pushed him away." Lexi finished.

George's gaze snapped to hers. "I saw this coming a mile away. I could've done something but he needed to come by his own choice. True, that I didn't know about Maya. But it shouldn't be my choice that he should come home and confront you about his issues." Lexi said softly.

George rubbed his temple.

"How could I - " his hand trembled as he wiped a hand down his face.

"I'm sorry." He finally said. "I'm sorry and I don't know what to do son"

"You don't need to apologise. But the damage is done and I don't know if I can bring myself to ever feel like a part of this family." Dan stood up.

"I won't keep Maya from you. She's you granddaughter and as you said I've kept her away from family. I don't want to keep her away from you guys. She needs her family and you are it. I just hope you don't treat her the same you did to me and break her sweet kid's heart."

With that said, Dan walked out leaving his Dad and Lexi in the room.

********

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- Nami