Billionaire's Redemption

Chapter 18

Harry

I'm waken by the sound of glass breaking. I shot out of bed. I walk out to the living room.

"Alex?" I call to him.

"Stay where you are, I don't want you stepping on any glass." He said warning me. He sounds like he's had something to drink.

"It's okay I'm wearing slippers. What's wrong?" I ask him.

He gave me a bitter laugh, "what's not wrong? He asked in return.

"Were you drinking?" I asked him. Something is seriously wrong, looking at his expression.

"Don't worry I'm not drunk. See, I'm just getting started," he said pointing to the bottle of whiskey in front of him.

He looked at me with a hurt look on his face, and a hint of anger and confusion marring his eyebrows. After a moment, he stood up and walked over to the window looking over the city of Paris.

I'm unsure as to what or say or do: I could leave him and let him drink himself to death or I could ask him what's wrong.

I chose the latter. "What's wrong Alex, did something happen?" I asked walking over to his side.

He turned to look at me and said, "it's Roger. He's...he's my father."

"Alex...I..." I couldn't find the words to say.

He looked at me and said, "you don't look surprised to hear that."

Understanding registered on his face, "my god, you knew. He's been lying to me all this time pretending to be a driver, and you... You knew all this time and you didn't tell me?" He accused angrily.

"I didn't know Alex. I found out during our wedding reception. I overheard Roger and Jane talking. Then I confronted him and asked him, so he told me the truth. Alex I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep it from you, but he wanted to tell you the truth himself. I'm sorry," I said, begging him to understand me.

He shook his head brokenly. "I don't know what to think, this is all so fucked up."

"Look Alex, I don't know the whole story, but from what your dad told me, it wasn't his fault. He didn't find out about you until 9 years ago."

He kept quiet.

"Alex, please talk to me." I plead with.

It was so quiet, all I could hear was our breathing. He kept on staring out the window. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he turned around to face me. He grabbed my hand and guided me to the sofa. He pulled me to sit down beside him and I obliged. He let go of my hand and rubbed his face with his hands. He took a deep breath and leaned forward, resting his elbows just above his knees. He put his hands together and took another deep breath. And then he finally spoke...

Alex

Be true to her Alex. Let her in. It will help her understand you better.

Michael's words rang in my head. He's right. I have to let her in. So I did. I began to tell her about my past.

"My mother drank a lot. That wasn't her only problem. She was an addict too. She wasn't so bad when she wasn't drunk or high. But most of the time she was drunk and high on drugs. When I was little, she would leave me for days. I remember crying the first time she left me. I was 3 years old. I remember being hungry. Then I remembered her coming back. I was so happy to finally see her. I ran to her hugging her legs and she just looked at me. She looked at me and said, 'I should have aborted you when I had the chance,' and she pushed me aside. I didn't know what it meant, but as a kid, I knew it was something bad, because of how she looked at me, and how she pushed me aside. She said the same thing to me over and over again, every time she would come back after leaving me for days. Then when I was 7, she left me at an orphanage. She promised that she would come back for me and that she needed to leave me there so she can get help and get better. She told me she loved me, that's why she was going to rehab, so that she can be a better mother. For a 7 year old, it was hard to understand. All I knew was that she was leaving. I begged her not to leave me. I ran after her, called for her over and over again to come back for me, but not once did she look back. She just kept on walking. I remember one of the nuns holding me back, trying to soothe me and calm me, but I just kept on crying and calling for her. I remember crying for hours. One of the nuns just kept on telling me that my mom loved me and that she promised to be back, and that she just needed time to get better so we could be together again..."