Chapter 162
Dominic
As soon as we open the door to my father’s office, the first people to rush over are my mother and Sophie, including my father-in-law, who’s a little slow as he smiles with relief while being assisted by his nurse. “Dad!” Vanessa says to her father with a little strain in her voice.
He chuckles as he crouches down and holds her hands, Sophie and my mother immediately giving them some space.
“I’m glad you’re alright, my child.”
Sobs suddenly catch my attention and I look over only to find my mother in tears.
“I knew you would be alright but that was quite the scare,” she says. “You could’ve died at the hands of that Carmella!”
Her rage makes me glance at my father, who just sits in his chair with a blank expression and clenched fists.
My mother gets closer to Vanessa and says, “We couldn’t get anything out of that evil woman and my son refused to tell us anything until you were awake.”
“And she’s awake, so you better start talking,” my father chimes in from the other side of the room, his glare sending chills down my spine.
Just then, the door swings open and Jake comes in while breathing hard.
“Did I miss it?” he asks.
“You’re right on time,” my father says to him. “Everyone, sit down.”
My Father-in-law instructs his nurse to leave for a moment and all eyes instantly turn to me.
I never thought that such a day would come and a day on which I would be willing to say the truth only because I have no other choice. But whatever happens to me after this, I’m still glad Vanessa and our baby are alright.
Sitting right next to Vanessa who’s still in the wheelchair, I reach for her hand and she squeezes it gently with a nod. It seems she can tell that I’m still nervous despite being ready to explain myself.
“Son, don’t keep us waiting,” my father says, his authoritative voice making me gulp hard.
Bracing myself, I close my eyes and start from the beginning. The more I explain myself, the more my entire family gasps, twisting their faces in disgust and shaking their heads in disbelief. The only exception is my father as he just sits still with no reaction and it makes my knees go weak since I’m unable to tell what’s running through his mind.
My father-in-law breaks down in tears, burying his face in his hands and it’s my mother who comforts him.
Once again, I look around the room and everyone looks at me like I’m a monster.
“This whole time, you took us for fools?” Jake says to me.
“This is unbelievable,” Sophie chimes in, her voice trembling with rage. “I remember when you came to my store before the launch of my diamond necklace collection. You made it look like you were so in love with Vanessa but you made her suffer behind closed doors just for that crazy woman?”
I sigh deeply. “Look, there’s so much more to say, but you need to understand that things are different now.”
Jake scoffs and yells as he rises from his seat. “Do you really think we’re going to believe that? You treated Vanessa like she was nothing! You said it yourself. You weren’t even with her on your wedding night. Your honeymoon was fake! Everything has always been fake! What more do you have to say? I should have known something was up every time Carmella was around. She was even there during the wedding, mocking Vanessa in her face!”
“Jake-”
“And how can I forget that time at the club?” He cuts me off. “We were all right to feel the way we did about that psycho but you still fell for her and stuck with her. You’ve always been someone I’ve looked up to, but this is bullshit! I’m ashamed to call you my brother and…” He trails off, balling his hand into a fist.
“Were you so desperate to get what you desired from dad that you fooled us all? I could punch you in the face right now and you can easily get stitches for that since we’re already at the hospital but you know what? You’re not even worth it.”
“Big brother,” Sophie sniffles. “Words can’t describe how disappointed and hurt I am. You’re not someone I can look up to anymore.” Her voice cracks with emotion towards the end.
Despite no one saying anything more, the sniffles in the room make me look around.
Suddenly, my mother rises to her feet and stands right in front of me while wiping her tears. She grits her teeth while shaking her head and I feel like I have to say something to her. “Mom-”
She slaps me hard on my cheek and immediately does it on the other one.
“I can do this for hours just to show you how disgusted I am!” she says to me and I don’t even dare look up at her as I still feel my cheeks burn from the hard slaps. “You even had the audacity to bring Carmella into your matrimonial home and forced to Vanessa agree to it? This isn’t how I raised you!”
My Father-in-law doesn’t even seem to want to say anything as he can only break down.
My mother and siblings just spoke their minds, some of their words extremely hurtful but that still gives me relief as I know what they’re thinking. If only my father would do the same.
Even as my mother continues to scold me, I look in his direction, but he just faces the surface of his desk, still maintaining that blank expression and it’s unsettling. I’m ready for anything he has to say. What I can’t take is this silence from him. What could be going through his mind?
Vanessa
Before we came to this office, Dominic made the decision that he would be the one to explain everything and he’s done just that, except it doesn’t look too good for him. I knew this would happen, but what I didn’t expect was to feel this way.
What breaks my heart the most is my father’s reaction. He shouldn’t be going through this right now. He always saw Dominic and I to be the perfect couple and praised our love and affection for each other. He always wished that my mother could see just how happy I am now that I got married to Dominic.
I know Dominic still has more to say since he left out a lot about everything else that’s happened between us, but with his entire family lashing out at him, how could he cut them off?
I just want to chime in and speak to lighten the burden on him, but I can’t even see him to get that chance as my mother-in-law won’t stop yelling about everything that’s wrong with what Dominic did. She finally gives it a rest but her heavy breathing still fills in the silence. “I’m sorry,” Dominic says, still keeping his head low. “I admit that I was selfish and only cared about my goal to get everything that I knew I would if I did exactly as my father wanted. Despite how it all started out with Vanessa and I, things have completely changed. I’m not the person I was before.”
I raise my eyebrows a little, wondering where he’s going with this, especially when he firmly intertwines his fingers with mine and looks right into my eyes.
“I know you’re all disappointed but I mean what I’m about to say. Vanessa is now one of the most important people in my life. There was definitely a time when I didn’t even consider her to be my wife. But now, I have real feelings for her. That part is true.”
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