Chapter 30
Nick
My mind could barely process her words. Two children, two.
“Children? Alaia?” I could hardly speak, loosening the knot of my tie as I felt a pressure that prevented air from entering my lungs.
“Yes, sir, two small children, a boy, and a girl, they are twins.” He gave me a paper that I
couldn’t distinguish at first. I took it, feeling my stomach and chest churn. He handed me the photo, and I saw the images on it. Alaia was holding a small bundle and smiling at it, caressing the baby’s face. I pressed the photo with my thumb when I saw Cedric standing next to the bed, holding the other small pink bundle while looking at Alaia and smiling.
“Date of this photo,” I said quickly, feeling a fire burning inside me.
“We don’t have a date, sir. We only managed to find out that the children must be over a year old, but everything about their pregnancy and birth is strictly guarded. The photo is from a security camera we managed to obtain, but the person who provided the information said that no one could access anything else, and that image was found on a recording with no details, only the surname Russell written on it, and it lasted three seconds. They were precisely the ones who guarded that information; the hospital owners are family friends, and any hospital member who provides any information risks their job p>
I continue looking at the image in silence.
“Everything points to Cedric Van Holt being the father. The children are the reason he travels constantly to the UK,” my employee said, and I clenched my fist tightly.
“Do you have photos of the children now?” I asked, looking at the small parts of their faces in the photos.
“No, for now, they go out very little, and when they do, they make sure to cover them enough so that no one can see them p>
I ran my hands over my face. It can’t be, it can’t be that Alaia and that bastard…
“We can investigate more if you wish, finish tying up loose ends, although I know it will be more difficult since they have been guarding the family members much more closely since yesterday,” he explained.
“Leave me alone,” I asked, and he nodded before leaving my office.
I looked at the photo over and over again, recalling the relationship between Cedric and Alaia in college and the fact that they are now going to get married.
I went for a drink, and my mind was playing tricks on me. I thought about how much I hated Cedric being near her, the fervor with which Alaia defended her “friend.” I laughed softly.” Friend“, huh?
I also remembered the day I climbed the stairs of the building we lived in–it was that day two years ago, I knew exactly what I was going to do that afternoon. I remembered how she threw herself into my arms as soon as I arrived and opened the door to our apartment, her look when I asked her for a divorce, her expression of pain when I was a complete jerk to her, the coldness that I had to show as I watched her leave.
“Did you think she wouldn’t rebuild her life after you abandoned her p>
Abandon her… those were the words Cedric used to remind me of what I had done to her.
“Aaaghhh!” I screamed, filled with rage and frustration, as I threw the glass against one of the walls of my office. The sound of the glass shattering against the hard wall was the only thing I could hear.
“Sir!” Kathe shouted, entering my office, followed by Will. “Are you okay?” She approached.
“I’m fine,” I growled.
“What’s going on, Nick?” he said, alarmed, and walked up to where I was.
“Nothing, nothing’s happening,” I responded, pouring myself another drink. I returned to my office chair and leaned back, closing my eyes and exhaling deeply. “Kathe, leave us alone, have someone clean up everything when I leave.“I pointed to the glass shards on the floor.
“Yes, sir, Kathe said, leaving the office.
“What’s the problem, brother?” he said, standing in front of my desk, “I came to see you, and we heard the sound of the glass p>
“What is this?” he asked, looking at the photos and documents in front of him. “Are you still insisting on this, Nick p>
“I told you I didn’t trust Cedric,” I laughed at the irony, “I was looking for something that could help me keep her away from Cedric, and I found that there are two children, who are Alaia and that bastard’s p>
“There’s nothing wrong with him,” my cousin said, reading the papers. “Oh, no,” he said when he reached the photo of Alaia, Cedric, and the babies. “They formed a family,” he said, and I let out a growl.
“So she was able to move on with her life. Is this recent?” he frowns and examines both sides of the photo. “Is there a possibility that they could be yours?” he said, looking at the photo more closely.
“If she was pregnant, she would have to tell me, Will, no matter what had happened between us,” I said, ruffling my hair. “There’s no possibility they are mine; their age, the fact that it was Cedric and not me who was at the birth, the fact that she disappeared without telling me anything p>
“Are you sure? The way your relationship ended wasn’t the best. How old are they?” he questions.
“You know exactly how everything happened, Will. If she was pregnant, she shouldn’t have left without telling me first. However, she left, and I don’t know the exact age of the children; they are a little over a year old. The Russells made sure to hide everything about Alaia’s pregnancy and the children’s birth.” I rubbed my temples.
“Damn, Nick,” Will said, and I turned to look at him before filling my glass halfway and drinking it in one go.
I could only feel a strong pressure in my chest, which turned into anger when I saw who entered my office.
“Sir, you can’t go in,” Kathe entered behind my grandfather, trying to stop him.
“You’re no one to stop me from entering an office in my building,” he spoke in a loud tone.
“I apologize for my grandfather’s manners, Kathe, take a break,” I told her, and she nodded before leaving.
“Speak and leave,” I looked at my grandfather who breathed angrily.
“It’s incredible that now you want to stop me from entering my offices.” He pointed to the floor.
“Well, as the CEO of the company and with everything from Garnett and Morgan under my
name, I consider this building mine, and if I don’t feel like seeing your face, I won’t.” I took a few steps toward my desk.
“You can’t stop me from entering the facilities I founded p>
“No, but I can stop you from entering my office. Let’s get to the point; surely you came to talk about your intentions, and I don’t understand your interest in becoming CEO again. Do you want to keep pulling the strings as you please?” I observed him closely.
“You always want to do whatever you please,” he said angrily.
“You already got what you wanted. I took over the company thanks to the deal you offered me. Now stop getting in my way p>
“I will take the reins of the companies again and make sure I leave you with nothing. You managed to deceive me with your rebellious attitude, but you will never be like me p>
“Fortunately, and yes, you made a big mistake thinking that with me, your power would extend. It won’t happen, and I must remind you that you can’t leave me with nothing, Killian. On the contrary, I’m the one who can do it p>
“Will you turn your back on your family for that woman?” he feigned indignation.
I laugh without humor, “my family.” He got angrier seeing me laugh.
“A woman who left her lover right after you divorced her and now shamelessly returned with another man who she is about to get married.” He smiled maliciously. Will looked at me, and I clenched my jaw as soon as I heard his words.
“Leave, or I won’t be able to control my actions,” I said, approaching him.
“Nick, he’s three times our age.” Will stood up and stopped me.
“This isn’t over.” Killian raised his chin and walked towards the exit, where he stopped and gave me one last look before closing the door behind him.
“Did grandfather tell you that Alaia left with another man?” he asked when we were alone and poured him a drink.
“He did, after my wedding with Bárbara, but I didn’t believe his words,” I said, looking at the photo of them with the babies.