Chapter 19
Marie hit the floor hard this time. She just lay there, too shaken to get up.”
Paul didn’t even look back. He scooped up his mistress, shoved the door open, and disappeared with her down the hall, the slam echoing behind them.
Now, all that filled the room was Marie’s ragged crying and Alan’s stunned silence.
After what felt like forever, Alan finally knelt down and helped his mother up. “Mom-”
She slapped him on the back, her voice sharp and raw. “Don’t you dare call me that right now!”
She sucked in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. “We need to get to the hospital. Your idiot father wants to hand over fifteen percent of the company to that woman’s child!”
Alan’s head snapped up. “What? Are you serious?”
Marie’s eyes burned with fury. “Get to the hospital, Now. Find someone to make sure that child never sees the light of day. If you don’t, your position as CEO is as good as gone.”
There was no time to argue. Alan turned and bolted.
When he got to the hospital, he barely recognized his father–Paul was hunched over in the smoking area, chain–smoking, looking like he wanted to punch a wall. He shot Alan a glare, ready to storm back to the office and have it out with Marie, but instead, the two nearly collided in the hallway.
Alan stared at his dad, a mess of memories and anger swirling inside him. He remembered the dad who played with him every night, the husband who brought Marie a flower every day. When did it all fall apart?
He swallowed, but the bitterness wouldn’t
Paul just looked tired and impatient.
Alan’s voice cracked. “I am your
son”
90
“What
Paul let out a cold snort. “You can’t ha NALLIH FLY TA
Dad, why are you doing this?”
any sons.”
from me? I wanted another son. Is that a crime?”
“And besides,” he added, “didn’t you do the same thing? y
found a mistress and had a kid. If you didn’t care, why should I?”
Alan’s hands clenched. “That was only because Summer can’t have kids. I just wanted an heir. The mistress is gone now, and the child can be raised as Summer’s.”
Paul clapped him on the shoulder, hard. “Stop making excuses. Cheating is cheating. Don’t bother justifying it.”
He blew out a long cloud of smoke. “Get ready–you’re going to have a little brother.“>
With that, Paul turned and walked away, leaving Alan to sink onto a bench, feeling like the ground had dropped out from under him.
mine and
His mind spun. For the first time, he really remembered what he’d said to Summer after his own affair. Back then, he couldn’t understand why she was so devastated. He’d just wanted someone else to have a baby for them. Once the child was born, he’d planned to bring the baby home for Summer to raise, and pay off the birth mother. What was so wrong with that?”
Summer had been heartbroken, begging for a divorce. Alan had tried everything to keep her, never realizing how much he’d hurt her.
Now, listening to Paul, all those feelings crashed over him. He finally understood the pain of being betrayed by the person you loved most.
He’d once loved Sumrner with all his heart–just like Paul had once loved Marie. But for the sake of an heir, he’d gone and cheated, convinced himself he was doing the right thing, and then blamed Summer for not understanding.
Hot tears slipped down his face. He buried his head in his hands and sobbed, silent but shaking.
He didn’t know how long he sat there before he finally pulled himself together and made his way to the mistress’s hospital room.
But when he got there, two security guards blocked the door. “Mr. Clark, you can’t go in without the chairman’s permission.”
“Move,” Alan snapped.
The guards traded looks, then stepped aside.”
Inside, the mistress was sitting up in bed, her face pale with fear. She’d heard what Alan had done to Lena–now she was terrified the same thing would happen to her
She fell out of bed and landed on her knees, begging for her life.
But Alan just gave the nurse a look. The nurse held her down and started to wheel her toward the OR.
That’s when the mistress finally snapped. She screamed at him, voice hoarse and wild. “Alan, you bastards! You men screw up and cheat, and then we have to pay the price? Why don’t you just drop dead?“%
“And you really think Ms. Jefferson will ever forgive you? Dream on!“%
Alari’s face stayed calm, almost blank “I know I was wrong. I’ll beg Summer for forgiveness.“%
He paused, voice low. “And as for you? Don’t think I don’t know you were the one who drugged my dad’s drink,”
The color drained from her face%
“Don’t worry. My father will be joining you soon enough.“%
He turned to leave, but at that moment his assistant came running down the hallway, nearly tripping over his own feet. “Mr. Clark! The shareholders are pulling out!
