76. A Father’s Feeling
SEBASTIAN.
The sound of my beating heart thumping loudly in my ears is all I can hear as his words ring in my mind. I am not his son? How is that even possible?
I look more like him than Mom… Even if I don’t want to admit it; it is the truth. “What do you mean I am not your son?” I ask quietly, yet my shock bleeds into my voice. “He didn’t mean that, Sebastian. Aran please, don’t do this,” Mom pleads, hurt clear in her eyes.
“No! Why shouldn’t I? His arrogance and his attitude are not something I will tolerate. Not anymore.” Dad says coldly. “Now you have the truth! I don’t want a useless man who-”
“I am an Alpha. Whether you want to admit it or not, you know I hold an alpha’s aura. Who is my father, then?” I ask sharply. Mom grabs hold of my sleeve.” Sebastian, your father is your father-”
“I mean my biological father, Mom,” I growl, trying to control my anger. Why the lies? I am in my thirties and now he decides to tell me that? Mom decides to tell me this crap now? Now when I don’t fucking need to know?
“We don’t know.” Dad snarls. “For all we know, it could be a lowly omega!” Mom frowns, her heart thundering as she looks between us. But I can see the disappointment in her eyes when she looks at Dad spewing his crap.
“He is our son, Aran. We had a sperm donor because you couldn’t conceive! How dare you say he is not ours!” She snaps. “He is not! His arrogance, his attitude and even his face anger me!” He snarls.
“Aran, enough!” I run my hand down my face, turning away from them and their arguing. So, I’m not alpha-born? But then why is my aura more powerful than anyone I have met and I am not bigging myself up…
“Who is my father, then?” I snarl, turning back to them, my eyes blazing silver. They fall silent as Mom sighs. “We used … a sperm donor and had you via IVF because we were having issues conceiving and your father wanted an heir. So we decided it was the best we could do.” Mom continues.
“Yes, so you see, you are not my son nor my blood, nor do you have any real right to this alpha title you so like to claim as your own.”
My head snaps towards him and although I’m shaken by the revelation, more than that, I am fuming. How dare he…
I scoff coldly. “Well, it seems you were the one lacking. You are the one who was unable to father a child. Sperm donor or not… You were the one who wanted to create a child, so whether you like it or not… I am your son, alpha or fucking not.” I snarl.
“Exactly! He is your son, only yours. No one else’s. So stop this nonsense!” Mom exclaims. I don’t miss the way she’s trying to control herself, almost as if there’s more to her words than she’s letting on and wants to diffuse things.
“But I still don’t get it. Why would that be the reason for the Toussaint’s not to like me? There’s more. What are you two not telling me? We all know I am capable of being Alpha. Everyone knows that.” Mom looks down and I frown… she knows something..
“Please, Sebastian, leave it be,” she pleads. “No. I need to know. I am fed up with lie after lie. First, the Toussaints have kept so much from Zaia and now you two. Don’t any of you have any fucking shame?” I growl.
“What we don’t wish to share is not your concern. We have told you what involves you. Now you know, what will you do? Continue to disrespect me?” Dad says as he sits back in his office chair.
“Are you really acting like you fucking did me a favour? Remember, I’m the one who did you a fucking favour by giving you the chance to be called father.” I snarl.
Dad slams his hand on the table, but Mom speaks before he can. “Aran, stop it. You know that’s not true. Why are you doing this?” she asks, her eyes now flashing.
His cold glare turns upon her. “Enough Agatha. Do not push me.”
“I am not! But you need to stop making matters worse. Tell him, or I will. I will not lose our son because of your ego!”
“Your son.” “OUR SON!” Mom screams, slamming her hand on the table. “You are the one who wanted a child! And we have one! A perfect son who is an excellent alpha and an amazing businessman! If only you I will get your head out of your behind and see it!”
“Mom, leave it,” I say, She’s shaking, and her heart is beating disturbingly fast when she begins coughing.
I frown, seeing the splash of blood on her hand, and Dad stands up. Both of us rush to her side and panic rushes through me. What’s wrong with her?
“I’m fine, just a bad throat.” She says hoarsely as I offer her a tissue. “Thank you.” She wipes her mouth looking between us. “He needs the truth Aran, for me…” she whispers.
Where moments ago he was nothing but arrogant, his worry for her trumps his own feelings. At least I know he cares for her if not me. But even I feel uneasy, coughing up blood is not normal….
Dad sits down again, glaring out of the window, and Mom sighs as she takes a seat opposite him. “The Toussaint issue has always been between your father hating Hugh… and Melanie… hating me,” she says, smiling bitterly.
“And why is that?” I ask, taking the last seat in the room and facing Mom. I wonder if Zaia is all alright out there. I glance at the door before looking back at Mom. “Annette Toussaint is your father’s fated.”
My eyes widen as I stare at her in surprise. Well, he sure dodged a bullet…
When your father chose me over her, she promised to ruin us… and, well, her marrying Hugh was a stepping stone to power.” I stare at Mom, my head spinning. Can things get any more fucking confusing and fucked up?
“But why hate us for that? She chose him, and that has nothing to do with us. Dad chose you.” But Mom’s sad smile tells me that there’s more.
“He did choose me, but Hugh and your father were once friends, extremely good friends… but Annette was the cause of a rift, and Hugh took away several of your father’s business deals at her request. At one point, the Aran King enterprises almost collapsed from his betrayal, but we survived.” Mom sighs as she looks at her hands on her
lap. The blackmail from Annette… was that why Hugh did it? I can imagine that being a reason, she must have felt hurt that Dad didn’t choose her. “And of course, your father countered.
“And shouldn’t I? He had ruined me enough.” Dad snarls. “I did nothing in comparison to the losses I faced…”
“But you never had anything against Zaia…” but as the words leave my lips, a sudden thought makes my heart sink. ” Did you treat her well, to anger him? To build a better relationship with his, daughter than he ever had?”
Please say no. Dad looks away, stubbornness clear on his face, and I look at Mom, who looks down, guilt washing over her. “Not I, I promise you,” she whispers. I look at the man in the chair. How bitter is he?
“Hugh and Annette knew you were adopted, and Annette often liked to throw it in your father’s face. Since she knew he could not have children… Well, she went and got pregnant by someone else anyway.” Mom shakes her head, smiling humourlessly.
“And what has that got to do with you?” I ask. “Why does Melanie hate you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? She blames me for the ruin of her life. If I was not with your father, Annette would have been and she’d have Hugh.” Mom says, brushing away a few tears. “I always remained patient… despite everything, I loved her daughter. I was happy she was my daughter-in-law. I can never hope for a better daughter-in-law than Zaia.”
I remain silent. Melanie is a fucking hypocrite… but looking at the wider picture, Dad, Annette and Melanie are far from innocent. They are the cause of so many problems. I look at Dad. It’s still hard to believe I am not his biological son…
“I don’t get it… You say I am not your blood, but we look alike, deny it all you want but your hair and eyes…” “I trail off, feeling my entire fucking world spinning.
“Luck,” Dad says coldly. “Aran, no more lies.” Mom whispers. Does she know who the sperm donor was?
“Would you really have gone for an ordinary alpha… I mean you would have wanted a strong son…” I say slowly, realisation dawning upon me. “Who was the donor?” “The sperm donor… he was… he is family.” Mom sighs as Dad’s frown deepens.
“Who?” I ask. Mom looks at Dad, who doesn’t even turn before she looks back at me, taking a deep breath as she closes her eves.
“Gerard King.” a My eyes widen as I stare at her, stunned. Dad’s cousin? “He offered… and being an Alpha, it made sense…” Mom’s words begin to fade away as I scrub my hand down my face, twisting my hand into my hair. Gerard King… The man that is in the other room, talking to my woman…
Dad scoffs as he stands up. “I hope you have got the answers you wanted,” he says before he storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
I rest my head in my hands, as Mom rubs my back, but nothing is going to calm the storm that has been unleashed within my mind…
