Chapter 54: LET'S GET MARRIED

“Wow, see who decided to visit after running away from the race,” Emily said when I stepped into her office.

“You know I didn't run; I just had something to take care of, that's all.”

“Okay, so when is the wedding, and to whom did dad match you up?” She asked as she offered me a seat.

“Very funny, Emily, but there is no way I'm letting dad choose a wife for me.”

“But he wants you married; both he and his wife need grandchildren.” Emily said as a teasing smile appeared on her face.

“Cut to the chase, Emily.”

“Cut to what? I'm not the one who rejected the family business.”

“You do know you are very annoying, right?”

“As always, brother, my few years in England didn't change a thing about me,” she said. She took a file from her table, excusing herself. I scanned the office with my eyes as I enjoyed Emily’s changes in it.

Emily's phone started buzzing, which caught my attention. I ignored the call, but the person called back, and I decided to go find Emily just in case it was an important call.

The caller ID said my sunshine, and there was this beautiful little girl on the screen. What caught my attention was her blue eyes, which reminded me of Charles.

“What are you doing with my phone?” Emily's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She was standing across from me, staring at her phone.

“You received a call from Sunshine,” I said. I couldn't hide the curiosity in my voice. That kid should be about three years old, and Emily was pregnant before she left for England, but she aborted it.

“Will you stop giving me that look? If you have a question, then ask me instead of giving me that suspicious look.” She said, snatching her phone off my hand before walking over to her seat.

“Sunshine is very beautiful, but I just don't understand why she looks a lot like my best friend,” I said to her, and all she did was sigh. So I wasn't wrong; the baby belongs to Charles, but how? Emily clearly told Charles she aborted the baby, even when he begged her not to.

"Okay, what is going on? That little girl I saw on your phone was just a simple photo lab picture, right?” I asked her.

“I think you need to sit down if you really want to know. And Elara is not a baby created with a photo lab or something. She is real, and she is my baby,” Emily said, showing me a picture of herself carrying a little Elara in her arms.

“This doesn't make any sense.” I was dumbfounded.

“I tried to tell you, mum, dad, and most especially, her father, but the truth was that I was scared that my little baby would be rejected by everyone.” Tears clouded her eyes as she struggled to hold it back.

“Hey, why would you even think that? I love her already.” I said. I tried to cheer her up, but the sadness was still visible in her eyes.

"Thanks, Xender, but I'm worried about the others.”

“Is Charles the father?” I asked just to be sure.

“Yeah, it's obvious, right? blue eyes, pointed noise, and most of all, they both have the same fucking personality. She took after him even though she grew apart from him.”

“But how? I thought you aborted the baby before you left.”

“Well, let's just say I couldn't do it. She was the evidence of the love Charles and I once shared, but I tossed it all away the night I told Charles I aborted the baby, but the truth was that I never did.

I was just scared, Xender. I was scared that mum and dad were going to be disappointed in me. I was young, naive, and stupid back then, but now I know better.” Emily said this before reaching out to the tissue paper on her desk.

“I can't believe you actually took care of yourself and Elara all alone while studying for your diploma. Charles is going to be devastated if he gets to know about this.”

"No, Xender, please do not say anything to Charles; I want to be the one to tell him. Just convince him to give me a listening ear. I'm not asking him to forgive me for hurting him, but I'm asking that he be a father to Elara; she needs him.”

“Fine, I won't say a thing to him, but please tell him as soon as possible. Charles probably hated you every day of his life, thinking that you killed his baby. Whenever he gets drunk, he always mutters about how you never even gave the baby a chance.

You two need to settle your differences if you want to make perfect parents to Elara.” I said this to her before handling her bottle of water.

“Thank you, Xender,” Emily said to me with a smile on her face.

“So when do I get to meet my little niece? I can't believe I'm already an uncle, which means mum and dad already have a grandchild.” I just couldn't believe it.

“Well, at least they will go easy on you with the marriage issue,” Emily said, but that didn't make me feel any better. Apart from the fact that I needed to marry Alda to be able to bring her back to life, I just can't put Emily in another fire.

“I will still get married; let's tell both mum and dad after my wedding. I can't have them forcing you and Charles to get married. You two need to heal and forgive each other before deciding that.”

“I know right; even the way Charles looks at me tells me he doesn't want anything to do with me ever again.”

“I'm sorry, Emily; if only I took over the family business, then dad wouldn't have sent you to England, and you would have probably been married to Charles by now.” I felt sorry for her because most of the decisions I made affected her.

“Nah, it's not your fault. Wait until you meet Elara; you will fall hopelessly in love with her.”

“I can't wait. Did you come back with her?”

“No, she is with my friend and her family in England.”

“Don't make any more harsh decisions; just let me know before anything, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you, Xender, but seeing the fact that you are not panicking about getting married, I'm guessing you found the one.” She said, smiling at me teasely.

“Well, I will introduce her later.”

“I can't wait to see the lady that stole my brother's heart,” Emily said as she giggled.

“Come on, Emily, you are making me feel uneasy about it." Just then, my phone started buzzing in my pocket. It was Charles. Emily went quiet upon seeing Charles as my call ID.

“Hey Charles”

“Have you seen the news?” He asked in a panic. What else does the news have to say?

“Charles, let me call you back.” I ended the call and grabbed my suitcase.

“I will call you later, Emily; there is something urgent I need to attend to.”

“But, is everything okay?” Emily worriedly asked.

“Yes, just some work issues. I will call you up later, okay?”

“Okay, thank you, Xender. You don't know how happy I am that Elara is no longer a secret, at least to you.”

“Me too; just keep me updated.” I said, giving her a little hug before heading for the door. Immediately after I entered my car, I called Charles back.

“Have you seen the article? I notified you.”

“I'm about to check it out.” I grabbed my iPad and turned it on as I went through the files Charles sent me, and what I saw left me more shocked.

Alda's POV

“I still feel dizzy, Siofra.”

“That's why I said you need to rest; it will help you gather more energy.

“Yeah, I guess so." Even as I closed my eyes to sleep, I couldn't. My brain was restless, and so was every other part of my body. I could hear every noise in the room, including the TV.

“Did you hear that?” Siofra asked before I could ask her to help turn off the TV.

“Yeah, it's the TV on the third floor; I thought I left it off. Do you think you can help me turn it off?”

“Why don't we just head to your room instead? You will be more relaxed there." Siofra helped me off the couch as we started heading upstairs.

When we got to my room, I managed to find the TV remote, but the funny fact was that the TV volume wasn't even high. My ears have suddenly become sensitive, and it's annoying.

“The breaking news of the afternoon is that Miss Barnard’s body has been found deep in the woods. Though the body has mostly decayed and wasn't really recognised, an autopsy is said to be carried out on the body, and the result is not yet out.”

I thought it was just my ears playing tricks with me. The TV in my room was off, which means that it came from downstairs. I turned my TV on immediately and searched through the channels, where I found a news channel with the caution “Miss Barnard’s body found deep in the woods.”

What the heck is going on here? Just then, an interview with Seth was being played.

“Mr. Sebastian, do you really think your wife committed suicide despite knowing she was pregnant, or do you think she was murdered?” 

“I think my wife might have killed herself. You know, a few days before the whole thing, she told me she didn't want to keep the baby. We were going to talk things through before everything happened. I was on a business trip when everything happened.

I felt myself boiling up with anger. How far are you going to take this? How long will you keep lying and getting away with what you have done?

I was trying to hold my cool, but it was becoming more and more difficult, so I let out a scream. I just wanted to get rid of the pain I was feeling in my heart.

I just stood staring at Seth's face on the TV as I felt the same anger and the same dark feelings I felt when I saw Anna pile up in me.

"Alda,” I heard Xender's voice behind me. His voice was filled with concern, but I am fine. Actually, I am more than fine.

“You said you wanted us to get married, right?” I asked, refusing to face him.

“Alda”

“Let's get married, Xender,” I said, finally facing him.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked.

“I have never been more sure of anything in my life."