Chapter 112: Chase’s Father

As Stefan and Amber stepped through the door of the Morgan's Mansion, the last person they expected to see was Andrew. The man stood in the foyer, his posture tense but his eyes determined.

"Andrew?" Amber's voice trembled with shock. "What are you doing here?"

Stefan's initial reaction was fury. "What the hell are you doing in my house without prior notice?" His voice was stern, filled with protective anger.

Andrew raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Please, Stefan, Amber. I know this is unexpected, but I must talk to both of you. It's important."

Stefan crossed his arms, his jaw tight. "You've got five minutes. Make it quick."

Andrew took a deep breath, his eyes meeting Amber's. "I'm here to tell you the truth about Chase. He's my son, Amber. Monique and I... we were together."

The words hung in the air like a bombshell. Amber's knees buckled, and she stumbled back, leaning against the wall for support, but Stefan was quick to help her. "What? Chase... your son?"

Stefan's fury dimmed into confusion and concern as he looked at his wife. "Amber, are you okay?" He assisted her to the library where they could talk privately; Andrew followed them.

Tears welled up in Amber's eyes as memories of her sister flooded back. Now she realized why Andrew looked so familiar. Monique had brought him to one event, but it was just a quick glance; she hadn't even had the chance to introduce herself.

"Monique mentioned a boyfriend once. She was so happy, but she never had the chance to introduce us to each other. Then... then she found out she was pregnant, and you just left her?" Her voice cracked with pain and accusation.

Andrew shook his head vehemently. "I didn't leave her, Amber. It was more complicated than that."

"It was hard for Monique," Amber continued. "Dad urged her to abort the baby, but she fought until she gave birth to Chase. Andrew, do you understand how hard it was for Monique?" Amber said questioningly, tears streaming down her face.

Stefan's eyes narrowed, his heart aching for his wife. "So, you just show up here, expecting what? For us to hand over Chase?"

Andrew's expression softened, genuine sadness and regret in his eyes. "No, Stefan. I don't want to take Chase away, but I want to be a part of his life. I can't compensate for lost time but want to be there for him now. He deserves to know who his father is."

Amber wiped her tears, trying to process the information. "Andrew, why now? Why tell us this now after all this time?"

Andrew sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Amber, but you need to hear me out." 

His eyes were filled with regret and a deep sadness as he began to speak. "I was madly in love with Monique," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "We had to keep our relationship discreet because my parents disapproved of her. She wasn't the heir of the Baldwin family, and that mattered to them. They pressured me relentlessly, and eventually, they gave me an ultimatum: leave Monique and marry the woman they had chosen for me, or be disinherited."

Amber felt her heart clench as she listened. She had always known that Monique had suffered, but hearing it from Andrew made it feel all the more accurate and painful.

"Under that pressure, I did the unforgivable. I thought if I chose Monique, I wouldn't be able to provide for her anyway since I was starting to learn how to run one of our companies, and probably my parents would find ways for me not to succeed." Andrew continued, his voice breaking. 

"I left Monique. I married the woman my parents wanted, thinking I was doing the right thing. But it was a lie. The marriage was a sham, and I was miserable. We got divorced a few years later. By then, I had lost track of Monique."

He paused, swallowing hard before he continued. "I hired someone to find her, hoping to rekindle what we had. But it was too late. Monique was gone. And that's when I learned about Chase and secretly had a paternity test."

Stefan's face remained stern, though his eyes showed a flicker of empathy. "You ordered a paternity test without Amber's knowledge?"

Andrew nodded, shamefaced. "I did. I had to know for sure. I paid a huge amount of money to the hospital management to get it done secretly. When I got the results confirming that Chase is my son, I didn't know how to approach you, Amber. I was terrified and overwhelmed. But I don't regret doing it. I'm thrilled to know I have a son and want to be a part of his life."

Amber's tears flowed freely now. She felt an intense mix of emotions—anger, sadness, understanding. "You should have come to me first, Andrew. This isn't something you can handle on your own."

"I know," Andrew said, his voice choked. "I'm sorry. I was desperate. I didn't know how you would react, and I didn't want to lose any chance of being with Chase. From the beginning, knowing that he was suffering from a rare disease and needed a bone marrow donor, I took the opportunity. That's when our paths crossed."

"So, you made the stories you told me then? That you just happened to see Chase after your yearly checkup and wanted to help."

"Yes. And I also paid the bone marrow donor to back out so I could replace him," Andrew answered hesitantly.

Stefan leaned back, arms crossed, a look of cautious scrutiny on Andrew's face. He would ensure that the hospital management of Luxor Medical Center faced the consequences of their action regarding the discreet paternity test.

Despite Andrew's raw emotion, Stefan's eyes remained wary. "I hear you, Andrew," he said, his voice measured. But you must understand I won't take your word for everything yet. I'll have my men verify all the information you've provided."

Andrew nodded, accepting Stefan's terms without hesitation. "I understand, Stefan. Do whatever you need to do. I only want to be with my son."

Amber took a deep breath, looking at Andrew with sorrow and determination. "Chase deserves to know the truth, but on our ways. We need to talk to him carefully to make sure he understands. And Andrew... you need to earn his trust. This isn't something that can be fixed overnight."

Stefan, his protective instincts still high, spoke slowly and firmly. "Andrew, if we're going to do this, it has to be on Chase's terms. We will tell him together, and we will make sure he understands. But if you ever go behind our backs again, this will end. Do you understand?"

Andrew nodded, his eyes filled with hope. "I understand. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Thank you, Amber and Stefan."

Stefan's protective anger faded, replaced by a resolute calm. He turned to Amber. "We'll figure this out together. For Chase's sake," he said, pulling Amber into his protective arms as he wiped her tears.

"There's one more thing I want to discuss, " Andrew said again. "The masterminds behind Monique's death have been traced, and I've taken actions so they won't flee from us."

Stefan's gaze hardened slightly as Andrew shifted the conversation.

Amber's heart skipped a beat, and she felt a cold dread settling in her stomach. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Are you saying... her death wasn't an accident?"

Andrew sighed deeply, pain etched on his face. "Yes, Amber. Monique's death was orchestrated. It wasn't an accident like you were led to believe. Valentina and Katrina were behind it."

Amber's mind reeled, and a mix of shock and anger surged. "No," she said, shaking her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "They blamed me. They said... They said it was my fault. That Monique was driving a car with my programs caused the accident."

Andrew's voice was gentle but persistent. "I know, Amber. I know they blamed you. But they lied. I've gathered all the evidence to prove that Valentina and Katrina orchestrated the accident. They wanted to eliminate Monique and used you as a scapegoat."

Stefan's jaw tightened, his protective instincts flaring up. "This makes Katrina's situation even worse," he said, his tone cold. "With the charges already filed against her for what she did to Amber, and now this... they'll both face justice."

Amber felt a mix of relief and sorrow—relief that she wasn't to blame for Monique's death and grief for the cruel incident that Monique had gone through. "Thank you, Andrew," she said, her voice trembling. Thank you for finding the truth."

Stefan placed a reassuring hand on Amber's shoulder. "We'll get through this," he said softly, his eyes locked onto hers. "We'll make sure justice is served, and we'll protect Chase. Together."

Amber hugged Stefan tightly, her only solace in this life. With him, she felt safe and protected again. She vowed to be present when Valentina and Katrina faced their judgment.