Chapter Fourteen

Philip POV:

"Zoe, the coffee is a little different today," I said after taking a sip.

Zoe gasped. "Is it bad?" She asked.

"Bad? No! It just tastes different from the usual one. Is there a problem, Zoe? You've been acting weird all week. It's like you're worried about something."

Zoe sighed, and I knew that something was up. "Come on, spill," I told her.

"It's nothing," she said.

I stared at her for a while; I didn't want to drag the issue. She was going to tell me whenever she was ready, so I let the topic go.

"What's my schedule for today?" I asked.

"You keep asking for your schedule when you already know it," Zoe replied.

"I want to confirm. Besides, it's your job to tell me my schedule even before I ask," I told her.

"Okay, boss."

My phone buzzed on the table; it was a call from my Dad. I had spent the weekend with him and noticed how strange he had been acting. What was going on with him?

I picked up the phone and swiped. "Hello, Dad."

"Hello, son. How're you doing?" Dad asked from the other end.

"I'm good, you?"

"Oh well, same old," he replied. "Could you stop by at my house today? There's something important we need to talk about," Dad said, and I noticed the change in his tone.

"Does it explain why you've been acting a bit weird lately?" I asked.

"I'm not acting weird," he defended. "Get my favorite wine on your way; I'm out of it."

"Dad, this week is a very busy one for me. How about the weekend?"

"That's too far, but I'll wait since you're the boss."

I snorted. "I have to go," I said. I wasn't so used to talking casually on the phone with my Dad.

"Bye," Dad said before he ended the call, and I frowned.

"Is there a problem?" Zoe asked.

"I don't know. My Dad has been a little strange lately. I'm not used to this side of him," I replied.

"He just wants to make up for lost times," Zoe said.

"Why are you always defending him?" I asked.

"I'm not defending him. You're so lucky, you know? My Dad is dead, and my stepfather was an asshole. I've never really had a father figure in my life. You have one; consider yourself extremely lucky because someone out there is wishing they had a father."

"Hmm, that was deep. Have you been smoking weed, Zoe?" I asked with a grin.

Zoe rolled her eyes and stood up. "It's the other way round. I have to get back to work before you look for an excuse to scold me," she said and began to walk towards the door.

"I don't always scold you," I defended.

"Yeah, sure."

"Whatever."

I tried to ignore the ways her hips swayed with every step she took. I couldn't keep my eyes off her derriere as she walked out of my office.

'You're a pervert, Philip,' my subconscious reminded me.

There was no need to deny my feelings for Zoe anymore. I wasn't sure what I felt. Was it lust or love? I had no idea. All I knew was that she brightened up my day every day. With her, I could be myself, not the stuck up, ruthless businessman I was on the outside.

My mind drifted to the day she kissed me. A smile was on my face before I could stop it. Zoe on impulse was an amusing kind of Zoe, the kind that always made me laugh. No woman had ever made me feel this way. I had never been friends with any of my secretaries, it's why they didn't last long. But Zoe understood me. I don't know if she was able to put up with me because of the pay or because of her feisty spirit. It had to be both.

My mind then again Drifted to my father's strangeness. What was going on? Was he coming down with a terminal disease? We weren't the best of friends, but I didn't want anything bad to happen to him. As Zoe said, he was still my father and as much as I hated to admit it, I cherished him a lot. He was a little, no scrap that, he was way too harsh on me as a kid and as a teenager. Growing up into a man, I realized he was trying to groom me into a strong businessman, but he didn't have to make me feel like I was never going to be enough.

My phone buzzed again on the table, this time it was a call from Mark. "Where the hell are you?" I asked.

"Outside, guarding the perimeter. I just saved your ass from a crazy ex."

"Who?"

"I can't remember her name. I can't keep up with your exes," he replied, and I rolled my eyes.

"What does she look like?" I asked.

"Redhead, light skin and an annoying nasally voice," Mark replied.

I racked my brain, trying to figure who that was but the description was too vague. "I don't know who that is."

"Don't worry. I've fixed it. I don't think that woman will look for you in decades."

I burst into laughter. "What did you do, Mark?"

"Nothing much. Gotta go, boss." He ended the call.

What would I do without Mark?

I went through my schedule for the day and checked if I still had time to drop by at Dad's house but there was none. Dad had to wait till the weekend as I had promised him earlier.

My stomach grumbled and I remembered I didn't have breakfast because I had rushed out of the house. I ordered some Chinese food for me and Zoe and also a few snacks for her. I had figured out she liked junk food a lot.

What was Zoe doing to me?

***

After gaming with some of my college friends, I headed over to Dad's house. It was a Sunday evening and as usual, he was playing golf in his mini golf course. He seemed off as I watched him from a distance, and I knew something was definitely up. I walked over to the mini golf course.

"Hey, Dad."

"Philip. When did you get here?" Dad asked. He looked so tired, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Not quite long. Are you okay, Dad? You look tired. Are you sick?" I asked, dreading the answer I was about to hear.

"No," he replied, and a wave of relief hit me. "I have something very important to tell you. Let's head inside first."

We went in and I was greeted by the maids. I followed Dad to his study, and I took a seat. "So, what's up, Dad?" I asked as curiosity was eating me up.

Dad brought an envelope from his drawer and put it in front of me.

"What's in here?" I asked. I opened the envelope and brought out the documents. My heart froze, I could not believe my eyes as they began to water. "Is this a joke?" I asked.

Dad sighed. "Son, I never wanted you to find out like this. In fact, I never wanted you to find out at all because I knew the day you eventually found out, I might lose you. Your mother and I tried so hard to keep this from you but lately I've been receiving threats. I had to trace the person and get him arrested."

The room was spinning before my eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?" I sprang to my feet.

"Please, Philip, sit down," Dad pleaded.

"What do you mean sit down? I just found out that I was adopted and you're telling me to sit down? All these years, I wondered why you were so harsh on me, why you made me feel like I never did anything right. Now, I understand, I'm not your son in the first place!"

"Philip, please, listen to me."

"Don't fucking tell me to listen!"

"These are just papers, Philip. You are my son, my blood. If I never saw you as my son, I never would have handed the company over to you…"

"You handed the company to me because you had no choice, not because you wanted to!" I said as tears began to gush out of my eyes. I wanted to wake up and realize this was all a nightmare.

"That's not true, Philip. You're my flesh and blood. I raised you. I know I haven't been the best father. I know I was too harsh on you but I wanted you to become a strong man, a true MacArthur!" Dad said as he stood up and began to walk towards me.

"Stop, just stop! Don't come close to me!" I paced the room. "Fuck! I can't believe this! Who the hell are my real parents?"

"Your real mother was a friend of ours. She was going to die even before you were born. Your real father died of an overdose. Your mother wanted us to have you and raise you as ours, so we adopted you as soon as you were born. Tricia had to wear a fake baby bump so we wouldn't raise suspicion. I loved you the first time I saw you even though I knew you were not my real child. You're my son!

"Jeez! Why the hell do I look like Mum then?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Fuck! Who else knows about this?"

"Just a few of our family members. Well, Zoe found out."

"Zoe? Zoe, my secretary? How the hell does she know about this?"

"She heard it while I was on a phone call the day you got the deal with Anderson."

"I feel so betrayed right now." I shook my head and began to walk towards the door.

"Philip," Dad called but I ignored him and left his study. I stormed out of the house and went into my car.

"Fuck!" I groaned as I hit the steering wheel multiple times. I drove home to bawl my eyes out.

"Philip, I've been calling your phone," Mark said as soon as I got into the house. I had told him to take the day off. "Were you crying?" he asked when he noticed how red my eyes were.

I walked straight to the mini bar and picked a bottle of liquor. I took a large gulp straight from the bottle. "I'm a fucking adopted child," I said as I took the bottle upstairs. "I want to be alone, Mark. Go home."

***

Zoe POV:

I was watching a movie when I received a call from Mark.

"Hey, Mark. What's up?"

"Zoe, there's a problem." Mark sounded frantic on the other end.

I sat up immediately. "Is Philip okay?"

"Umm, why don't you come over?" He asked. "Can you? I mean, is it convenient for you right now?"

"Yeah. Where's Philip?"

"Up in his room, destroying things. The last time I saw him like this was when his mother died."

"I'll be on my way," I said as I stood up and hurriedly went up the stairs.

"Thank you very much."

He ended the call and changed into a pair of black jeans and a sweatshirt.

"Where are you going in a hurry like that?" Aunt Emilia asked as I got down the stairs.

"I need to go to see, Philip," I said as I grabbed my car keys.

"Who's Philip?" She asked with a frown.

I looked at her unbelievably. "My boss!"

"Oh, I keep forgetting that. Be safe."

"Sure."

I ran out of the house and started my car. I drove to Philip's house with an absurd speed. I was lucky I didn't get pulled over.

I rang the doorbell and Mark came to open the door. "Thank goodness you are here!" He stepped aside so I could come in.

"I came as fast as I could. What's the problem?"

"I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you this, so I think you should go find out by yourself," Mark replied.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"In his room…oh, there he is."

I turned around and saw Philip walking down the stairs. The sight of him almost sent me to tears. He looked like a mess.

"What are you doing here, Zoe?"

Philip asked in an icy tone, but I ignored it. He was hurt.

"I…um…"

"I called her," Mark answered for me.

"I told you to go home, Mark. Why the hell did you make her come here?"

Again, there was ice in his tone, and I reminded myself that he was hurt.

"I came to check if you were okay," I said.

"I didn't ask you to. I can't believe you, Zoe! You knew all this while and you kept it from me!"

"What are you talking about?"

Oh, I knew what he was talking about. My heart began to pound erratically. I knew this day would come.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Philip barked and I was startled.

"I was in no position to tell you that. Your Dad begged me not to say anything, he was going to tell you himself."

"You know what, Zoe? You're fired!"

"Philip!" Mark called from behind.

"Stay out of this, Mark!" He warned. He turned to me. "Get the hell out of my house," he said calmly this time.

My eyes began to water. "I'm so sorry."

"It's a little too late for that now, don't you think?" He smiled sadly before he went back upstairs.

My heart broke into a thousand pieces. I had lost my job, and Philip too.