Chapter 37

"She'll be here," I assured Avery with a playful wink, a slight smile tugging at my lips.

I stood by a wall, cradling a coffee cup, while Melissa and Avery sat at a nearby wooden table, engaged in conversation over their preferred green tea. Behind them, Chuck and Elle played with Angel on a plush cream carpet laid over a dark oak floor. I couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through me at the sight—my family together.

Chuck doting on his granddaughter, his eyes reflecting pride or perhaps even love. For a brief moment, it felt like we were a typical family, as if the past grievances and separations between Melissa and me had never occurred. But, as always, such fleeting happiness couldn't endure in my family.

"She's got all the qualities of a true heiress. One day, my granddaughter will take my place and become the Mafia Queen the world has never seen," Chuck proclaimed proudly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he gazed at Angel.

Melissa's reaction was immediate. "Excuse me?" she interjected, her tone tinged with anger that even unsettled me. Her hand clenched into a fist, as if poised for action.

“My daughter will never have anything to do with the… mafia,” she whispered the last word through her gritted teeth.

She ran to take Angel away from Chuck as if he were a predator and she was a lioness fearfully protecting her lion cub. “She’s just a child, for God’s sake. And you will never mention that word around my daughter, understood?”

Her eyes stuck onto Chuck’s. I couldn’t lie. I enjoyed seeing her fierce side. She’d always had it in her. It was one of the reasons I fell for her. I fell hard.

“She’s my granddaughter, Melissa. She deserves to know her heritage.” Chuck remained firm. “What did you expect? Having a child with someone like my son entails some consequences.”

“I didn’t expect anything, Chuck,” Melissa hissed, perturbed. “I didn’t plan any of this; it just happened, and it all happened so quickly and unexpectedly, so excuse me that I don’t have everything figured out.”

“But it did already happen,” Chuck stated, his head tilting. “Now we’ll have to find a middle ground.”

“Well, well, well.” Anderson’ mocking tone broke through the tension, and everyone’s gazes diverted toward him. He clapped his hands mockingly as he walked toward us through the hall, merging the living room area with the entrance. “Seems I wasn’t invited to the family dinner.” He flashed a wry grin.

And there I was, thinking this evening couldn’t get any worse. I exchanged glances with Melissa. No words were needed.

“You know, Sebastian, I can’t help but sympathize,” Anderson said, his gaze pointed. “Now I know how it feels like to see your ex with another man.”

My jaw clenched.

“But to think you’ll always have it at the forefront of your mind that the woman you call yours, the mother of your child, was once your brother’s. Now, that’s a tough pill to swallow. I’m truly sad for you, Sebastian.”

I bristled slightly, but he kept my composure. “There’s one thing you seem to forget, Anderson,” I hissed in a low tone, approaching him with steady steps. “Melissa was never yours to begin with. It was all just in your head.” I leaned to whisper in his ear, “She was always only mine.”

I pulled back, setting my gaze on his. My eyes fleetingly fixed on the vein pulsing in his temples, and then back on his eyes. He stretched his neck as if regaining his composure. The wickedness in him.

“Let’s not pretend things aren’t going to be awkward for us at family gatherings.” A twisted smirk curled up his lips.

“Enough, Anderson,” Chuck interfered, his voice brooking no argument.

We both turned to face our father, but his intervention seemed to only rattle Anderson. His anger seemed to radiate from miles away.

“Goddammit!” Anderson hissed. “Could you for once stop protecting your beloved fucking firstborn, the fucking heir!”

My brow raised and I couldn’t help but scoff. From the corner of my eye, I saw Melissa hugging Angel in her arms as if trying to protect her from what was about to unleash. Elle seemed to pick up on that too as she quickly led the female part of the meeting out of the room, which I was thankful for.

“What are you talking about, Anderson?” Chuck growled.

“Are you blind or what?” Anderson continued, not minding anything around him. He’d always been self-centered. He believed the world revolved around him. He paced back and forth, his movements agitated. It seemed as if a torrent of rage unleashed inside him.

“Ever since I was a little boy, I’ve always heard ‘Sebastian this’ or ‘Sebastian that,’ you should be more like Sebastian! You always put him above me!” he shouted in a frenzy.

I didn’t want to intervene because I knew it was between them, father and son. I also knew it was an issue Anderson had in his head and he had to deal with. Chuck had never treated me better. In fact, he had given so much love to Avery and Anderson. A different kind of love. Pure, fatherly. The kind of love I had never experienced. He saw me solely as a means to his vendetta. He saw the woman he lost in me. My mother.

“I’ve never been good enough! And you’ve never given me as much attention as you’ve been giving him!” Anderson's eyes blazed with resentment.

“That’s not true, son. I always treated you both the same.” Chuck’s brows knitted. “Anderson, you know that’s nonsense.”

“Nonsense?” he scoffed. “Then why are you playing a happy family with Melissa now? Knowing that she was my fiancée.”

“We both know it was just a game of yours to get back at Sebastian,” Chuck yelled, which surprised us all. At last, Anderson managed to put our father off the balance. “You don’t love Melissa, Anderson.”

“The hell I do! I do fucking love her!” Anderson shouted so loud he spat, looking at Chuck, breathing heavily. His gaze switched to meet mine as he whispered, “I do love her.”

His voice was filled with such heartbreak that I believed he spoke the truth. That his feelings were genuine. That he fell in love with the same woman as I did.

Anderson rushed out, and I glanced at Chuck. For the first time, he seemed as if he didn’t know what to do.

“I’ll take Melissa and Angel home,” I said. “They’ve had enough for today.”

We were driving back home in silence. Fuck. I did not assume this evening would end up like this. I let out a heavy exhale, glancing at the review mirror. Angel was asleep in her car seat. My gaze shifted to Melissa. She was tense. I couldn’t help myself, and I gently put my hand on her thigh, just as we used to do when we were a couple. She jumped in her seat slightly, clearly surprised by my touch. Our gazes met for a fleeting moment before I focused on the road ahead, my hand still on her slender thigh. After a moment, I felt her hand overlapping mine. Her touch made my lips curl up in a gentle smile. Suddenly, my phone rang.

“It’s my father. I’ll take it,” I breathed as I got out of and put the speaker to my ear.

“Sebastian…” Chuck’s tone was solemn.

“What happened? You sound weird.”

“It’s about Anderson…” His voice cracked.

“What now?”

Chuck didn’t speak. I could only hear his heavy breath.

“What happened?” I insisted.

“They called me from the hospital. He had a car crash.”