chapter 135
chapter 135
Declan's POV.
It was in moments like this that I missed Isabella so much. The way she used to lighten up my day without even trying so hard and the sound of her humming to her favorite music in her head thinking that no one is listening to her.
Even her stubborn silences spoke louder than Sabrina's endless talks that never made sense to me. I just feel like you're looking for every opportunity to spend time with me in which I didn't want it to be that way but there was nothing l could do about it.
And that was how it happened yesterday after we came back from my grandmother's mansion. Sabrina spoke about our marriage with each other and I told her that it was never going to happen and as if that was not enough she insisted that Ethan wanted to spend time with me.
I had no other option than to let them spend the night in my house. Ethan was my son after all so I couldn't deprive him of some things just because I was not on good terms with his mother.
I leaned back in the chair. I was in my study room and I had a lot of files that I had not attended to on my desk. But then, I heard the click of heels stepping it to my office and I raised my head up to look at the person and indeed it was Sabrina again.
“Declan, we need to talk.” she said and I stared at her for a long while before speaking up.
“I just want to know is it that you don't have any manners Sabrina? You should know that before you enter into someone's office you announce your arrival to know if the person is available to receive you or not,” I reprimanded and she gave me a look that told me that she was upset about what I said to her but I also did not care.
“I will probably do that next time but now I have to tell you what I want to say because I'm actually in a hurry to leave. Ethan is going to be with you and I want to go out with my friends.”
“You're free to have fun for as long as you want but keep it at the back of your mind that you have a son that needs you, so be back early. Go ahead and tell me what you have to say and it better not be anything stupid.”
“I am here to talk about Ethan. Since you don’t want to get married to me, we have to secure his future as our son.” she said and I frowned at him.
“And what do you mean by that? As far as I know his future is already secure. I will provide everything he asks me about.”
“What you provide for him is enough for now. But that is not what I mean, what I mean by securing his future is long-term. I am talking about your will, she said in a soft tone and her words hit me hard.
“My will?” I asked her, just to make sure I heard her words correctly.
“Yes. That is what I'm talking about. You have built an empire, Declan. You have companies, investments, and properties. If something happens to you now, God forbid. Then where will all your will go? Don't you think your son deserves to be protected?” she said as her voice sounded like someone who is innocent but beneath that voice I heard the calculation in it.
“I have already made provisions.” I muttered.
“Yeah I know. And it must be for Isabella perhaps? But you also have to know that she is no more here with you. She left you and Ethan is your blood and he deserves to be prioritized by you because you are his father.”
“This isn't the time for this discussion.” I said coldly.
“It is exactly the time because Ethan needs security written in ink, not just in your promises. You owe him that much.”
I knew very well that Sabrina wasn't lying about Ethan needing security. My son deserved to get the best of care for me but the way Sabrina framed everything, the urgency to get it done so quickly. And the persistent demand all made it very fishy to me.
“I am already paying for his education and his needs. I am paying for everything you could ever want so why are you pushing this matter so hard when you don't have personal intentions? Just tell me the truth Sabrina, what are you aiming for?”
“I have no personal reasons and what I am aiming for is because I need security for my son. I am his mother and I know how fragile life can be. Don't you want peace of mind, Declan? Don't you want your son to be protected no matter what?” she snapped at me.
“You may go now you're getting late for your party. I would think about whatever you said to me.”
“Thinking about what I said is not enough. You can't keep avoiding this. Ethan deserves more than the scraps of your attention. He deserves recognition. He deserves your name, your empire, he deserves everything.” she said and I could see her mask slipping off.
“You have to be careful, Sabrina.” I warned with a low voice.
“Or what Declan? If I am not careful what are you going to do about it? You are going to keep treating the mother of your son as an intruder while your precious Isabella is gone. Do you think she's going to come back to you? She left you, Declan. She abandoned you without a word and without a goodbye. And here I am raising your son, I am carrying the weight you have refused to face. And the least you can do is to make it official in writing.”
Her words struck a nerve inside of me that I didn't want to be touched. I balled my hands into tight fists, but not out of anger alone but out of the ache whenever she mentioned Isabella.
Isabella's name always triggered me but Sabrina was right about one thing. Isabella had left my life but I was still bleeding from it. But Sabrina wasn't Isabella and she would never be.
“I told you that I'm going to think about it so stop creating drama right now.” I repeated my words, making sure my voice was loud enough for her to hear.
“Alright I will let you think about it but dont take long because time isn't on our side.” she said as she turned her back against me and walked away, leaving me with the smell of her perfume which still lingered in my study room and I felt like throwing up and also the sour taste of her manipulation, something that I could see right through.
My will. My empire. My son.
The words popped up in my head until another voice surfaced and that voice belonged to Marcus, my personal assistant.
His suggestion echoed from one week ago when I was in the office.
“Maybe you should do a DNA test sir. Just to be sure.”
I had dismissed it then and I convinced myself that it wasn't necessary because Sabrina and I had shared intimate moments in the past that was enough for her to get pregnant and birth a baby.
When Sabrina walked back into my life I convinced myself that the baby boy that she introduced to me as my son was proof of our intimacy in the past. So it actually meant the truth and Ethan was mine.
But now, when I had to listen to her words. The way she demanded that I transferred my will into Ethan's name. It all sounded suspicious and dangerous to me.
I pinched my nose as I closed my eyes for a moment. And I imagined Isabella's face and the way she used to say my name, the way she made silence even feel like a song to me. What will she say now, if she knew about what was happening in my life?
Would she laugh at me for entertaining Sabrina's games? Or would she pity me for falling into a trap? In fact I didn't know anymore.
I knew for a fact that I wasn't just going to transfer my will to my son just like that. At least not without clearing my doubts.
“Damn it Isabella. Why the fuck did you leave me like that? I'm in a very big dilemma and I don't even know who to talk to to bring me out of it. I wish you were here then life wouldn't get so difficult for me even with so much comfort and luxuries that I have” I whispered into the empty room.
Probably if it was Isabella who told me to transfer my wheel to our son I would have easily believed her but whenever I came to Sabrina I found it hard to believe anything she said to me.
He wasn't as though I didn't love my son. I know I wasn't a part of his childhood from the beginning but I became a part of it now and before I do anything called transferring my will into his name I would have to clear my doubts first so I can have peace of mind.
And that's clearing the doubt of mine was to listen to Marcus and conduct a DNA test on Ethan secretly without Sabrina knowing about it. And in that way I can proceed towards my next step.