4. WELCOME HOME
1208 Words
EMILIA
"Let me formally introduce myself, My name is Davidson Blackwood." He said.
That name sounded so familiar, like I'd heard it before.
I stared at him, still trying to process the fact that he was claiming to be my father. His face was soft, almost desperate, as if he was begging me to believe him without even saying the words.
"I’m sorry for coming into your life this late, Emilia. I’ve been trying to find you and your mother for years. She made it nearly impossible for me to reach you both.
She blocked me everywhere and moved far away, cutting me off completely."
I frowned. That wasn’t the story Mom told me. "My mom said you left us. She told me you chose another woman, a wealthier one and abandoned us."
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. His shoulders slumped a little, and he looked almost ashamed.
"She’s not wrong." he admitted after a long pause.
"But it wasn’t as simple as that. My family… they chose a wife for me. If I didn’t marry her, I’d lose everything—my father’s company, the properties, the Blackwood name. I would’ve been disowned. At that time, your mom was already pregnant with you. I wanted to take care of her, of you, but…" He paused, rubbing the back of his neck.
"She didn’t want any part of it. She left and made sure I couldn’t find her."
I didn’t know what to say. His explanation sounded believable, but it didn’t erase the fact that I grew up without a father.
"So, you just… gave up on us?" I asked, my voice shaky.
His expression tightened.
"I didn’t give up, Emilia. I loved your mother. I still do. But she was stubborn. She didn’t want to be with someone who couldn’t marry her, and I couldn’t defy my family back then."
The weight of his words sank in slowly. I didn’t know how to feel. Angry? Sad? Relieved that he was here now? My thoughts were all over the place.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It took me years to track you both down. And when I finally did, I found out she…" His voice broke a little, and he cleared his throat. "She passed away. Cancer."
Hearing him say it out loud hit me like a punch to the gut. Mom had been my whole world, and now, this stranger, this man claiming to be my father was bringing all these emotions back to the surface.
"I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner." He said, his voice soft.
"If I had, maybe I could’ve done something. I could’ve taken her to the best hospital in the continent, the most experienced doctors. Maybe she’d still be here."
A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. Everything felt too much. "I just… I need time to process this." I whispered.
He nodded.
"Take all the time you need. I’m here now, and I want to give you the life I should’ve given you years ago."
The rest of the ride to his mansion was silent. I couldn’t stop thinking about everything he’d said.
Part of me couldn’t blame him, his family had put him in an impossible position. But another part of me wished he’d tried harder, fought for us.
When we finally pulled up to the house, my jaw dropped. Calling it a house felt like an insult. This place was massive. The white exterior glowed under the sunlight, and the entire structure screamed wealth. It looked like something straight out of a billionaire’s dream, grand, intimidating, and almost unreal.
"Welcome to your new home." He said with a small smile.
I stepped out of the car, my eyes glued to the building. The sheer size of it was overwhelming. Every detail, from the perfectly trimmed hedges to the massive marble pillars, looked expensive.
When we walked inside, it was like stepping into a different world. The air was cool, colder than I’d ever felt before, thanks to the towering air-conditioning units.
A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, sparkling like it was made of diamonds. The floors were so shiny I could see my reflection in them.
The smell of the place hit me next. It didn’t smell like a regular house. It smelled rich, like luxury.
I didn’t even know how to describe it, but it was the kind of smell that made you feel like you didn’t belong unless you had insane money.
I turned to him, he was watching me closely.
"This is… wow." I muttered, too stunned to say more.
He smiled again. "You haven’t seen anything yet."
The sitting room was just as extravagant. Expensive paintings lined the walls, some with gold frames that gleamed under the chandelier’s light.
Flower vases, also gold and they were scattered around the room, adding to the over-the-top decor.
Two men were sitting on the massive couch, their eyes glued to a giant television. They turned to look at me as soon as we entered. Both were tall and muscular, with tattoos covering their arms.
Dad gestured toward them.
"Emilia, these are my sons. That is Anderson." He introduced me to the one on black, he had the most tattoos and he was taller.
"And this is Greg." He introduced me to the most muscular, he was probably the eldest.
Anderson stood first, towering over everyone in the room. He nodded at me, his face unreadable. Greg followed, offering a small, polite smile.
"Greg is the oldest, but Anderson acts like it most of the time." Dad said, his tone light.
I nodded at them, unsure of what to say. These were my… brothers? Half-brothers, technically, but still. It was a lot to take in.
"So Dad, who is she?" Anderson asked calmly.
"It's a long story, I'll explain to you both later... Right now she needs to rest." He told them and they nodded.
He called over a maid and told her to take my bags to my room. "You must be tired." he said. "Go get some rest. We’ll talk more later."
I followed the maid upstairs, my heart racing with every step. This still didn’t feel real.
When she opened the door to my room, I froze. It wasn’t just a room, it was a palace.
The bed was massive, covered in soft white sheets and more pillows than I could count. The walls were painted a soft cream color, with gold accents that matched the chandelier hanging in the center of the ceiling.
A plush rug covered the hardwood floor, and a flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall across from the bed.
To the right was a sitting area with a velvet couch and a small glass coffee table. To the left, a door led to what I could only assume was an en-suite bathroom.
The maid set my bags down and gave me a small smile before leaving. I sat on the edge of the bed, letting the softness swallow me up.
This was my life now.
I wasn’t sure how to feel about it yet, but one thing was clear, everything was about to change.
- Writer
