The Billionaires Hidden Heir

Chapter 9

Asher's heart finally collapsed, blood drained from his skin, the air seemed to cease moving and he felt like he was suffocating. With widened eyes and slackened mouth, he stared at the man he had called father for years, he opened his mouth to speak but his lips quivered greatly.

Why was everything happening at the same time? He regretted ever asking of his true identity, regretted coming home that night. Perhaps he would have returned to Javon's and save himself from the piercing pain he felt.

Sob rose in him, he gripped his lips to hold it back but it overpowered him and his tears trickle down his face. Quickly, he wiped it off, but it kept dropping.

Gage Hudson, felt a great pang grip his heart as he watched Asher drown in sorrow. "Son, please, put yourself together,""

But the moment he called him "son" Asher clenched his fists tightly. The man before him took him as his son, raised him and gave him everything he needed. He had a comfortable life, was given a large establishment to manage.

He recalled the excitement on his face when he informed him of his relationship with Ellie, he recalled the advice he gave him. But his love left him after five years when she found out he wasn't a Hudson.

Obviously, Nova Hudson must have leaked it to them, but Ellie would have left him for a man he had no knowledge of. He wouldn't have felt so heartbroken, but she chose his brother, the same brother who loathed him, despised him and mocked him regularly.

The same brother Ellie claimed to despise, but unfortunately, he wasn't even his blood brother to start with.

"I adopted you, gave you my name, that makes you my son!" Gage Hudson assuring words kept flowing out and gradually his words of assurance sank into his heart and he realized he wasn't supposed to feel bad, wasn't supposed to shed tears.

Asher wiped his wet eyes, revealed a weak smile and stared at his father. "Thank you dad," he was still his father, will always be his father, whether adopted or not.

"You have my fighting spirit while growing up, bring it back son!" He geared him up.

"Don't fall into despair because of anyone, don't relent because of what they say to you, I believe in you son!"

Asher nodded, a small smile glistened on his face. "Thank you for giving me this beautiful life, henceforth, D-Tech will excel."

He had taken the decision to soar D-Tech. He wouldn't disappoint the man who raised him despite not being his biological father.

"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier," Asher apologized.

"It's okay son, I understand," he rose, walked over to the sofa where Asher was seated and patted him on the shoulder. The room became silent again, no one spoke, no sound was heard.

"Dad, do you have an idea who my parents were?" Asher broke the disturbing silence. Since the truth had been spilled, it was better to gather every information available.

Gage Hudson pulled a chair over and sat before him."I have no impression of your father, but I know your mother very well,"

"Guess my mother isn't alive," and Gage Hudson nodded in agreement.

"I thought as much." He guessed so because if she was still alive, she would have come for him within his 27 years on earth.

"Do you have her picture?"

Gage Hudson stood up and walked over to a large closed cabinet in the study. He unlocked the first drawer and pulled it out. After searching for a while, he took out an old picture, stared momentarily at it, closed the drawer then returned to Asher.

"She's the lady standing behind your grandfather."

Asher stared at the picture, his gaze on the beautiful woman standing behind his grandfather. She should be in her early twenties then. He trailed his hand on the picture and smiled.

"She was beautiful," his smile broadened as he gazed at the picture lovingly.

"Yes she was," A smile slipped out Gage Hudson face when he saw Asher's happy expression.

"She was our housekeeper, but lost her life, the cause of her death is still a mystery to us,"

Asher stared at him quizzically, "Us?" His face writhed in confusion.

"Yes, us, my parents and siblings," He responded

Asher narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "So my grandparents, aunt and uncle know about my identity?" And Gage Hudson nodded with a smile. He felt an enormous joy when he heard Asher refer to them as family.

Asher widened his eyes in shock. They knew he wasn't a Hudson yet showed him so much love. His eyes teared up again.

"When they saw you and heard what happened, they agreed to adopt you as my son and their grandson,"

Asher's eyes flared with excitement. His foster grandparents loved him so much, his foster aunt and uncle loved him too. If Cruz didn't spill this secret, he would never had known he wasn't really a Hudson!

But suddenly, he frowned deeply as he recalled the DNA match tests. "Dad, I secretly carried out DNA match tests some time ago,"

Gage Hudson shrugged, "I know, and they all came out positive,"

Asher's lips parted in silent surprise. "how did you......."

"We were only protecting you, we didn't want you to discover the truth because we didn't want you to get hurt. The Hudson family is very large, they spread across the city and beyond. We are stakeholders in several sectors, health not excluded." He interrupted Asher.

Asher stared in catatonic stupor as his father explained.

"The moment you went to those hospitals, your grandfather was notified and he instructed you should be given positive results. The truth is, those samples you submitted were never tested."

Asher's mouth hung open, he couldn't believe his ears. He knew the Hudson's ability well but never knew they would go to such point to keep the truth from him.

"Your grandfather loves you, all we did was to protect you, forgive us,"

Forgive? They didn't wrong him, they gave him more than he should get, little wonder Cruz and his mother loathe him a lot.

Only the realization of how much he was loved by the elders of Hudson instantly glued his broken heart.

"I'm grateful dad," his once somber mood dispelled, his once reddened eyes cleared off. He wasn't a Hudson but grandfather Hudson and grandmother Hudson loved him greatly. The once tensed atmosphere loosened, and the once gloomy voices became lively.

"Tell me more about my mother, was she sick? Was it an accident?"

Gage Hudson wagged his head, "none that you mentioned. 25 years ago, she returned with you after disappearing for months,"