I Do Series: Betrothed

Chapter 9

“My princess, can we talk?” Rupert cautiously asked his daughter, Andrea, who was busy reviewing the document in the folder she was holding.

Andrea just stared at her father before she closed the folder she was holding and then stood up to face her father. He was cautiously watching her every action.

For the past few days, after she returned to the Servante’s manor, she and her father kept on avoiding each other. It was like they were walking above a thin layer of ice under the snow, and anytime they could fall down the icy lake water. And everyone in their house is being cautious and observant about what Andrea will do. It was like everyone’s eye was on her, except for her mother, Therese.

“What is it?” she said without showing any emotions.

She had already mastered hiding her emotions behind her stoic facial expression. Before, she used that expression during meetings or any related events with their business partners. But, now here she is showing no mercy to her father. Her own father lied to her.

“Andrea, my dear. . .” Rupert began as he took another step closer to his daughter. “I know, you’re confused, shocked, and you definitely hate me right now-”

“That’s right,” she commented, which cut off Rupert.

But, despite that, Rupert remained calm. He didn’t avert his gaze at his daughter, who was staring at him as if she was solving the most challenging question she had seen in her lifetime.

“I’m sorry, princess.” He apologized in his most sincere tone as he walked closer to her. “I’m sorry,” Rupert repeated when he reached her and put both of his hands on her shoulder.

“Dad, I know that you’re aware that you’re sorry won’t erase the truth about my whole existence, right?” Andrea asked as she stared straight into her father’s eyes.

Rupert couldn’t answer because he knew that his daughter was right. Andrea was right. No matter how much he apologized to her, nothing will change.

“Dad, you lied to me. You lied,” Andrea continued when her tears began flowing down her eyes.

And just like Rupert, she was also in shock when she felt her tears falling down. For the past few days, she thought her tears had finally dried up, but here it is, her tears were falling down perfectly like water flowing down the river.

“My whole life was a huge lie, Dad. All these years you lied to me.” She continued.

“It’s not like that, m-”

“Dad, do you know how much I longed for Mom’s affection? For her love?” She cut him off with her questions. “And, now it makes sense to me. Mom would never love me because I’m not hers. I’m just a daughter of a mistress, and that’s why she will never turn to me.” She continued as her tears kept falling down, while Rupert was already panicking.

He doesn’t know how to make her stop crying because his heart aches every time he sees her crying.

“Dad, all my life I did everything you wanted me to do. I followed all of your orders, but, right now. . . I don’t think I can still be the same daughter to you after knowing everything that you hid from me.”

“I know that. I’m apologizing not to erase the sins I committed. But, to let you know that I am sorry for hiding the truth away from you,” he said as he wiped Andrea’s tears with his thumb.

“I hid the truth about your real mother, because I thought that, that was the best. That it was the best decision for you, and for our family.” He explained.

“But, that truth almost broke me down into pieces, Dad. You knew that no matter how much you hide it, the time will come where I will eventually find it out,” Andrea answered when her tears finally subsided. “You should have told me about that earlier, Dad. In that way, I will never get hurt.”

“I’m sorry.” That’s all Rupert could say.

Silence then wrapped around them, making Rupert wonder what was going on inside his daughter’s mind.

“Did Augustine know that he was my brother? That we are half-siblings?” Andrea suddenly asked after a few seconds of silence.

Rupert then took a step backward upon hearing his daughter’s question. He unconsciously swallowed down the lump in his throat.

“Answer me, Dad. Did he know the truth? Or, did you also hide the truth away from him?” Andrea asked again, but her tone is most likely she was asking a question against an accused person. “Dad?”

“He knew,” he answered, as he lowered his head when he saw the sudden changes in Andrea’s expression.

Andrea’s jaw almost drops on the floor as it hangs open upon hearing her father’s confirmation. She brushed her fingers on her hair as she began laughing like crazy while her tears started falling down again. Both of her hands brushed against her hair.

“So, it was just me, right? I’m the only one who doesn’t know the truth. Wow!” Andrea exclaimed as she turned her back on her father. Her left hand is on the left side of her waist, near her back, while her right palms are on her forehead.

She brushed her fingers against her hair before she massaged her nape with her right hand.

“Wow! Dad, just how much am I left alone in the dark with this truth, huh? Is there anything that I haven’t heard yet? You can tell me now, Dad.” She asked sarcastically as she felt like losing her sanity little by little. “All this time, I’m living with the lie you feed me. My whole life is a f*uck*ng sh*tty d*mn lie.” She continued.

“Andrea,” Rupert called out to his daughter, but Andrea’s ears were already closed to hear another explanation.

It was like all the pain she felt that night came rushing down and hit her in one blow.

“D*mn this f*ck*ng lie,” she cursed.

Rupert was in a daze while he was watching his daughter losing her mind right in front of him,

“F*ck!” Andrea cursed again before she broke down and cried like a little girl.

And right at that moment, Rupert ran towards his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder, leaned her face on his tummy, and let her cry.

“I’m sorry, my princess. I’m sorry. All of this is my fault. I’m sorry.” He repeatedly apologized while he caressed Andrea’s back.

“I shouldn’t do that. I’m sorry.”