The Runaway bride

Thebigreveal

Did you even plan to tell me I had a son? He continued. Linda looked down with a shaky voice. "I had no choice " she said.

"Make me believe that," Max said sternly. Why did you run away? And don't lie to me. Linda had no choice than to speak up. I was threatened by Max. Her voice is still shaky. On the day before our wedding, she continued, someone close to her, someone who knew every detail about her company. She said if I continued with the wedding, she would destroy you.

This got Maxwell curious, and he asked "Who"?

"I can't say her name yet," she said as she panicked. She made it seem like I left on my own. I thought running away was the only way to save you, and when I found out I was pregnant, I knew I had to stay away.

For some time, Maxwell didn't speak.

Then finally, "you should have trusted me," he said.

"I wanted to," Linda replied. But I was scared and vulnerable, I didn't know who to trust, and I didn't want you to lose everything because of me.

"I don't know what annoys me more," Max said. That you left or that you thought I couldn't fight for you.

Linda, already teary and sober, said "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but now that you've found us, I won't lie to you anymore, and I promise to tell you everything, even if it ruins me."

"I don't want to ruin you," Max said. I just want the truth, all of it. Then he turned and walked away, leaving Linda with more questions in her head.

As he drove off in his car, he was filled with thoughts of everything Linda said to him. Five whole years of bitterness and hurt. All these years, he felt he had been betrayed and unloved and was now getting to know that all he felt was all false. The woman he had been hating on had been living a quiet and hidden life with his son.

"I was threatened by someone close to you". This particular statement couldn't leave his head.

"Someone close"

His mind instantly began going through names, business partners, board members and friends. Immediately, his mind mentioned Kara Austin.

She was the only one who could.

Kara Austin is Maxwell's friend. They have been friends since college. They got very close to each other through their parents. Both parents of Kara and Maxwell were the best of friends and both families have come a long way together.

Kara had been in love with Maxwell, but Max was too blind to notice because he already saw her as a sister because of the relationship the both families had.

Kara had always been overly protective of Linda. Too involved in their lives in the guise of care and concern, but Max has always ignored the signs and brushed them off as loyalty and friendship.

But now, it all made sense to him.

The next morning, Maxwell made a call to his personal assistant. "I need a full report on Kara Austin," he said. Every deal, meeting and financial move in the last five years and check for any connections to the Anthony family around the time Linda disappeared, both personal or professional. And he ended the call.