Albert's Offer
1258 Words
Emily couldn’t move from where she was standing. She was behind the mansion’s gate, waiting for Kai to come back. Tears were streaming down her face as she remembered the words said by Kai.
“I have never said that I love you.”
No, he was just angry. He just wanted to hurt her father. He just….. When did he every say that he loved her?
Never.
As the thought came into her mind, she covered her mouth with her hands so as to stop herself from crying out loud.
Kai, please. Please come back.
More than one hour had passed, and yet Kai hadn’t returned. She was losing hope already.
“Maám.” Charles was already beside her.
She looked at him with her tear-drenched face. “Your father wants to talk to you. Please get inside.” Charles was looking at her with pity.
She had no enough strength to walk alone and so she was assisted by Charles. When they got inside the mansion, one of the maids handed her a glass of water. She accepted it without saying anything. She felt so exhausted and …broken.
Charles led her to her father’s study room. He closed it right after she entered. Her father was standing, looking out at the window.
“Father.” Her father didn’t turn to look at her.
There was a moment of silence. Then, he turned she suddenly felt scared. Her father was staring at her with so much contempt in his eyes.
“You bring nothing but misfortune in this family. First, your mother and now you allowed yourself to get pregnant with the man who is out to bring bad luck in this family.” He said while walking his way to her.
She couldn’t stop the tears to fall. “Fa- Father, I didn’t know his plans. I know nothing.”
He stood in front of her. “I told you to break up with him, but what did you do?! You’ve brought shame in this family when you chose to live with that man!”
She tried to hold her father’s hand but he whisked her hand away. “Father, please forgive me! I beg you! Please! I’m sorry I failed you again. I didn’t know..I didn’t know. I thought he loved me, Father.”
“Get rid of that baby.”
She couldn’t believer her ears. She looked at her father. “Father?”
Her father turned his back on her and with a serious voice, he repeated, “Get rid of that baby.”
She shook her head when she heard her father. “No…no.. Father, please. Please not my baby. Please, Father! This is my baby! Your grand….”
She didn’t see it coming. Her father turned and slapped her hard that she lost her balance. With her one hand supporting her and the other one on her face, she pleadingly looked at her father.
She couldn’t help but sob.
“That is not my grandchild. If you’re not going to following me, you might as well leave and never come back. I don’t want anyone to say that I have a daughter who was fool enough to be cuckolded by that man!
“Father, this is my child! My own flesh and blood! Please! Please, don’t do this to me. I know you hate me so much, but please not this innocent child.”
“You have two options, daughter. Get rid of it, or upon its birth, send it to an orphanage. If you'll continue that pregnancy, forget that you are part of this family. Leave me now.”
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She was at the veranda of her room, staring blankly at her mobile phone. Her sisters, Amelia and Almira, were trying to call her but she cancelled their calls. By now, they must have already known what happened.
Days had passed and yet, she was not receiving any calls from Kai. Her father left for a business trip, giving her more time to decide. He had been so cold to her. Nothing new. That was why she chose to just stay in her room, and was just asking the maids to bring her food.
She was holding her phone and before she could think more, she dialed Kai’s number. His phone was just ringing. He was not answering. She dialed again and again. Kai was ignoring her calls. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the screen of her phone.
“Why are you doing this to me, Kai? Why? Why?” She had so many questions that she wanted to ask him.
She wanted to know and understanding everything. Her phone was ringing, her heart started to beat fast but was disappointed when she saw the name on the screen.
It was Albert. “Hello.” Her voice was full of sadness.
“Em? Is everything OK? Amelia asked me to call you. Did anything happen?” She couldn’t speak at all. She just started to cry.
“Em? Why? What’s wrong? Why are you crying? I’m worried now.”
Between sobs, she told him everything that had happened. She heard him curse Kai’s name for multiple times.
“I’m gonna kill that son of a b***h! I swear!” Albert was fuming with so much anger. How dare he?!!!!" Albert was muttering obscenity.
“Albert, please. I love him.”
“Emily! The man has fooled you! You have to hate him, not love him!”
“Albert, please. I’m thinking of going to his office tomorrow.”
“ What?! Forget it, Em! I will not allow you!”
“I need to talk to him, Al. For our baby’s sake.” And mine.
Albert was lost with words. He understood why she wanted to talk to that bastard, but knowing Kai, he would just hurt Emily.
“OK. If it will make you feel better. But tell me what time you’re gonna be there, ok?”
“Yes.”
“I'll come over there. Wait for me.” Albert hurriedly left his office and drove straight to the Fort's place.
When he opened the door of Emily's room, he saw her sitting on the floor with her head on the bed. She smiled when she saw him. He knelt beside her and gave her a hug. She held onto him so tightly and started to cry. His heart was breaking as she continued to cry. How could anyone hurt this kind and sweet woman?
When she released him, he took out his handkerchief and wiped her tears with it.
“Don't cry, I'm here now. Besides, crying is bad for your baby, Em.” He worriedly reminded her.
She sobbed more when he reminded her of her baby.
“Al, what should I do? Father will be back three days from now. He said that I need to give him my answer when he returns. I don't wanna lose this baby, Al. It's the only one I have in this life.”
You have me, Em. All these years... Albert thought. He couldn't say those words to Emily. He didn't want to lose her.
“I'll talk to Kai. I'm sure if he agrees to marry me, Father will accept me and this baby,” Emily said with so much hope in her eyes.
“What if he doesn't agree, Em?”
Emily couldn't answer Albert's question. She knew that if Kai didn't agree to marry her, she had to choose between the options given by her father. She could just leave and raise her child alone, but she didn't want to leave her family. She loved them so much.
“Em, if Kai does not agree to marry you, I'll marry you.” Albert said with so much determination in his eyes.
“Al..” She couldn't believe what she just heard. “No, Al. I can't do that to you. I don't want to drag you into this mess.”
“Let's just say that I am volunteering myself to be part of this mess, Em. Think it over. If we get married, Uncle William won't have to make you choose. You're gonna be a Zorel and the baby. No one would know that the baby is Kai Stevens'.
- Writer
