After All The Betrayal We Chose Love

Chapter 12

Derek was carefully folding his clothes into his suitcase when Blake suddenly walked into the room holding his phone tightly.

"Derek," Blake said seriously, "you need to see this."

Without another word, he extended the phone toward him.

Derek frowned slightly. "What now?"

"Just watch it."

Reluctantly, Derek took the phone from him.

The moment the video started playing, his expression slowly changed.

It was the trending video from the hospital.

The DNA results.

The scandal involving Annabel, Jones, Jennifer… and Adrian, Now the headlines of every platform.

Derek watched silently as the doctor announced that Jones was not Adrian's biological father.

His brows furrowed deeply.

"Wait…" Derek muttered in confusion. "Adrian isn't Jones' son?"

Blake nodded slowly.

"That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you."

Derek's eyes remained fixed on the screen as his mind raced rapidly.

Then suddenly—

His body stiffened.

He looked up at Blake slowly.

"No…" he whispered.

Blake inhaled deeply before speaking carefully.

"Derek… I think Adrian might be yours."

Silence filled the room instantly.

Derek stared at him like he had just spoken another language.

"What?" he asked weakly.

Blake moved closer.

"Think about it carefully," he said. "You told me Annabel had been together before the break up, right?"

Derek swallowed hard.

"but—"

"Come on dude are you about to deny you and Annabel were together before you left," Blake continued seriously.

Derek looked away briefly before nodding slowly.

"I did sleep with her," he admitted quietly. "But she never told me she was pregnant."

Blake sighed softly.

"Maybe because she didn't know at the time," he suggested. "Or maybe she found out after you were already gone."

Derek immediately shook his head, overwhelmed.

"No," he muttered, pacing backward slightly. "Adrian can't be mine."

But even as he said it, uncertainty was already creeping into his voice.

Blake crossed his arms thoughtfully.

"The DNA already proved Jones isn't the father," he pointed out carefully. "And honestly… Annabel doesn't seem like the type to sleep around."

Derek remained silent.

"She's always been focused on work, family, and responsibility," Blake continued. "I don't know how to explain it, but she never struck me as someone who would casually move from one man to another."

Derek slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, completely overwhelmed.

His mind replayed every memory of Annabel.

Their love.

Their separation.

The timing.

Adrian's age.

Then suddenly, Blake spoke again.

"Derek…"

Derek looked up slowly.

"That boy…" Blake said quietly, "looks exactly like you.I noticed it the moment I saw Adrian's birthday e-invite online," Blake admitted paced back and forth as if solving a mystery case."The boy has your eyes and even your facial structure, he's typically a walking smaller version of you,I just didn't pay much attention to it back then."

Derek remained silent, still trying to process everything.

"I can't just assume a child is mine because we share similarities," he finally muttered, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

Blake sighed and sat across from him.

"You won't have to assume for long," he replied calmly. "We'll be in New York soon anyway."

Derek leaned back slowly, his thoughts completely scattered.

Questions filled his mind endlessly.

Could Adrian really be his son?

Did Annabel hide the pregnancy from him?

Or did fate somehow bring them back together after twelve long years?

Blake folded his arms and smiled knowingly.

"I think this is fate," he said confidently.

Derek frowned immediately.

"What fate?"

Blake chuckled softly.

"You're about to see the woman you loved after twelve years," he explained. "She's now divorced… and has a son who could possibly be yours."

Then he smirked mischievously.

"Come on, Derek. Even destiny is screaming your name at this point."

Derek shook his head with a faint laugh.

"That's just a coincidence," he argued weakly. "I don't believe in fate."

Blake raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"That's what your mouth says," he replied, "but your eyes are telling a completely different story."

Derek grabbed a pillow and tossed it lightly at him.

"Get lost," he joked.

But moments later, his expression softened again.

"I won't lie," he admitted quietly. "A part of me still has feelings for Belle."

Blake's smirk instantly widened.

"But," Derek added quickly, "I don't know if we could ever get back together after everything that happened."

Blake nodded slowly, understanding his hesitation.

Then he suddenly picked up his phone again and replayed part of the hospital video.

"Look at this carefully," he said while showing Derek the footage again. "Notice Annabel's reaction."

Derek watched silently.

"She wasn't acting like a jealous wife who got cheated on," Blake continued thoughtfully. "She looked… prepared."

He paused briefly before adding,

"She already knew Jones had a mistress."

Derek's brows furrowed.

"And the whole business empire knows how the Dutchman's get once it comes to betrayal"Blake continued. "If she truly loved Jones, she would've completely lost control."

Derek slowly nodded.

"But instead," Blake said carefully, "she stayed calm because her focus wasn't the affair."

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"She was pregnant… and protecting her child while Jones and his mistress plotted to use that baby to steal her father's company."

The room fell silent again.

"If Adrian had truly been Jones' son, Annabel would've never stayed in that marriage for this long," Blake said thoughtfully as he sat on the edge of the bed.

He looked back at the paused video on his phone and shook his head slowly.

"And let's be honest," he continued, "she looked way too relieved while signing those divorce papers."

Derek remained silent, listening carefully.

"She was genuinely happy to leave Jones," Blake added. "Not heartbroken. Not emotional. Happy."

He pointed at the screen again.

"Nothing about this feels like a coincidence anymore, Derek. Everything is starting to connect."

Derek lowered his eyes thoughtfully.

Blake leaned forward excitedly.

"I watched that video twice," he admitted. "And every single time, the pieces made more sense."

He suddenly laughed and slapped Derek lightly on the shoulder.

"My guy…" he grinned widely. "You're probably a father."

Derek let out a quiet breath, still overwhelmed by the possibility.

A father.

The word alone felt unreal.

But despite his confusion, he couldn't deny the strange warmth building inside his chest whenever he thought about Adrian.

Especially the way the boy had stood protectively in front of Annabel without hesitation.

"Yes," Derek admitted softly with a small smile. "I really like that kid."

Blake laughed proudly.

"He defended Annabel boldly," he said. "That alone already makes him ten times better than Jones."

Derek chuckled quietly.

Then his expression softened again as he slowly zipped up his suitcase.

"I just hope…" he began quietly, "that all this excitement doesn't disappear once we finally meet".

Blake's smile faded slightly as he understood the fear hidden beneath Derek's words.

"I hope so too," he replied honestly.

Derek looked down briefly before smiling faintly to himself.

Silence filled the room again

Derek realized how much Annabelle had suffered alone but after twelve long years—

He would finally see her again.