Chapter 73
“You can come in, Mr Plane. You do not have to lurk around. It’s a glass wall, and I can see you.” Imela spoke up despite not looking up from whatever she was writing down.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the office. “Ms Garcia, I didn’t want to interrupt; you looked busy, and I was going to wait,” he said.
“You were already interrupting by standing at the door.” She replied, adding, “Is that the report?” While eyeing the file in his hand.
He nodded and gave it to her. “We also made our 15% returns for the month.” He added.
“That’s nice to know.” She said and kept it beside the file she was working on. “I will go through it as soon
as I am done here.”
Usually, this was when he’d take his leave, but he didn’t leave, making Imela glance up at him with a
raised brow. There was no need for him to be here still, though.
“Do you want something?” she asked.
“How’s he? Your father?”
She had returned to work a few days ago, following Marcel’s instructions. He told her he was better and that she had no reason to stay. She told him she wanted to take care of him, and he told her it wasn’t her job and that was what nurses and carers at the hospital were for. He told her he wanted her at work because she seemed to love that, but he also wanted her to balance her personal life, family, and work.
Ingrid did an excellent job managing the firm, keeping an eye on the Plane Enterprise, and working with Oliver in her absence. When Imela returned, she didn’t meet as much workload as she anticipated. She
visited Marcel most days after work unless she was drained.
“He’s better; thanks for asking.”
He smiled, and the sight warmed her heart even though it wasn’t supposed to. “You’re welcome. And
Ocean?”
“He’s fine. I told him about his father,” she revealed, and his eyes lit up. “If it’s okay with you, we can formally meet for dinner. The three of us.”
Imela had told Ocean about Oliver being his father, and it wasn’t an easy thing. He always called Marcel Papa, and so when she told him about Oliver, he automatically thought she spoke about Marcel. She told him that Marcel was her father, his grandfather and that his father was not Marcel but Oliver. She also used a drawing board to illustrate. The next day, when she asked him who his father was, Ocean’s
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answer was still Marcel, taking them back to the beginning. It wasn’t that Ocean lacked understanding, but the boy had difficulty changing his beliefs. Once his mind was set, it had always taken a while to adjust. He had all the backings as well; Marcel was the closest male he knew, and he also bore his family name, so he didn’t understand. She couldn’t fault him; it would take time.
It took six days to make the distinction, and last night, when she asked Ocean who Marcel was, he called him grandfather, Imela exhaled happily and told him his father’s name was Oliver, the man at the hospital
“It’s fine with me,” Oliver replied happily, stepping back. “And thank you for this.”
It was the right thing to do, and he didn’t have to thank her. She wasn’t doing it for him alone; she was doing it for her son. They needed to meet. Ocean deserved to know his father and Oliver’s actions since he
realised the truth and said the same.
“Oliver will have dinner with Ocean tonight.” She said as she sat beside Marcel, who sat in the
wheelchair, after kissing his head.
The nurses took him outside to get fresh air and see places before bringing him back inside. If all went according to plan, they would be discharged by the end of the week. Imela already made plans for his
carer and every other assistance he would need until he reached full recovery.
“Es lo que quieres (is it what you want)?”
“Oliver already knows the truth, and Ocean deserved to know his father, Papá.” She replied and took hold of his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine; I’m getting better. Katherine is a wonderful nurse; she reminds me of your mother, Otaria.” He
smiled.
“Are you falling in love with her?” She joked, cackling a little.
“It would be nice to be in love once again; it’s a feeling you mourn when you lose.”
She remained quiet, knowing that feeling well. It felt like yesterday. Sometimes, you lose love without even preparing for it, and you do not know what to do.
She remembered being so happy and in love, only to wake up and realise it was all just a dream. Her reality presented her with the opposite. It was a horrible feeling, one that made her wish for death and
vow never to give her heart and soul away to another the way she did with Oliver.
When you love them too deeply, you allow them to hurt you too deeply. She never forgot those words.
It was not worth it, not really.
Fermín loved her, and she saw it, and she loved him too, but she didn’t give herself to him, not entirely.
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He was everything she wanted in her new life. He was kind and gentle and knew just what she needed. She was afraid of getting hurt again–she was scared of having to watch him walk away. She did what she did to protect herself.
She once left herself vulnerable and held nothing back, but she couldn’t do that anymore. Losing Fermin hurt her, but it didn’t break her, which was good because she didn’t want to relive that nightmare. Perhaps if she had loved him deeply, he would never have left, but she would never know,
With Marcel, it was different. Otaria, my mother, left, and later, Lenne Garcia, his wife, died. He lost her
to unforeseen circumstances, but he still lost a loved one.
“Isn’t it better to protect yourself from the pain that comes from loving?” She asked with a conflicted tone.
He smiled, and wrinkles formed at the corners of his eyes. “Love is a risk, it is a choice, and we don’t make it because we have it all figured out. We don’t fall in love, hoping for only the best, we fall in love because we deserve to give out the best part of ourselves. Life is filled with uncertainties. Anything that comes with our decision to love is not up to us. Good or bad, we walk away knowing that at least we loved.
That’s what makes it worth it.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready to go through the pain of love again.” She revealed in a small voice.
“If you knew Ocean’s future would be completely different from the one you have set out for him, would you keep yourself in a cage and not love him with everything you have now?”
She shook her head. “T’d still love him.”
“That’s love. I lost Valerie, but I do not regret the chance to love her for the time I did. I loved Otaria and lost her, and I do not regret the chance or the life it opened me to. I lost and miss Lenne, and I do not regret the years I had to love her.” He explained, his smile not dimming. “There is a lesson for every path we take, but how would you learn unless you let yourself explore?”
She stayed silent. “You’re too smart for your own good.”
He chuckled richly. “It’s been seventeen years since I lost my wife. It’s been years since I last had a woman keep me company.” He sighed. “I’m not saying I want all that from nurse Katherine; I just think it would be nice to feel a bond with another.” He tightened his hand in hers, “You are young, you should give yourself all the chances in life.”
She was still scared, which was true, but “I will try, Papa.” She vowed.
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Chapter 73
Oliver got into the car and drove off without looking back at Nina or Jesse. All the way home, he thought back to the many times after his divorce, when he confided in Cecil or when she comforted him and assured him he would be okay because he was stronger than Imela’s betrayal. The many times she sat there and played the sweet, innocent girl role when, in fact, she was a snake. He took a snake to bed and had been sleeping on the same bed with her for many years. He almost married her!
Fuck!
They said the truth hurt, but they didn’t say how much.
He was mad, and the rage blacked out his vision a few times. Luckily, he didn’t hit anyone. He also didn’t get pulled over, which was good because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop the car in the state he was in–not until he got home.
He arrived home and went inside, not bothering to shut the car door. He came for Cecil, and luckily, she was home. Her stupid music played in the background, and this time, she played the classics.
He heard everything Seth confessed to him, but he wanted to hear it from Cecil’s lips. He wanted to watch her admit the truth to him–admit that she had lied about everything and played him for a fool.
He pushed open the bedroom door, and he found her seated in bed.
She saw him and sprang to her feet, marching towards him, but he didn’t move. “Where have you been all these days when I needed you?”
He couldn’t believe who stood before him, so he ignored her question and asked calmly, “Is it true?”
Her brow narrowed slightly, taken back by his calmness. “Is what true?”
“Is everything that Seth told me true?” he rephrased the question.
She understood what his question meant; it showed on her face. “You’re asking me if everything your crazy junkie of a brother told you is true.” She tried to spin it.
“Do not play with me,” he warned, and underneath his calmness was a boiling rage. “Is. It. True?”
She inhaled, “I do not owe you any answer.” She replied and tried walking away, but he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.
“Answer me, god damnit!” he hissed out in frustration.
“You’re hurting me, Oliver.” She growled at him, her eyes furious.
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He sighed heavily and released her wrist, only to grab her by the neck the next wond and daher ano the wall. “You will answer me when I ask a question. Do you understand may he roared at her. Do you fucking understand me?!”
The bold look she had worn earlier disappeared, and a weak, desperate one appeared when he tightened his grip.
She nodded. “Yes,” she whimpered pathetically.
“Is it true?”
Her lips trembled. “Yes,” she replied, her eyes glassy as breathing became more difficult. She tried to pry his hand, but he didn’t let go, and her struggles were futile.
He let go of his grip and stepped away from her. She collapsed on the floor and took a sharp breath, and her hand ran up to her throat to massage away the pain he had inflicted. It was nothing compared to what she had done to him.
“Get up!” he snapped at her. “Get up and look at me.”
She obeyed and dragged herself up. “I am sorry.”
He bore her no affection whatsoever, but what she did still hurt. “She was your friend; how could you do that?” Seth might have introduced her to his plan, but she took it and ran with it.
She took a step forward, having little pity for her trembling legs. “I love you. I loved you first, but you never saw me, not until I did what I did. I took my chances because it was the only thing I had.”
“You do not lie to the one you love; you do not fool the one you love. I was broken when I found Ela with Seth, and you watched me go through those painful stages, and you knew the truth. You knew she was faithful and didn’t betray me, and you said nothing. I lost my one good thing because of your lies and schemes. You consoled me when, all the while, you put me in that misery.” His teeth gritted, and he stormed towards her, but she stumbled away, trembling fearfully. “You are evil! You know nothing about love, and I want nothing to do with you.” He said and walked to the door.
“I am with your child.” She spoke up, making him pause.
He didn’t turn to her. “I don’t care. I want you out of this house before I get back, or they will take you out in a body bag.” He vowed and walked away.
It did not hurt as it did five years ago; it hurt differently, knowing the truth.
Imela knew the truth, and she told him over and over, but he never believed her. He believed everything else but her. He had been a fool, not because Imela had fooled him but because he had been a jumping into conclusion–without–listening idiot.
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The evidence was glaring, but he should have heard her out. He thought she had made him a fool, but he made himself a fool by believing lies. Ela never lied; she had never lied to him, and he shouldn’t have thought she would.
He couldn’t imagine how she had felt all those years watching him turn his back on her when she needed him the most. She was innocent, and he hurt her. He betrayed her; he betrayed their vows, for better or
worse. He remembered how miserable she looked when she found him with Cecil.
He could never forget the look on her face, even though he didn’t consider her pain. He hurt her that day. She begged him to kill her, and he thought it was because she couldn’t live in the reality she created, but
it was because she didn’t want to live in a world where everyone was against her.
She lost her best friend, and she lost Elena; she lost him.
She had been betrayed by everyone around her, including him. If she was a monster, if she wanted to set his entire world on fire and make him pay, she had every right to do so.
She was the one good thing he had, but he lost her, and now he would never get it back.
Yes, what she went through brought her to her father, but she didn’t deserve everything she went through; no one did.
What she went through made her into the woman she was today.
