They had to hide it. Richard was already married, and my husband, your grandfather, demanded they keep up appearances for the family’s reputation. When Kristy found out she was pregnant with you, she left.
She didn’t want to destroy the family. We’d been mailing for years. That’s why I have your photos.”
The room spun around me.
I shook my head, trying to process her words.
“Is Richard my father?”
Tears streamed down her face as she nodded.
“Yes, my dear. You are his daughter. I’ve tried to tell him, but he won’t listen.
He thinks I’m just a senile old woman.”
Her voice cracked. “And Veronica, his new wife… She’s kept me isolated, trying to silence me.”
I couldn’t speak. The weight of her words crushed me.
She reached for my hand.
“That was my invitation in your mail. You have your mother’s spirit. And I want you to be part of our family.
Sooner or later.”
“No one will believe me,” I said quietly. “They’ll think I’m here to take something or cause trouble.”
The grandmother’s expression softened.
“In time, they will. Your mother, Kristy, was the only one who truly loved Richard for who he was, not for what he had.
He knew it then, and he’ll feel it now. He will accept you because you’re part of her—the woman he truly loved.”
“I should go,” I said, hearing faint rustling through the baby monitor in my pocket. “Lucas needs me.”
“Go on, dear.
We’ll talk again when the time is right.”
I slipped out, locking the door behind me. The hallway felt heavy as I descended the stairs, thoughts racing.
Reaching Lucas’s room, I found him sound asleep, his small hand clutching his blanket. I exhaled in relief.
But, at that moment, I didn’t notice the faint sound of a door closing in my room.
***
When I entered my room, my breath caught!
Oliver was sitting on the edge of my bed.
“You spoke to her, didn’t you?” he asked.
I nodded, unsure of how much to admit. “I didn’t mean to, but…”
He raised a hand, stopping me.
“It’s fine. I overheard everything.” His face softened, the guarded expression fading.
“I always knew something didn’t add up about that time. Now it makes sense.”
His understanding gave me courage, and we made a plan together. That evening, Oliver convinced Richard to call a family dinner.
Even Veronica, though suspicious, had no idea what was coming.
As everyone gathered, including the grandmother, my heart pounded. Taking a deep breath, I stood up.
“I have something to say. I didn’t come here with a plan to disrupt your family, but now that I know the truth, I can’t keep quiet.”
All eyes were on me as I told my story: how my mother had worked here, how she’d loved Richard, and the secret she carried when she left.
“I’m not here to take anything from you,” I added, looking directly at Richard.
“But your mother deserves more respect than she’s been given. She’s far more capable than you think.”
Veronica’s face reddened, but before she could speak, Richard raised a hand.
“Enough,” he said firmly.
The room fell into a heavy silence. Finally, I cleared my throat, breaking the quiet.
“I think it’s better if I leave.
I didn’t come here to stay, and now you finally have a chance to make things right as a family.”
My gaze moved from Richard to the grandmother, and then to Oliver. “This is your time to fix what’s broken.”
Richard’s lips parted as if to object, but he said nothing. He only nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly.
***
The next morning, I packed my bags.
At the door, Oliver handed me an envelope with a salary. “You’ll always have a brother in me. Don’t be a stranger.”
A month later, I was invited back for my grandmother’s birthday.
Lucas and Oliver welcomed me warmly, and Richard approached.
“I ended things with Veronica. I want to make up for lost time.”
I stayed, and slowly, we became what we were meant to be. Grandmother laughed with Lucas in the garden, Oliver and I raced through morning runs, and my father and I biked along sunlit paths, sharing stories of my mother.
Together, we began to heal.
At last, I had a family.
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Source: amomama
