Chapter 2: Who is my father?

Annabelle POV

“I can't believe it. If my father is alive and wealthy, then why are we suffering? why are we battling to pay for your treatment? why why…”

“Because he never wanted us. He threw us away like a garbage when I told him that I was pregnant.” Her voice turns bitter as she spoke. “I thought he loved me. I thought he will choose me over his perfect wife and perfect life. I was his mistress for almost four years.”

I feel like throwing up now, “You were a mistress? Mom, did you really sleep with a married man?”

“I was young and stupid. I was in love with a man who I thought really loved me but I was wrong. He saw me as a toy that he could play with whenever he is bored.” mom is sobbing now. “When I told him about the pregnancy he refused to accept and then he gave me some money to disappear. And if I refuse, he will make sure i no longer see the daylight.”

“How much money did he offered you?” I wasn't interested in the money but I wanted to know how much my life was worth to this man.

“He offered me $50,000 like that was enough to build a life and raise a child.” she wiped her tears with the hospital gown. “I have been living off that guilt for 23 years working different jobs to make the money stretch.”

I began to pace the room, walking up and down. I need to get out of this place or I might lose my mind. “So, what is the point of telling me this now? What is the point of telling me now that you're in your dying bed when you know there's nothing I can do about it?”

Mom took a deep breath before she answer. “Because he is dead now and everything is about to change for good to us.” she struggles to sit upright now. “He died 6 months ago and I think he might have left something for you in his wil.”

“How do you know that?” I stop pacing. “Have you been contact with him this whole time?”

“No, but I have been keeping track of him for years. Reading about his business deals and family in magazines and newspapers.” She reaches for a glass of water by the bedside. “Some few weeks ago, there was an article about how he changed his will before he died. It mentioned something about acknowledging a previous unknown heir.”

My legs were weak and wobble, so I sat down on the chair. “Do you think I am the unknown heir? You think he left something for me?”

“I think he finally felt guilty of what he did to us. Maybe his consciousness caught up with him when he was on his death bed." Mom grabbed my hand again like someone who is unwilling to let it go. “But Annabelle, if I'm right about this then you need to be very careful. His legitimate son might come for you if he finds out you are the missing heir.” She finally looked into my eyes with a stern look that made my heart skip a beat. “The legitimate family might not be happy to share their inheritance with a bastard daughter they never knew existed.”

I pressed my hand into her palms, took a deep breath and sighed. “What kind of business did he do and how much is he worth?”

Mom closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then opened them, she looked scared for a moment. “He owns one of the biggest companies in the country and he is worth billions of dollars, my baby.”

The mention of billions of dollars made the room look small in my eyes. I felt dizzy that I had to grab the armrest of my chair so I wouldn't fall. “He has billions? So you are telling me that my father is worth billions of dollars and we are suffering in abject poverty, struggling to pay for your treatment?”

Mom wanted to speak, she tried to speak but couldn't, she was mumbling her lips.

“He has more money than he can spend, and he left us to suffer?” I spoke with rage, with fury.

“That's exactly what I am telling you, my baby.” Mom finally spoke, her voice becoming weak. “And his family will do whatever it takes to stop you from getting any part of it. They will…”

Before she could complete her sentence, the beeping from the monitor began to sound loud, Mom was already jerking, her eyes rolling back into her head. I couldn't ask her any questions further but I wanted to know who my Father is.

“What is happening, Mom?” I quickly jumped up from my chair and pressed the call button for the nurses.

She tried to speak but what came out was garbled and wrong. Her entire body began to shake and there was this white form that began to come out from the side of her mouth.

“Help! I need help here now.” I scream into the phone before some nurses rush in and push me aside.

“Wait..” I said to the nurses,” I tried to get closer to my mom. “What is his name? Mom, you need to tell me his name.” But the nurse held me back.

Mom looked at me for the last time with her eyes that were trying to stay focused on me. Her lips moved like she was trying to say something. I think something that starts with the letter “B” but then the machines hiked again the sound growing louder in the room.

The doctors yell some medical terms that I couldn't comprehend.

One of the Doctors shouted, “We need to perform the surgery now.” He screamed as the nurses wheeling her bed towards the door.

“Wait please I need to speak with her, give me one more minute.” but my words fell on deaf ears as they were already gone pushing through the hallway down to the operation room.

I stood alone in the room staring at the chair I was sitting in 5 minutes ago. And my biggest worry was what to wear for the date with Ronan. And now I have a bigger problem to worry about, my mother is dying and she was trying to tell me the name of the father I never knew existed.