French Rose

Chapter 33

Christina King

It's impossible, there's no way Alex could be my step sister. It would change everything. The way I saw her, the way I saw my family, the way I looked at my dad. Since I was young, I always saw him as someone responsible, never making mistakes to spoil the reputation he made for himself. He never permitted the slightest errors and was always ready to fix things. I was always a hundred percent sure that if there was anyone in the world to do something like this, he would be last on my list. How is it possible that this same man would make a mistake so huge to destroy his own family?

I, as his daughter, couldn't bear the weight of what I heard, I wonder how his wife would take it. Mom was an emotionally weak person, she could get upset over the smallest things and with her condition, an information like this would ruin her. Everything was on the line and it would have the most effect on her cause she would have to bear a step daughter and not just that, Mrs Coleman would be sure to make her feel the worst she could.

Even if she eventually didn't let out the proof, I would never be comfortable knowing Alex and I had the same father. It wouldn't be just that, both the mother and daughter would make me their puppet, knowing I would do anything to keep the information a secret. I wouldn't be able for stand up against Alex, I wouldn't be able to do anything that would make them mad else my family's reputation would go down the drain. There's no way in the world I would live with that. They would set me up so I would look like a bad person and Alex a good one cause I'd done enough already.

The validity of it, I wasn't sure. I didn't know if it was true or if she did have the proof. Frequently, I wondered how much of a relief it would be if it wasn't true. There was only one way to find out and I wasn't going to risk it. There were a lot of reasons why she would lie but if I kept Lucas in my house and it ends up being true, I would be ruined and my family after.

I was scared of telling anyone else about it, even my dad. It had been a whole day since it happened and I'd finally gotten the confidence to talk. He was the only one that knew the truth and I was curious to hear what he had to say. I wouldn't say I hadn't lost trust for him and I know I wasn't supposed to believe Mrs Coleman over my dad but I had a feeling that even if he told me it wasn't true, I would still have that feeling inside that he was lying. It's a bad thing to think someone I lived with all my life would lie to me but even I didn't understand why I suddenly lost all the trust I had for him. I mean, he wouldn't tell me it's true even if it's actually true. What kind of father would immediately admit something like this to his child?

After minutes of staring at it, I picked up the phone and dialed his number. A few seconds after, he picked it up and that's when things became even more difficult.

"What's the problem?" I couldn't give a reply to his question and kept quiet, thinking of the best way to say it. It would've been a normal call, me complaining about something and he giving a reply that wouldn't work but things changed and it wasn't feeling like I was talking to the same person I spoke to everyday.

"Sunshine, are you there?" He paused and after waiting for my reply, said again "Christina?"

"Are you Alex's father?"

There was silence after I asked, a very long silence, one that was slowly making me believe he was going to say yes. He didn't say a word and as time went, I only believed more that it was true. That was the only time I felt warm tears fall from my eyes and the disappointment set in. I'd never been in more pain than I was in that moment. I could've expected it from anyone but not dad. I looked up to him, I wished to be a replica of him. This changed literally everything.

"Dad, are you Alex's father?"

"Who told you this?"

"How could you make such a mistake?"

"I didn't do anything, I'm not her father"

"Why were you quiet? Why does her mom have proof against you?"

"She's lying, I promise you I didn't do it. Why would I ruin everything I've worked for all my life? Don't you trust me? I'm not her father."

"She said she has proof against you and she'll ruin the entire family after ruining me"

"What are you talking about? How did it get it get to this?"

"All I want to know is if you're truly Alex's dad cause if you are, you've ruined our entire family. I can't live with the thought that she's my sister_"

"You don't have to think about it cause she's not your sister"

"And how can I believe you? Can I be sure she won't release this proof to the public?"

"Can we talk about this? I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning_"

"How about we make things even better? I'll be home tomorrow and we'll sit and talk about this and mom would be there too"

"You're going to hurt your mother, I'm not going to let that happen. She's not in the right condition now and you know that"

"So am I supposed to keep it a secret? You're making me believe her"

"I don't know what you expect me to say, I've told you the truth. You'll come back home tomorrow morning and we'll sit to talk about this but your mom, keep her out of this"

"I'm disappointed in you"

Out of annoyance, I ended the call. I could've believed him but why did it take so long for him to say it isn't true? He wasn't sure either and that had to mean he truly did something that could've resulted in Alex being his daughter. The fact he did something like that is what makes my respect and trust for him slowly fade away. I wanted a reason to believe him but I couldn't find any and it made me feel even worse than I did before.

The phone rang again and when I didn't pick it, he sent texts after text but I didn't reply.

It was evening when I first left my room since the day before. Rolling off the bed, I felt exhausted from all the time I spent thinking. I had a headache and my stomach grumbled from hunger. I could only imagine what I looked like from rolling around one spot for twenty four hours. I could stay longer but there was something more important to do..

It took me only a few minutes to get to the kitchen. Seeing Lucas by the counter made me feel guilty even when I was yet to say the words. He was innocent, it was very obvious he was, cause if he truly did so much to Alex, her mom wouldn't make it a necessity to get him out of my house. It's sad things were going to end that way, after building the friendship we had between us.

"Christina! Finally, I figured out you'd crawl out of your room when hunger strikes but it's unfair you starved yourself for so long, you know. I knocked on your door, you didn't respond and then I did it again and again and again. You made me worry, you made everyone worry. If it wasn't t_"

"You're fired Lucas. Pack your things and leave"

The shock was evident on his face. Quietly, he dropped the knife and turned to wash his hands. He was preparing to leave without uttering a single word. He didn't object or complain. It was as if it was something he expected and I wouldn't say he didn't expect it cause he predicted this. I didn't feel bad just because he was going to leave, he said this would happen and I told him it wouldn't but here it is, happening just like he said.

"I was really hoping you'd be different"