Loving a Believer

Chapter 17: God is Not Yet Done

S T O R M

"Francis Oxford," I told the police officer at the front desk of their station.

Fara could not sleep, so I rushed my work just to bring her to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was already afternoon when we arrived here. We just rested for a moment and then we went straight here to the police station.

We followed the police officer who led us to Tito Francis' jail.

"Dad!" Fara ran to her father when we finally saw him and hugged him.

"Fara?" Tito Francis said with disbelief. He looked at me, giving me a tough look. "What are you two doing here?" he asked me.

"She wants to see you, Tito," I said.

"Dad, what's this? You should not have done this!" Fara began to weep. "Please! Get out of here!" Fara begged and hugged him tighter.

Tito Francis' face softened.

"Tito, I'm willing to help you." I knew he didn't need my help. Oxford family has so many connections all over the world compared to the Hunt family.

"Just go home, Fara," he said, not moving or hugging Fara back.

Fara shook her head. "N-no, Dad! Let's go home!"

His jaws clenched but I could see regret and guilt in his eyes. "I deserve this. You want justice, right? I'm giving it to you now. This is what I deserve for everything I've done."

Nakaramdam ako ng kalungkutan para sa kanilang dalawa.

Lalong tumindi ang pag-iyak ni Fara. Kumalas siya sa pagkakayakap kay Tito Francis at tumingin dito na may pagsusumamo. "D-dad... I didn't mean what I have said. I d-don't want you here. Please! Let yourself out of here!"

Tito Francis didn't react, but he swallowed before turning his gaze to me.  "Bring her home," he said in a commanding tone and turned his back on us, walking away.

Fara grabbed his arm to stop him. "Please, Dad!"

Tito Francis stopped but he didn't look back. We all fell silent and just stared at his back. "Maybe this is the time for you to know the truth about you and Storm..."

My brows furrowed in curiosity.

"It's true that I wanted you to marry Storm because they would be a big help to my company, which will make me earn more money. My purpose might be for money but not just for that alone... Fara, I always told you that what I'm doing was for our family, especially for you. All I wanted is the best for you, especially when you and your brother are all that I had left... I want you to be in a safer place, so I planned to arrange you with Storm..."

Fara's hold on Tito Francis' arm slowly loosened as she stared up at her father with tears in her eyes.

"I saw your note to Santa when you were a kid..." he said, which caught my attention away from Fara and toward him. "I couldn't grant your wish about your mother, so I chose to grant your wish about the man you asked me when you were a kid. I find it crazy to believe in that person, but I still made a way to grant your wish because I saw how desperate you were about that person's existence. I believe that man doesn't exist, but I thought you didn't believe me when I told you that. When I met Travis' son, I found out that he is a believer of that so-called Jesus..." he paused and slowly turned around to face us - but his eyes locked on me. "So I talked to Travis..." he continued. "I told him to reserve his son... for my daughter."