I've been home for an hour and all I can think about is the flash drive that's currently sitting in the drawer of my nightstand.
I've been distant with Asher for the past week because I just can't help but think that maybe Dr.Moore was telling the truth.
Do I have a different dad?
Does Asher know?
Asher texted me and told me that he should be home within the next hour.
It's now or never, I guess.
I open the drawer and grab the flash drive with shaking hands.
God, I hope this is all some cruel joke.
I open my laptop and plug in the flash drive.
Suddenly a notification pops up labeled "For Alyssa".
I take a deep breath before pressing the "accept" button and I gasp when a video pops up.
I take another ragged breath before pushing play.
Suddenly a man walks into the frame and takes a seat on the couch, he takes a deep breath before pulling out a file from a briefcase.
"Hello Alyssa, my name is Grayson Hart." He says slowly and goosebumps immediately form on my skin.
I quickly reach over to the mouse and pause the video before he starts talking again.
I can't do this.
I feel sick.
Suck it up Lyss! It's just a video.
And once again, I take a deep breath and play the video.
"If you're watching this, it means the Christian has explained who I am to you."
Oh god.
"Alyssa...I am your father. Your mother was one of the pediatricians that worked at the same hospital I did. We had been working together for about 12 years before she tragically passed away."
"Your mother was a very happy person at the beginning of her marriage to Jonathan, they were head over heels for each other up until your brother's birth. After your brother was born, your father started working longer hours and became more distant. During this time, your mother would work less to watch over your brother. However, whenever she did come to work, she looked pale, underweight, and extremely exhausted. It was clear that there was something wrong with her and her marriage."
"Your mother and I were always very close friends, so sometimes I would go over to visit her and help take care of Asher after my shift. One night, when your brother was about 3 and a half years old, I came over to visit your mom and I found her bruised and bleeding on the floor."
I let out a gasp before pausing the video again.
Did Jonathan hurt her?
"She immediately started begging me to not tell anyone about what I saw. When she got up, she collapsed into my arms and started to cry. As I brought her upstairs to stitch her up, she told me everything..." I watch as he pauses before taking a ragged breath.
"She explained how she confronted Jonathan about cheating on her with his personal assistant. She told him how he didn't even bother to deny it and said that he was "allowed to cheat" since she wasn't giving in to his needs. When she told him she wanted a divorce, he threw his glass of whiskey at her and started to beat her until she went unconscious...while Asher was sleeping in the room next door."
I slowly feel my head start to spin and quickly head into my bathroom to throw up whatever food I had eaten in the last few hours.
I feel tears start to flow down my face mercilessly while I stayed frozen sitting in the corner of the bathroom.
What the fuck is happening?!
I dizzily get up, wash my face, and head back to my computer.
"After that night, I managed to convince your mom to have her and Asher stay at my house for a couple of nights. Your mother lied to Jonathan saying that she took a trip with some of her other mom friends. Jonathan didn't even bother to check up on her."
"While she was staying with me, I couldn't help but be drawn to her. Your mother had the most beautiful smile and the most contagious laugh. Truth be told, I have been in love with your mother since the first day I saw her. Whether she was making the kids laugh or the crappy jokes she made in the break room...your mom was a special woman. The night before she had to go back, I told her that I loved her and to my surprise, she told me she loved me too. That was the night you were conceived as well as the last time I ever saw her." He finishes and I watch as tears stream down his face.
"Jonathan had found out about the affair after you were born. He knew right away since you looked nothing like him. He forced your mother to tell him who the father was and when she did, he called me to his office and threatened me. He told me that if I ever make contact with Ashley or you, he would send someone to kill me. I bet you could imagine my shock when I found out I had a daughter that I never knew existed. Jonathan was beginning to reach high places in his job and a cheating scandal was the last thing he needed. He was too disgusted by what your mother and I did to sign your birth certificate, so he made me sign it and had a fake one made with his signature."
"Even after he threatened me, nothing stopped me from trying to reach out to your mother. I tried everything from going to her job to trying to track her down at a local park. But it's almost like you both completely disappeared from the Earth."
"After a few years, I received news that your mother had passed away. I remember standing in the middle of the hallway at the hospital and falling to my knees. Even after all these years, I never found a woman who was nearly as amazing as your mother."
"I managed to sneak into the funeral service and just as I was about to leave, I saw you. You were so beautiful and you looked just like her. You had her big smile and a small nose but you also had my dark brown eyes and brown hair. You were the perfect mix of both of us. After that day, I knew that I needed to find a way to reach out to you."
"Fast forward to a few months ago, Chris and I have been working together for a few years and he told me that he was seeing a woman. When he showed me her picture, I immediately recognized her as Jonathan's wife and the assistant he cheated on your mom with. That's when we came up with the plan of getting this flash drive to you."
What the actual fuck-
What the fuck has my life come to?!
Everything I fucking thought was real is a fucking lie!
"I know this is a lot to take in and I don't even blame you if you don't believe a word that has just come out of my mouth. But, I would like to explain this all to you in person. In this file, I have all the information about your mom and I's relationship as well as a copy of your birth certificate. I would show it all to you right now however we would be sitting here for hours. If you have any questions and would like to meet so we could talk about it, my number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx."
"Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say and I hope to meet you soon. Goodbye Alyssa." He pauses for a moment before reaching over and turning off the camera.
I just stare at the screen for the next five minutes until everything hits me at once.
The man I thought was my father is a fucking liar!
Oh my god, that's why he said that my mom "deserved" to die!
Holy shit!
He fucking abused her!
And he and Macy had an affair while my mom was alive?!
I knew I hated that bitch for a reason!
And he threatened my real dad to stay away from me and my mom!
I grip my hair in my hands and walk over to my dresser, I grab the jewelry box that Jonathan got me from Milan and throw it against the wall.
I watch as it completely shatters and falls to the floor.
"FUCK!" I scream.
Then I walk into my closet and rip up any piece of clothing that any of my family members have ever gotten me.
MY MOTHER DIED MISERABLE!
SHE WAS STUCK IN AN ABUSIVE MARRIAGE!
HE TRIED TO SAVE HER!
I walk all around my room destroying everything in my path.
"Alyssa! What the fuck is going on up there?" I hear Jonathan yell from downstairs.
I don't bother to respond though, instead, I grab the bottom of my nightstand and flip it over.
"ALYSSA!" I hear his voice coming closer.
"Alyssa, what the-" I cut him off by throwing a lamp at him which he barely dodges.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" He yells as he walks past all the glass and grabs my arms.
"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" I yell while trying to shove him off.
I watch as Macy makes her way upstairs and stares at us in shock.
"YOU!" I shove Jonathan off and stomp over to her.
"You just couldn't keep your fucking legs closed, you fucking whore!" I scream right before I slap her across the face, hard.
I watch as she falls to the floor and tries to soothe her cheek.
"Alyssa? What the hell is going on?" Asher asks while walking through the front door and making his way upstairs.
"Everyone in this house is a fucking liar. Including you!"
"What are you talking about?" He asks with wide eyes.
I look back at Jonathan who is still standing in my room and Asher who is in the hallway.
"Who the fuck is my father?"
I notice the color drain from both Jonathan and Asher's faces.
"Alyssa I-"
"No! No dodging the question, I want the truth! Are you my father?" I ask Jonathan.
"No, I am not." He whispers.
I feel more tears stream down my face and my knees beginning to give out.
"Did you know?" I ask Asher.
God, please say no.
"I- I did." He says slowly.
"Wow! It's funny how you claim that men like Jonathan are the bad people in this world..." I begin walking toward him.
"...when in reality, you're worse than him." I spit and shove him hard before grabbing my bag and laptop and running out of the house.
"Alyssa, wait! Please!" Asher begs while trying to grab my wrist but I shove him off again.
"Go to hell!" I yell before running down the street not knowing where I'm headed.
The Phoenix family is fucking dead to me.
----------Author's Note----------
I literally have no words.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
-Pradabagg
Word Count: 1809