Chapter 308
Benjamin’s POV
Slowly, painstakingly, I wrestled back my composure, then raised a trembling hand to fiercely scrub at my face. A bastard daughter. The words echoed in the sterile hospital room, a sickening, impossible truth. Especially one whose age felt unsettlingly, frighteningly close to Aria’s. The thought alone was a cruel twist of the knife.
How could this possibly be? How could I, Benjamin Jones, possibly have a love child? I had never, not once in my entire life, betrayed Aria’s mother, my beloved wife. Even after her untimely passing, my world had narrowed to Aria alone. I had dedicated every fiber of my being to raising her, to honoring my wife’s memory.
Yet, a mere month ago, an anonymous text message had landed like a venomous snake in my inbox, claiming the existence of another biological daughter besides Aria. Last week, this supposed daughter had brazenly demanded to see Aria. The sheer audacity, the stress, the crushing weight of the unknown had sent me spiraling, culminating in my collapse and subsequent hospitalization.
For the past few days, the woman had relentlessly bombarded me with texts and calls, each one a thinly veiled masquerade of concern for her “father’s” health. Until today, when she finally showed up in person, dropping the pretense, revealing her true, mercenary intentions as clearly as the fluorescent lights above.
But how? How was any of this even remotely possible? How could I, Benjamin Jones, have a secret daughter?
I slumped back against the hospital pillows, my mind a frantic maelstrom, desperate to unravel the tangle of lies and impossibilities. I racked my brain, sifting through decades of memories, but nothing, absolutely nothing, offered an explanation. For all these years, the only truly anomalous event, the sole deviation from my meticulously ordered life, had been one night. A business dinner years ago, I’d gotten dangerously drunk, vomiting uncontrollably. My secretary, bless her efficient soul, had booked me a hotel room. I distinctly remembered Aria’s mother coming to take care of me; it should have been her, only her, who stayed with me that night. But strangely, when I woke up the next morning, a complete stranger had been in the room. A woman. She’d met my bewildered gaze with a guilty start, then quickly wrapped herself in a bathrobe and fled, without a single word, leaving only a lingering scent of unfamiliar perfume and a profound sense of bewilderment.
I’d had people discreetly investigate the incident afterwards, but they’d found absolutely nothing concrete. I’d dismissed it as a drunken hallucination, a vivid nightmare born of too much alcohol and stress. I’d even cautiously asked my wife about that night, and her answers had, without a flicker of hesitation, confirmed that she was indeed the one who stayed with me.
For all these years, that bizarre, unsettling encounter had been the only anomaly, the solitary stain on my otherwise impeccable memory. And even then, I hadn’t even touched that woman. How could she possibly be my daughter?
I was utterly baffled, consumed by a chilling dread that twisted my gut. A cold, insidious fear began to grip me.
If Aria, my precious daughter, ever found out about this, it would utterly shatter her heart. The thought alone sent me spiraling further, into a terrifying vortex of anxiety and agitation.
Aria’s POV
I arranged to meet Lillian for lunch near her office after leaving the hospital. Just as I was mindlessly scrolling through social media, someone tapped on our table. I looked up, surprised to see Lillian already there.
“You’re early!” I couldn’t hide my surprise.
Lillian dropped her designer bag beside her chair with a dramatic sigh. “Feels like it’s going to pour any minute. I sneaked out before my boss could notice.” She grabbed the menu from my hands. “How’s your dad doing? When’s the surgery scheduled p>
“Just got his test results this morning. Doctor says they’ll operate within the next couple days p>
“Once they put in the stent, you can finally relax,” she nodded reassuringly.
I frowned slightly. “Yeah, except… I can’t shake the feeling Dad’s hiding something from me p>
“You mean that mysterious phone call p>
“Exactly.” I hummed quietly, flipping through the menu and marking two dishes. “You choose the rest p>
Lillian studied my face. “It is weird how secretive he’s being. Definitely feels intentional p>
“I know, right p>
My phone lit up beside me. I propped my chin on my hand and tapped the screen. Aiden was checking if I’d made it home, warning me about the incoming downpour expected around 1 PM.
I snapped a quick photo of our table and sent it: [Photo] Having lunch with Lill.
Aiden: Okay. Drive carefully on your way back.
I replied with a cute emoji before setting my phone down and turning back to Lillian.
“Mr. Carter checking in on his wife?” she teased.
My ears burned. “Not checking in! He’s just warning me to get home before the storm hits p>
“God, I’m so jealous of you two p>
I touched my warm earlobe, trying to change the subject. “Weren’t you saying Ryan was going to set you up with someone p>
The moment I mentioned Ryan, Lillian’s expression shifted, suddenly very interested in her water glass. “Been too swamped with work lately. Haven’t had time to discuss… that p>
“How long is ‘too swamped’ going to last?” I took a sip of water. “I’ve never seen you this busy before p>
She kept her eyes down, mumbling into her glass. “Don’t know… maybe after this project wraps up p>
Before I could press further, she quickly changed topics. “Are you skipping the Warner Awards this year p>
I traced the rim of my glass thoughtfully. “Yeah, maybe I’ll consider it again next year p>
I’d made my name early, collected most of the awards worth having. After years of pushing myself like a monk devoted to music, I wanted to slow down and actually enjoy life for a change.
“Probably for the best. Saves you from dealing with all those haters,” Lillian added.
The award had always been
surrounded by controversy. Rumors
claimed only won because I was the only nominee pushed forward from our country, and that anyone in my position would have wor regardless of talent. The whispers had followed me for years.
“Let them talk,” I shrugged. Honestly, I wasn’t participating this year and probably wouldn’t next year either. Let some other “newcomer” have their moment.
We chatted about industry gossip for another hour, but eventually Lillian had to return to work. Our lunch ended reluctantly, and I drove her back to her office building.
I glanced up at the windshield, then checked the time. Nearly 2 PM already—when was this supposed downpour going to start? With a sigh, I started the car and headed home.
I hadn’t gone far when the first drops hit. Within seconds, the sky opened up completely, like someone had ripped a hole in the clouds and was dumping buckets of water onto the city.
I’d never driven in rain this heavy before. Instinctively, I slowed down, gripping the steering wheel tighter When my car suddenly jerked and began to stall, my heart dropped. I managed to hit the hazard lights and put toward the shoulder before the engine died completely.
With no emergency cone in my trunk, all I could do was keep the hazards blinking
while I grabbed my umbrella and stepped out into the deluge. Even with the
umbrella, the rain soaked my legs within seconds.
The morning hadn’t felt particularly cold, but standing in this storm, a
chill crept through my body. After calling the tow company, I hesitated with my phone in hand, debating Whether to text Aiden. I didn’twant him to worry, but after that incident with Owen Duncan at the hospital, I knew how upset he’d be if I didn’t tell him.
Just as I was about to send the message, a familiar voice called out over the
pounding rain.
“Car trouble, Miss Aria p>
I looked up, rain dripping from my hair into my eyes, to find Owen Duncan standing
before me, his large umbrella now shielding us both from the downpour.