Stunned and did not know what to say to what he heard.
"H-How, how did that happen?" He said in disbelief. "Our daughter is alive and that's you?"
I was surprised at his reaction. It's like there's something I don't know about my entire being.
"You can't believe I'm alive?" I asked.
He shook his head.
"All I know is that our daughter died in an accident," he said.
I sat down and didn't know what was going on. This biological father seems to know what happened before I was born.
"So, you assume that I'm already dead?"
He nodded.
"After the accident happened to Reina, the grandfather informed me that our daughter was also dead. I didn't know what to do at that time, because I was already in jail." He explained.
"Tell me what happened 23 years ago," I asked him directly.
He looked at me. The eyes indicate that he feels pain and hatred.
"I just want to know which one is true," I demand.
"If so, what truth do you want to hear about your personality or about Reina and me?" He asked and even gave me a choice.
"Everything and the root of everything happened during that time." He adjusted his posture while resting both of his hands on the table.
"Reina and I have been friends for a long time. Before having relationships." He begins to tell a story.
"I started drag racing when I was still in college, and it continued until I became a professional car racer. At an auction party, that's where I met Reina. She was the most beautiful woman I met at that party. So I didn't think twice about approaching her. We have always met at parties that our families attended. So we always talked until we became friends. And we became even closer when she studied at the university I attended. Because of her beauty and charisma, many men like her. Because of that, that's where I made the move. I didn't want her to end up with another man. I loved Reina at that time." He smiled.
"I courted her until she became my girlfriend. I thought everything happening to us was fine. I thought everything was okay until their daddy found out about our relationship." He paused.
"What happened next?" I asked out of curiosity.
"At that time, Easton Corp and your company merged. Then the company owned by my family is the leading business in the country. So just like that, your grandfather decided to knock out our company. So he merged with Easton Corp. The daddy you know doesn't know what's going on because he's in America and building his own family. Reina was unaware that she was being arranged to marry Easton Torres Jr. And Reina said she doesn't want to marry the Easton Corp heir. Reina admitted to her father that we had a relationship, and she thought she would change her father's mind. But not, your grandfather wants to knock out our business. The problem got even worse when I found out that Reina was pregnant. I made a way to fight for my relationship with Reina, especially since we were about to have a baby. I begged your grandfather and asked the reason why he wanted to crush our company. " He scoffed.
"You know what he said? We don't fit in this kind of society. The poor must remain poor. It's like an insult to him that a company that came from hardship has taken the lead." He laughed and laughs that to this day he still can't believe what my grandfather told him.
"Because of your grandfather's desire to marry Reina to Easton Jr., Reina did not hesitate to come with me and elope. We hid in one of our rest houses, but we didn't expect your grandfather's men to find us. And we were even seen naked during that time. Your grandfather took Reina and didn't let her out of the house. He didn't know that Reina was pregnant with my child at that time. Because I didn't want to be far from Reina, I asked my parents for help. And your grandfather's timing..." A sad smile appeared on his face.
"I was charged with rape. So we went to his house to negotiate. My parents bet our business just to withdraw the case and talk about our marriage, Reina and me. His anger intensified when I admitted to him that Reina was pregnant and that I wanted to affirm our future child. He did not agree to the negotiation, he continued to file a case against me. The court hearing took a year and reached the Supreme Court. Since there was not much evidence against me, the court decided that I was not guilty. But because your grandfather had many connections back then, he still managed to put me in jail. And I was accused of raping Reina. "
I didn't expect him to cry in front of me.
"I heard that Reina has given birth, she is insisting on her mommy to come and show you to me. Because of her father's order, she could not leave immediately. Until she found time to escape and come to me, but her mother caught her. And that's when the accident happened. In the morning, your grandfather came here to tell me that his daughter Reina was gone, and it was because of me. And here I am still blaming myself for being the reason why Reina is gone. If I had just let him go, he would still be alive today."
I reached for his hand and held it. I didn't realize that my tears were running down my cheeks.
"The loss of my birth mother is not your fault. You two just fell in love and want to start your own family." I told him, while Danny rubbed my back.
"I still can't forgive myself for what happened." I shook my head while sobbing.
"It's not your fault," I said repeatedly.
I stood up from my seat and hugged him.
I know how much pain my real father is going through. Now it's like I know myself even more. I just can't fully imagine what Grandpa did. Is he greedy for money and power to sympathize with the innocent people around him?
My father and I talked until the end of visiting hours. What he told me is good news, he has a chance to get out of jail through parole. His forty-year sentence was reduced to twenty-three years. And he only has to wait a few months to be free.
We were in the car and on our way home, Danny broke the silence that surrounded the car.
"I didn't know something like that was happening in your family, Red." He started.
"Your family looks so perfect, even though there are issues thrown at your family, you are still unmoved by those who criticize you." He added.
I scoffed.
"Perfect? We just pretend to be perfect for the sake of our family reputation. Our life has never been perfect. " I said, leaning my head on the windshield.
Danny didn't prolong the conversation, I fell asleep on the ride home to my condo. Danny woke me up when we got there. I bid goodbye and was told that I had a photo shoot tomorrow morning. He will pick me up at the condo tomorrow and I might be late again.
When I entered my unit, I immediately laid down on the couch.
I turned my phone on, and Easton's text messages and missed calls popped out one by one on my screen.
Shit!
I forgot to tell him that I was going somewhere today.
I was about to call him when my brother Randy's caller ID suddenly appeared on the screen.
I immediately answered the call.
"Hello Brother?" I answered.
"How was your meeting with your biological father?" He asked.
"It's okay brother. I also found out what happened on his side."
"I had your biological father investigated before I sent you there. You know, so I also know what kind of person he is. I can't believe what happened back then was manipulated by Grandpa. ", my Brother said.
"And I just found out that our company previously merged with the Torres' company."
"What?! I do not know that." My brother said in shock.
"That's what my father said earlier, so he forced my mother to marry Easton's father before. My father didn't mention the real reason why he was forcing my mother to get married apart from the merger of the two companies." The other line was quiet for a while.
Maybe the older brother is thinking deeply about what he just knew.
"Big brother, are you thinking about something?" I asked him.
I heard his deep sigh.
"Thinking about it, I tried to find the old documents in the storage room. Until now, something seemed wrong. Daddy previously had a plan to collaborate with Easton's company, but Easton's father suddenly rejected it."
My brother told me curiously.
"Because Daddy knew before he and Mommy settled in the US. The relationship between the two companies is good. So I'm just wondering why Grandpa is suddenly so angry and wants to destroy the Torres company."
I frowned.
"Don't tell me, bro, this is connected to what happened to me before," I said suspiciously.
"I'm not sure, Red. But I'll look at the company's old records, maybe I'll get an answer there."
"What if I ask Easton about it?"
"Red, I don't want to empathize with the relationship between the two of you. I'm afraid that what happened in the past might just happen again. I don't want it to happen to you. "
"But bro—" he cut me off.
"Red, please. I will take care of this matter."
He said goodbye to me and hung up.
Staring at the ceiling in a daze, wondering why my grandfather caused so much trouble.