Athe days passed, Oliver found himself consumed by a curiosity, his thoughts drifting back to the cryptic mention of his family's connection to Ashton Winters, the elusive CEO of Winters Technologies.
As he returned home from a friend's house one evening, his mind buzzing with questions, Oliver was greeted by the familiar sight of his mother, Angelina, seated at the kitchen table, her expression drawn and weary.
"Mom, is everything okay?" Oliver asked, his concern evident in his voice as he approached her side.
Angelina looked up, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions. "Oliver, there's something I need to tell you," she began, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Yeah, mom?"
"Your big sister got into an accident... she's in the hospital now. I have to go be with her."
"Where will I be then?"
"As much as it hurts me to say this... you'll be staying with your dad..."
"But you said Dad was in heaven now!" Oliver replied, confused.
"Well... he is very much alive, though."
"Does Amira know?"
"Yes, she knows... but to be fair she wants to forget that. I'm really sorry to have hidden it from you for so long..."
"It's ok. I just hope he's nice."
"He is... you'll have a lot of fun there. Don't worry."
"Are you coming too?"
Angelina looked back to her past, thinking of the days she shared with Ashton... until she had to go and ruin it all.
"No... I can't."
"Why not? If he agreed to take care of me, I'm sure he'll want to be with you."
"Because I have to take care of your sister..."
That wasn't the only reason and she knew it. She was really afraid of facing him again, especially after their unfortunate encounter at the hospital.
Oliver felt a surge of mixed emotions as he heard his mom's words. He had always wondered about his dad, but he never expected to meet him like this. He wanted to know more about him, but he also felt a pang of sadness for leaving his mom behind.
"Mom, why did you and dad break up?" Oliver asked, hoping to get some answers.
Angelina sighed, knowing that she couldn't avoid the truth any longer. She looked into Oliver's innocent eyes, and felt a wave of guilt and regret.
"It's a long story, honey... but the short version is that we were too young and too different. We loved each other, but we also had a lot of problems. We couldn't agree on how to raise you, or how to balance our careers and our family. We fought a lot, and we hurt each other a lot. Eventually, we realized that we were better off apart."
"But you still love him, right?" Oliver pressed, sensing that there was more to the story.
Angelina hesitated, feeling a tug in her heart. She remembered the good times she had with Ashton, the way he made her laugh, the way he supported her dreams, the way he kissed her... but she also remembered the bad times... when they were enemies to the core.
"I... I don't know, Oliver. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. It's complicated. All I know is that he is your father, and he loves you very much. And so do I."
Oliver nodded, trying to understand. He hugged his mom, and told her that he loved her too.
"Can I see a picture of him?" Oliver asked, curious about his dad's appearance.
"Here, this is him," Angelina said, showing Oliver a photo of him on her phone. The two were standing next to each other in the picture, smiling. Both looked younger, having the time of their lives.
Oliver gasped, as he saw his dad's face for the first time. He looked a lot like him, with the same brown hair, blue eyes, and sharp features. He also looked handsome, confident, and successful. Oliver felt a surge of pride, but also a hint of intimidation.
"He's... Ashton Winters. The guy who created my gaming console," Oliver said, admiring his dad.
"He is," Angelina agreed, feeling a twinge of nostalgia.
"I can't wait to see him..."
They hugged each other, and packed their bags. They were ready to go.
Angelina drove Oliver to Ashton's house, which was a huge mansion in a gated community. Oliver was amazed by the sight, and wondered what it would be like to live there.
They arrived at the front door, and rang the bell. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Ashton appeared. He looked just like the photo, but older and more tired. He wore a suit and tie, and had a briefcase in his hand. He looked surprised to see them, but quickly composed himself.
"Angelina, Oliver, welcome... this is a pleasant surprise," Ashton said, greeting them.
"Hi, Ashton. I'm here to drop Oliver off," Angelina said, sounding serious.
"Of course. Come in, please," Ashton said, stepping aside.
They entered the house, and followed Ashton to the living room. There, they sat on the couch, and faced each other.
Ashton was speechless, as he processed the information. His daughter had a concussion and had broken an arm and a leg, and he had no idea.
He felt a mix of emotions, ranging from anger to disbelief to guilt. He couldn't believe that he had almost lost his. He couldn't believe that Angelina had kept everything about her from him for so long.
"Angelina... how could you?" Ashton asked, his voice trembling. "You could have at least told me over the phone.
"I'm sorry, Ashton. I know I should have told you sooner, but I was scared. I wanted to protect them, Ashton. I wanted to give them a normal life, a happy life. Can you understand that?" Angelina asked, pleading.
Ashton looked into her eyes, and saw the pain and the love that she felt for their children. He remembered the love that he felt for her, and the pain that he caused her. He understood her, but he also resented her. "You can't say that... you're famous too."
"In different ways, though!"
"I understand, Angelina. But I also hate you. You took away my right to be a father, to be a part of their lives, to love them. You made me miss out on so much, Angelina. You made me miss out on them," Ashton said, his voice breaking.
"I missed out too... on my two first children," Angelina said, crying.
They both sobbed, as they realized the magnitude of their mistake. They had ruined their family, and their children's lives.
They looked at Oliver, who was sitting quietly on the couch, watching them with wide eyes. He looked scared and confused, and they felt a surge of guilt and shame.
"Oliver... we're sorry. We're so sorry," they both said, reaching out to him.
Oliver looked at them, and felt a surge of love and pity. He loved them both, and he felt sorry for them. He knew they had made a mistake, but he also knew they were trying to fix it.
"It's okay, mom. It's okay, dad. I love you both," Oliver said, hugging them.
The chapter ends with Angelina leaving her son at his father's luxurious home, with two siblings and father for company. He still couldn't believe he was genetically related to Ashton, let alone being his son. Angelina, meanwhile,had mixed feelings of fear, anxiety, and relief. But she let it go, for her son's sake.
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