Stolen Fate

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Charles and Laura are both startled to hear Cliff's low, steady voice coming from the opened bedroom door.

Laura’s heart pounds in her chest as she watches her father enter the bedroom, then close the door behind him.

“Whatever happened, happened already,” Cliff continues. “I am aware of my daughter’s relationship with Lance. And partly, it was my fault for letting the relationship continue for so long. And it was my fault I allowed her to see Lance one last time on the eve of your wedding.” Cliff takes a deep, labored breath. “I am sorry to put you through this, Charles. I am thankful for everything that you have done for me and Chapman Corp. But my daughter is right. I cannot abandon her. Not now. And I will not let her get an abortion. I may be many monsters. But I am not the type of monster to kill an innocent child. Especially not my own grandchild.”

Charles stares back at his father-in-law in disbelief. “So, you will allow this scandal to taint the family name? You will allow the company to fall because of your daughter’s indiscretions? You will choose an unborn child over the family name that’s been reputable and solid for many generations?”

Laura sees tears well up in her father’s eyes. He slowly shakes his head and says, “Yes. I would rather lose everything I worked hard for. But I will never lose my family. I will never kill my own flesh and blood.”

Tears roll down Laura’s cheeks, and she runs towards her father, hugging him, burying her face against his chest. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so sorry.”

Cliff hugs his daughter and caresses her head gently. “I am sorry too, my child. I should never have bargained your happiness and your future for the sake of saving my face and solving all my problems. I should have been a better father to you.”

“We will be okay, Dad,” Laura promises. “If you really want me to, I will learn the ropes to your company. And we will raise my baby to be your future heir. It’s not yet too late. We can still do this together.”

“I know. I realize that now.”

“And what about me? You two are just going to throw me away after using me to iron out all the glitches in Chapman Corp.? Now that you have a new heir, you find that you have no use for me anymore?” Anger and pain coat Charles’s usual confident demeanor.

Cliff pulls away from his daughter and looks at Charles apologetically. “No, Charles. I will forever be indebted to you. You will continue to be an employee of Chapman Corp. holding key positions in the company. I trust your intelligence and your capabilities. The choice is up to you if you wish to still remain as a part of my family.”

“Employee?” Charles bites back his frustration. “That’s all I ever was to you."

“No. You have always been like a son to me. But I will never force you to stay married to my daughter, considering that she is carrying another man’s child.”

“There will be a scandal, I can assure you that,” Charles says. He gives Laura a hard stare.

“And we will be prepared to handle the consequences. I will speak to my lawyers and our communications team. This subject matter will be handled with delicate care. And I assure you, you will be compensated generously for your silence and cooperation.”

Charles shakes his head. “No,” he says. “You are not getting rid of me that easily. I am part of this family too, and I will continue to do so until my very last breath.”

Cliff stares at him sadly. “It is your decision, Charles.”

“Yes, it is. And I will die first before your daughter ruins everything that I worked hard for in this company, and this family,” Charles says firmly. “And for the sake of family, I will stay married to your daughter and become the father of her child.”

Laura stares back at Charles in shock. She shakes her head in disbelief. “No! You cannot be serious! You just said that you cannot raise a child that’s not your own!”

“And I changed my mind,” Charles says firmly. “I am a Chapman too. And you are both right. Nothing is more important than family. Cliff has been the only father I knew. And I will not fail him at this difficult time. If he needs me to stand by you, to cover up for your indiscretions, to save this family’s reputation and save us all from the scandal, then I will do everything I can. I will remain your husband. You will continue to be my wife. We will no longer speak of that lowlife bodyguard of yours. From now on, that baby in your tummy is mine!”

Laura cries in desperation. “No! No! I do not want to stay married to you!”

“And you would rather your child be called a bastard? That he grows up without a father?” Charles argues. “I have already lowered my pride, ate everything I stand for as a man. I will do my part as a member of this family. Don’t you think you should do yours, Laura? For a change, save us all the trouble and stop thinking only of yourself?”

Laura wipes the tears on her cheeks. She turns to her father, giving him a pleading look. “Father… you can’t allow this to happen. I can’t live with this man!”

Cliff continues to weigh in on his choices. He takes a deep breath and looks at his daughter with deep sadness. “I think what Charles is offering is the best chance we all have, Laura. If it were up to me, I don’t want my grandchild to be affected by any scandal at all. Charles is right. He cannot grow up without a father.”

“This baby has a father!”

“And where is he, Laura?” Charles asks her, his voice full of challenge. “Has that scumbag ever tried to contact you since that night he took advantage of your innocence?”

“Well…” Laura is lost for words. She knew that Charles is right. She has been trying to contact Lance since the day after her wedding. He has not replied to any of her text messages, and his phone remains switched off. He might have left the country, but she doesn’t know exactly what happened to him.

“If he is serious about standing up for you, he should have stuck around. He knew that there’s a possibility that he got you pregnant that night. But where is he now?” Charles continues, casting doubt over Laura’s mind.

“Lance and I have decided to part ways mutually. We decided that it was for the good of the family,” Laura admits quietly.

“Then there is no reason for him to come back to the picture. No one should know that this child you are carrying is his. We will announce that it’s mine, conceived on the day of our honeymoon,” Charles says. “I will raise this child as my own. I will train him, mentor him, get him ready to become the future of Chapman Corp.”

The silence that follows is thick, it can be cut by a knife. Laura sees her father staring at Charles, measuring him, reading him, gauging if he was sincere with his intentions. Charles stares back at Cliff, giving him a reassuring look.

Laura watches Cliff heave a deep sigh. Then he steps forward and extends his hand to Charles. “Thank you, son. Thank you for saving us once again.”

Laura closes her eyes, and tears roll down her cheeks. Finally… she admits defeat.