Divorced Heiress
Chapter 49

Tristan was so happy with his ice cream and enjoying the games at the park that my heart filled with emotion every time I saw him smile.

It had been hard for me to convince him to stop fearing Alexander. After insisting and persuading him so much, I ended up telling him that the man would buy him a new ice cream as a reward for the one he spilled, but I didn't imagine that Alexander would actually do it. Both of them ordered vanilla, and Alexander helped Tristan eat it. It moved me to witness that, but I didn't want to show it.

Tristan ended up falling asleep in my arms after a long afternoon of playing, making and undoing things with his father. In the end, he liked Alexander more than I could have imagined. Alexander earned it with the effort he made, despite it being his first day as a father.

-Tristan is undoubtedly a wonderful child.- Alexander said without taking his eyes off Tristan's sweet and relaxed face as he slept peacefully. -You shouldn't have hidden it from me. Do you know everything I've missed?- He asked, taking him gently in his arms and admiring him with a nostalgic smile.

I felt a pang in my chest because I understood what he meant. He missed an important and unique stage of his son's life - He missed his birth, his first words, his first steps - So many things that, no matter how small, were extremely important. Now, seeing Alexander make every effort to make Tristan happy, get to know him, and treat him as he deserved, I questioned my decisions. I had acted on my own.

-Yes, I know very well.- I said, stretching my legs on the grass, trying to find a more comfortable position. -Have you told your family about him?-

-No.- He responded almost immediately, and something told me he wasn't telling me the truth. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and his hesitant gaze met mine. -Only Alexis knows, but not completely. I told him I had a child but didn't say with whom. By now, he must be suspecting that I've fathered a child, anyway he was going to know tomorrow. I would tell all our close ones, but first, I had to put my plan against the Lancasters and Rachel into action. I wanted to make sure first that my son would be safe far away from those three vipers. I know what you must be thinking, and I just want you to know that I won't let anyone hurt him. Whoever messes with him will regret it, regardless of whether it turns out to be my family.-

Although his response didn't put me at ease, I appreciated that gesture on his part. But I wasn't sure if he meant it seriously, because I knew very well that he was manipulated by his family. I didn't know how much importance he would give to Tristan or if he would prioritize the pair of vipers.

-Just don't let your mother and sister walk all over him, that's all I ask from the bottom of my heart. If I am doing the right thing, you should do it too and keep him as far away as possible.-

-Sarah, regarding that, why did you hide from me that my family treated you badly? And this time, I don't want half-hearted answers.- He said. I let out a tired sigh. Didn't he understand last time when I answered his question? -I already told you, you would have taken their side or not given it any importance. You didn't have time to deal with my affairs. Plus, I preferred to avoid any disputes just to be a good wife. I really wanted the family to be at peace, even if it disturbed my tranquility.- I answered sincerely and without sounding as haughty as before.

At this moment, we both had our guard down, and we were doing it for Tristan because there were many things we had to put an end to or we would be stuck in the same situation forever, which would ultimately harm our son.

-You were my wife, if I had known, I would have put an end to it from the beginning. You shouldn't have hidden it from me, if only...-

-Yes, maybe I shouldn't have kept quiet, or maybe if you had been more observant, you would have realized it at the time. But what's done is done. Now, I just want you to remember that I will defend myself against any attack from your family, and I hope it doesn't affect our relationship with Tristan. Besides, it's evident that I'm not the only one who has hidden information during our marriage.- I changed the course of the conversation, referring to the topic of his twin.

-And I won't do anything to defend my family if they brought it upon themselves. I give you my word, it's the least I can do for you after all. Now, there's nothing else that matters to me except Tristan.- He looked at me with a smile, and that managed to calm me down just a little, because saying something was one thing, but actually doing it was something entirely different. -If you're referring to Alexis, yes, I hid it from you because I'm the one to blame for Alexis being in that wheelchair. It's a very bitter and unpleasant story for me.- He said with a distant look as if the most unpleasant images were passing through his mind. Something inside me clicked, and soon I tied up loose ends, arriving at a conclusion that gave me chills just imagining it.

I looked at him curiously, waiting for him to say something, but he was so immersed in his thoughts that I dared to say what was so difficult for him.

-You were driving the car that left Alexis in that state.- I said, more of a statement than a question. Suddenly his eyes traveled to meet mine and I could see that I was right by the anguish that shone in his gaze.

-How did you know what happened? Did Alexis tell you anything?- He asked. I shook my head and remained silent. How could I tell him that I had sent someone to investigate Alexis? Silence reigned for a few seconds, during which we stared into nothingness. I was waiting for him to speak, while he seemed even more immersed in his thoughts.

Until finally, he spoke. -That night, Alexis was going to stay home to prepare everything for college, but I had a hobby that didn't fit at all with our lifestyle or social class. I liked to race in illegal races. That night would be the last one we would spend together before each of us went to our respective campuses, and I messed it all up when I begged Alexis to accompany me in my car to the last race. He never agreed, for him it was enough to be in that place. So I had a plan B, invite his best friend, she would say yes, but Alexis cared so much about the people around him that he ended up going so as not to involve anyone else. I got my way. He said bitterly, slowly understanding more and more.

He practically dragged him into the car, putting pressure on him to agree to go in his car, but, how could he know what would happen next? No one can predict it.

-But it's not your fault, you didn't do it on purpose, you just wanted to spend time with your brother...-

-No, Sarah. Before getting into the car, I was drunk, do you realize how reckless I was? Do you realize that I could have prevented him from ending up like that? If I hadn't insisted, he wouldn't have lost so many years of his life bedridden. There is no one else to blame but me. Sarah, he noticed my condition when the race started and asked me to stop, he unbuckled his seatbelt to wait for me to drop him off in the middle of the road, but I got angry at his behavior and lost control, I crashed the car into a wall and my airbag deployed before I realized what was happening. The windshield was broken and Alexis was there, with half his body on the hood and covered in blood. When we arrived at the hospital, I made a deal with my family and some lawyers who were trying to protect me from all responsibility, I had to keep silent, no one, absolutely no one could find out that I was the drunk driver. All to save myself from the law, but there was no way to save myself from my guilt, from how bad I felt for so many years, years in which I lived for him, hoping he would wake up one day.-

It was evident that it was difficult for him to tell that tragic event for him and that, in a way, he was as committed to keeping that secret as I was committed to hiding my identity since I was a child. On the one hand, I could understand him, and now that he broke the pact with his family and lawyers, I felt it was my turn to tell him my real name.

Why not?

After all, everyone would know tomorrow.

-I'm not...-

-I know what you're going to say, that you're nobody to judge, but there's more. Somehow, Rachel found out everything that happened that night.- Alexander interrupted me abruptly, and I looked at him with a displeased expression when that name came out of his mouth, just when I was about to tell him everything, absolutely everything. -And she blackmailed me, she showed me the evidence that made me look bad. Her condition for not telling the authorities was that I be with her...- I let out a grim laugh, interrupting his moving story.

God, this couldn't be true. Did he want to wash his hands that way?

He was ruining what we had achieved with just one lie.

-So, the great Alexander Lancaster chose to deceive his poor wife instead of telling her the truth from the beginning. What kind of marriage did we have?- I said that also for myself and for everything I had hidden from him. Our marriage was a joke!

-No! It's not like that, Sarah. I didn't agree, but she threatened to harm you. And before you say I could report her, she could do the same to me and I would spend many years in prison. I felt trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.-My body froze upon hearing that and I didn't know whether to believe their words. How could I after so many years?

But, if everything turned out to be true, I was going to make them pay for each and every one of them with what I have prepared for her and the pair of vipers.