Forbidden Passion
Chapter 48 Cindy

What would Theodore do if he knew about his father's infidelity?

Phoebe couldn't bear to think about it, so she lied, "Dad checked in on me, and it just made me think of my own dad. When I was five, he went out to sea and never returned. For years, I've not known if he's alive or dead, and it just hit me

hard..."

Her voice cracked, and tears welled up again.

Seeing her getting upset as she spoke, Theodore stepped closer and gently cradled her face, his fingertips softly wiping away her tears.

"Hey, don't cry. My dad is your dad too. If you ever miss your dad, you can think of mine as your own. Get closer to him." Phoebe was speechless.

She hiccupped from fright, and even if she borrowed all the courage in the world, she wouldn't dare get close to Brandon. Fortunately, Theodore didn't press the matter. Seeing she had stopped crying, he let her leave.

He sat in his office for a while but, still uneasy, decided to head down to the chairman's office.

Brandon was on the phone with someone, a man past fifty with charming features and warm, amused eyes that made Theodore's heart race.

In his memory, his father was always stern and serious, rarely given to smiles, and he had never seen him so visibly joyous.

Brandon saw him and said to the person on the phone, "I've got a situation here; I'll have to call you back."

After hanging up, Brandon's smile faded, replaced by his usual solemn expression. "What brings you here?" he inquired.

Theodore glanced at his father and sat down on the sofa opposite him. "Dad, who were you talking to just now?"

"An old friend," Brandon replied tersely, not willing to elaborate. "I heard from your mother that the young Miss Fitzroy has returned. You went all the way to Poland to bring her back personally?" Theodore just hummed in acknowledgment.

Brandon's brows furrowed, his gaze becoming stern. "Theodore, have you considered how Phoebe feels about this?"

"I made a promise to Vanessa years ago that if she won the piano competition, I would make her a world superstar," Theodore stated.

"And what about Miss Fitzroy?" Brandon pressed. "The day she and Phoebe fell from the second-floor balcony, no one saw what happened, and they're both staying silent about the incident. What's your take?" Theodore pursed his lips. "Dad, Vanessa can't swim; she wouldn't joke about her own life."

"So you believe Miss Fitzroy is innocent, which means the problem lies with Phoebe? She pushed Miss Fitzroy and then jumped herself, nearly drowning in the process?"

"I didn't say that," Theodore frowned.

Brandon sighed deeply, looking at his son. "Theodore, figure out what you want. Your mom and I aren't against a divorce. If you can't let go of Miss Fitzroy, then set Phoebe free. Don't drag it out and end up hurting all three of you." Theodore looked at Brandon in surprise. He had thought his father would be the most opposed to the divorce, yet here he was, suggesting it first.

His feelings were mixed. He thought about Phoebe leaving his father's office, crying and looking so wronged and sad-it was highly likely she had asked his father to urge a divorce on her behalf.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Are you suggesting a divorce because Phoebe talked to you?"

Brandon paused, a flicker of unease crossing his face as he recalled being caught by Phoebe earlier in the lobby. Clearing his throat, he mumbled, "She didn't say anything."

Theodore wasn't buying it. The guilt in Brandon's eyes was as clear as day. Just moments ago, he had felt sorry for her tears, and now, he was practically fuming. How could she stab him in the back like that - spreading lies behind his back? That deceitful woman cloaked in lies!

Theodore shot up from his seat, anger icing his voice, "I'm not going to divorce her. She can forget about it!"

Why would he let her go when he hadn't had his fill of making her miserable?