by Jessica Wood
“You did?”
She nodded and looked away from me. “And I found out why he’d changed since his mother’s death.” Her voice trailed off into a whisper.
“What is it?” I took her hands and squeezed them reassuringly.
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “Trent’s not really my half-brother.”
I stared at her for a second, trying to digest her words. “What do you mean? How is that possible?”
“I found some documents. Apparently Trent’s mother purposefully left them for Trent when she passed away. So Trent didn’t know the truth until a year ago.”
“What kind of documents?”
“There was a letter to Trent from his mother as well as Trent’s birth certificate and an old letter from the hospital where he was born. Apparently, there was a mix-up when Trent was born. He was switched at birth with my biological half-sister.”
“What?” For a moment I thought I had misunderstood her words. “How could that have possibly happened?”
“They were short-staffed that evening and neither parents wanted to know the sex of the baby before the birth. There were complications during both births and the wrong identification bracelets were placed on the two babies.”
“So Trent’s not related to you at all?” I knew she had answered my question, but for some reason, I needed to ask one more time, I needed to make sure I had this right.
“No he’s not. I have a half-sister out there somewhere though.”
“Wow. That’s just crazy.” I tried to process what this all meant. “Is this why he’s trying to push you out of the company?”
Her brows furrowed in anguish. “I think so.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well with our—my father in the hospital recovering from his stroke, it’s unlikely he’ll return to the company and become CEO again. I think Trent just wants to make sure I don’t somehow jeopardize his position as the CEO.”
“Well he’s a fucking asshole!”
She forced a smile. “I know I can’t overlook the fact that he’s been trying to sabotage my position at the company, but a part of me—the younger sister part of me—can’t help but feel sorry for him. I can’t imagine what he went through when he found out the truth. To find out your whole life was a lie…”
“Still…there are better ways to handle this situation than to try to take over a company that’s not yours to begin with. He can’t get away with that shit.”
“I know…but you have to understand, ever since he was fifteen, my father had been grooming him and preparing him to take over the company when he got older. Trent’s worked really hard to prove himself to my father over the years. I can’t imagine what he must have felt finding out it was all for nothing.” She let out a deep sigh. “I know I need to remind myself of what Trent’s been trying to do. I know I need to handle this situation soon. I just need time to process my feelings.”
I caressed her face, wiping away the tears that rolled down her cheeks. I kissed her forehead and whispered, “It’ll all work out.”
She slumped inside my arms and mumbled, “I can’t believe I have a sister.”
“I know. That’s crazy.”
“Do you think I should try to find her?”
“Hmm.” I tried to sort through my thoughts as I looked into her anxious emerald eyes. “Do you want to find her?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“Well the good news is, you don’t have to do anything at this very moment. I think you need to give yourself at least a few days to let this news sink in. This is a lot to take in, and you need to allow yourself to process everything before deciding on your next move.”
She nodded in agreement. “Thanks for being here for me. I know you were hoping for something far less serious.”
I snorted a laugh. “Perhaps, but I’m not a rabid horn-dog. I can fight off my urges when necessary.”
She kissed me gently and smiled. “And here I thought I was irresistible to you.”
“You are.” I winked. “I just know how to hide it well so I don’t scare you off.”
She beamed at me and at that moment, I felt happier than I could ever remember being. I wasn’t sure why, but there was something about Blair I felt connected to. Even though we’d only met less than two months ago, there was something about her that made me feel like I’d been connected to her for years.
CHAP
TER TWO
Blair
Three Weeks Later
“How is he doing?” I asked as soon as we were out of earshot of my father’s hospital room.
Dr. Hines studied my father’s chart before removing his square-rim spectacles to look at me. “The good news is now that your father’s out of the coma, he’s no longer in critical condition, and can leave the hospital as early as next week.”
“And the bad news?” I knew there was bad news by the expression on his face.
“Well from the latest CT scan and MRI, there appear to be some signs of brain damage from your father’s stroke.”
I gasped. “Is the damage permanent?” I quickly brushed away the hot tears that fell down my cheeks.
“It’s too early to say what the lasting damages are at this point. Right now he’s lost a significant part of his muscle movement on one side of his body, which has affected his ability to speak. He’s also suffering from some memory lost. These are common side effects of a stroke. Many patients make a good recovery and can regain most, if not all, of their movement and ability to speak. But please be aware that it’s a very long recovery process, and there may be some residual cognitive, behavioral, and physical disabilities. For now, let’s remain optimistic as we continue to monitor his recovery.”
“Okay. Thank you, Dr. Hines.”
I slowly walked back to my father’s hospital room as I took in the news. I was relieved that he had finally woken up from his coma. He’d been in a coma since his stroke three months earlier. But it was hard not to continue to worry about what this could all mean. I wanted to desperately tell him about Trent and what he was trying to do, but I also didn’t want to worry him at this point when he needed to rest and time to recover.
“Here are some ice chips,” came Dean’s voice inside my father’s hospital room.
I heard my father’s garbled speech as he tried to respond, and my heart broke at the sound. Just as I was about to walk into the room, Dean’s words stopped me.
“You don’t have to worry, Mr. Parker.” There was a sincerity in his voice that I’d never heard before. “Just focus on taking care of yourself.”
I wasn’t sure why, but I took a step back and stood beside the wall next to the doorframe of my father’s room.
“B—Brrr.” I heard my father’s attempted words and I shut my eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay.
“Yes, Blair,” Dean responded softly.
“Y—yyuu? B—buh…f—ffrr?”
Dean let out a warm chuckle. “Mr. Parker, nothing gets past you, does it? Well, Blair and I haven’t exactly talked about it, but just between you and me,”—he lowered his voice—“yes, I’d like to think that I’m her boyfriend.”
“G—good.” He let out a labored signed.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her. All you need to think about is getting enough rest and having a speedy recovery. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I smiled and blinked back the tears as I listened to Dean’s conversation with my father. I always wondered if there was a deeper side to him beyond his cocky, aggressive exterior, and now I knew. This was a side of Dean I’d never seen before. It was a side of him he didn’t show me, but I could see now that this was the real Dean.
I waited for a minute after their conversation stopped before walking through the door.
“Hey, I’m back.”
“Welcome back.”
“How’s it going?” I smiled at my father.
Half of his face responded and formed into a tired smile. “Is Dean bothering you, dad?”
“Hey, be nice!” Dean laughed. “Your dad was telling me how much of a brat you were as a child. I see that you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Don’t put words in my dad’s mouth, asshole,” I teased. “He would never say that about me.” I made a face at Dean.
My father’s laugh came out low and uneven, but I could tell he was in a good mood.
“Well, I hate to leave, but I really need to get back to the office.” Dean got up. “It was great meeting you, Mr. Parker.”
“B—bill.”
Dean smiled. “It was great meeting you, Bill. Don’t forget what I said. Just focus on taking care of yourself.”
“Dad, I’ll be right back.”
I walked Dean out of the room and into the hallway.
“Thanks for taking the morning off and coming to the hospital with me.” I buried my face into Dean’s warm embrace, feeling more at home with him than I could remember with anyone else.
“Thanks for helping me with my Christmas shopping. I’m awful at it. My family will probably ask me who helped me with it.”
“And what are you going to tell them?” I looked up at him.
He leaned down and gently kissed my nose. “That I have a wonderful girlfriend.”
I beamed up at him, amazed at how incredible those words had just made me feel. I felt myself sink deeper into his hard, warm chest as I inhaled his inviting scent. “I’m glad you met my dad today,” I whispered against his chest.
“Me too. I can tell he means a lot to you.” He kissed me on the forehead and tightened his arms around me.
“Yeah.” I paused and felt ashamed for even thinking it. “Am I a selfish person to wish that my dad never had the stroke so he could be dealing with the mess with Trent?”
Dean’s face twisted in anguish. “No, of course not. That’s not an easy situation to be in. Have you told your dad yet?”
I shook my head. “He’s already sick. I don’t want to trouble him with this too right now. I know that I need to confront Trent about this, and sooner than later. I need to make sure my father’s company and my family is protected.” I felt a pang of guilt as I thought of Trent as an outsider, a stranger who was trying to take advantage of my father and our family.
“Do you know what you’re going to do?”
“Yeah, I think I’m going to talk to Trent tomorrow.”
Dean raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me there to help?”
I smiled and shook my head. “No, I think I need to talk to him alone.”
“Okay, if you change your mind, just let me know.”
“Thanks, boyfriend.” I winked at him, causing him to let out a hardy chuckle.
“And have you decided on what you want to do on the sister front?”
“Yup, I have.” I grinned. “I’m going to do it. I’m going to find my long-lost half-sister.”
“That’s great. I’m glad you decided to go for it.” A smirk appeared on Dean’s face.
“What?” I smacked him playfully, knowing he was up to no good. “What are you thinking?”
“It’s nothing.” He made no effort to hide his amusement.
“Spill it, pal.” I crossed my arms and tapped my foot impatiently, pretending to be upset. “Or else all we’re having this week is regular coffee.”
“No!” He laughed. “Fine. Jeez, you sure know how to threaten a guy.” He shook his head. “I was just thinking what it’d be like to have two of you around.” He licked his lips and arched an eyebrow. “That’d be pretty hot.”
“You asshole.” I hit him again, but this time harder.
“I was just teasing, baby,” he protested against his laughter. “You’re already a handful. I don’t need, or want two of you.”
I raised a finger at him. “My sister is off limits. Don’t get any funny ideas if I find her.”
“Scout’s honor.” He raised his first three fingers. He pulled me back into his arms and whispered in a low, raspy voice. “Baby, I only have eyes for you, and you’re the only one I want. I’m just happy that you’re going to try to reunite with your long-lost sister.”
I finally gave in to him and laughed. “I know you were just teasing.” I pulled him in for another kiss. “Do you really think I’ll be able to find her?”
He squeezed me reassuringly. “I do.”
***
I took a deep breath as I approached the door to Trent’s office. I reminded myself that he was not the big brother I once knew. He wasn’t looking out for me anymore. He was a complete stranger.
I tightened my fist and gave his door two firm, confident knocks.
“Who is it?”
I looked inside to find him typing away at his desk without bothering to look up to see who was at the door.
“Trent, we need to talk.”
His fingers continued to rapidly move across the keyboard. “What is it?” His voice was cold and dismissive. “I’m really busy right now. And aren’t you already behind on your work?”
I drew in another deep breath. “Trent, I know everything.”
The typing stopped as he froze in place.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” he immediately asked when he regained his composure.
“I found the documents in your office. I know about my half-sister, Katherine.”
He let out an audible groan as he glared at me. “You went through my stuff?”
“Yes, I did.” I felt my cheeks flush at this admission.
He stood up from his chair and slammed his hand onto his desk, his eyes ablazed with rage. “How dare you sneak into my office when I’m not here! Who the fuck do you think you are?”
The feelings of guilt I had for confronting the older brother I loved were quickly replaced with indignation. I took a step closer toward him and met his gaze. “I’m the only fucking person in this office that’s a real Parker. That’s who the fuck I am!” I challenged.
For a second, he just stared at me, shocked by my confrontation.
“Why were you looking through my stuff?”
“You’ve been distant and cold since your mom died, and I know about your communications with Dean. I know you tried to recruit him to get close to me and sabotage my position at the company.”
“He told you that?”
“Why do you hate me that much to ask him to do that?” I asked, ignoring his question.
He turned his face away from me and I saw his jaw tighten. “Because you have it all and I have nothing! You have the family, the company, the money! When I found out I was switched at birth, I went to go look for my biological parents. Well guess what? Just my fucking luck, they’re already dead! And they left nothing! They lived in a tiny two-bedroom shack with an underwater mortgage that they hadn’t even pay off when they died. So while you have everything you could ever want, I have fucking nothing in this world. And do you know what the fucked up thing is? You don’t even really want to work in this business! You’re just doing it to make our father happy!”
“So you tried to get me kicked out of the company because you resented me?” I looked at him with a mixture of disgust and pity.
He snorted back a laugh. “Isn’t that enough of a reason?”
“But why didn’t you just tell us when you found out a year ago? Do you really think we’d shut you out like we’re strangers? Trent, we’ve been so close all these years. How can you think that I’d turn my back on you?”
He struggled. “You’re your father’s daughter. Dad never really cared for me. My mom was right. After he married your mom, he left us and didn’t look back. He only financially supported us and saw me when needed so he could keep up with appearance and avoid bad PR for the company.”
“How can you say that, Trent? I know dad had been a lot tougher on you than on me, but that was because he loved you. He wanted to push you to work hard. He wanted to groom you into an even better CEO for the company tha
n he was.”
“Whatever. That’s a bunch of horse shit! He loved you, Blair. He treated you like a daughter. He treated me like a commodity, a tool for his company. That’s not fucking love.”
I felt enraged for my father. I couldn’t believe Trent would make him out to be a heartless man who didn’t care about his one and only son. “I can’t believe you can stand there—as acting CEO of this company, as the son of our father, as my brother—and say those things about him! I can’t believe you want to kick me out of the company! And for what? So you can keep this secret of yours intact?”
“Fuck the secret! I’m still the acting CEO of Parker, Inc., and from what I hear from the doctors, our dear old father will not be fit to return to his role as CEO, making me the CEO of the company. There’s nothing you can do about that!”
I felt myself boil over with anger. I fastened my gaze on his and gritted my teeth. “I almost forgot to tell you. I made copies of all the documents I found in your office. The letter from your mom, the birth certificate, the letter from the hospital, and all the supporting documents that were in that manila envelope. I’m sure if our family lawyers got wind of this information, you would no longer be CEO of Parker, Inc.”
“That’s fucking bullshit! I’ve worked my ass off to get to this position, I earned my place here! You and I both know very well that our father didn’t give me any special treatment. In fact he was tougher on me than he was on anyone else.”
“He’s not your father!” I spat out. But the second I saw him flinch at my words, I wished I hadn’t opened my mouth. In that brief moment, I saw a glimpse of the older brother I once knew and loved.
But in the blink of an eye, he was gone again. “Have you told your father about this yet?”
I bowed my head and looked at the floor. “No. No, I haven’t.”
