“Why do you think they’ll allow me entrance?” Bernice asked.
“We won’t know until you try, Mother. I need to get a chance alone with Andréa,” he said.
“Curtis, after the last time I doubt she’ll even give me the time of day. She knows I had a hand in your failed attempt at getting her alone last time. Besides, why don’t you just leave that poor girl alone? Haven’t you done enough to her?”
His mother’s words shocked him. She’d never denied him or went against him before.
“Mother, why would you say something like that? Don’t you know how much I need Andréa and want her in my life?”
“Well, you have a funny way of showing it. You cheated on her and you also did the most unthinkable and unforgivable thing to her. I will not be a part of your plans any longer.”
Curtis stared after his mother as she stormed away. What’s set her off? He couldn’t worry about it now. He had to figure out a way to get Andréa alone, and now that his mother wouldn’t help, he had to find another option. With a sigh, he tried Serena’s number again. And again. It went straight to voice mail. He would have to get in contact with her or find someone else who would get him what he needed.
Serena sat on the plush leather sofa in the living room of the safe house wishing she’d had a chance to speak with Curtis. He could explain everything, and she could ask him about that stuff the agent had told her about him. She couldn’t believe he would give that drug to the woman he claimed to love, causing her to lose her babies. She glanced over at the phone sitting on the table near the window and debated trying to use it to call him.
“The phone is disconnected, so don’t waste your time and energy,” Agent Hogan warned without looking up. “Don’t you realize he set up the accidental meeting and used you to get what he wanted all because he’s a selfish and unfaithful bastard?” He stood and walked over to where she sat. He dropped a thick envelope onto her lap.
Serena opened it and pulled out a folder. She gasped at the pictures that slid out. Her and Curtis. Curtis with several different women. Beautiful and sexy women, so unlike herself.
“I bet you heard from him the times he needed you to get him something from the lab, didn’t you? He’d call and tell you what he needed. You’d meet, and he’d take care of you. Before he left you’d ask about seeing him again, but he’d never give you a straight answer. And if you pressed, he’d turn angry and snap at you. Sometimes he’d hurt you, yet you’re willing to go through all that again just for the sake of him showing interest in you.” Agent Hogan turned and left the room.
She stared at the pictures as she cried, ashamed because even with what they’d shown and told her, she still wanted to call and warn him. She had to be strong. Agent Hogan had been right on all points. She should be tired of being used. In an about face, she made a decision.
She’d make Curtis pay for the pain he’d caused her.
Andréa and Teresa left the brothers to clean the kitchen while they went to play video games with the boys.
“So, you’re giving up the job?” Sebastian asked as he dried the dishes his brother had washed.
“Yes. I want to be able to spend more time with the boys and devote more time to making this relationship with Teresa work. I’ve been a little restless and tired of all the bureaucracy, and like I said earlier, Amanda’s behavior’s got me to worrying about how safe my boys are with her.”
Sebastian nodded in understanding. He’d also begun to worry about his nephews.
“I got the call from BJ today, and I wanted to go and find her and shake the shit out of her. She had no idea that I’d given BJ a key and the security code to the house, and knowing her like I do, I’m sure she just dropped them off without caring that they would be left there alone.”
“Well, bro, I think you’re doing the right thing for you and the boys, and I can tell you that just from what I’ve seen, Teresa is the best thing for all three of you. I’ve never seen the boys so animated with anyone other than us, and it’s amazing watching them interact with her.”
Basil smiled. “I see the same with you and Nico and Andréa. So, are you going to ask Andréa to marry you anytime soon?”
“As soon as I can get her alone,” he said, but wondered if he’d ever work up the nerve. He’d been asking himself the same question and as yet hadn’t come up with an answer. On autopilot, he dried the last dish.
Nico and the boys raced into the room.
“Dad, would it be okay if I stayed with BJ and Carl tonight? Aunt Teresa said it would be okay with her as long as it’s okay with you and Uncle Basil and Andréa. Andréa said she didn’t have a problem with it as long as you didn’t.”
Hearing Basil’s chuckle, Sebastian looked at his brother and glared.
“It’s okay with me,” he said.
Andréa scooped Nico up into her arms. “I want you to be a good boy for your Aunt Teresa and Uncle Basil,” she instructed, giving him a big kiss.
“I promise I’ll be on my best behavior. Do you think you can stay with Daddy so he won’t be alone because he isn’t used to staying at home by himself.”
“I think I can do that for you, Muffin,” Andréa answered. She gave him another kiss before she put him down then hugged and kissed BJ and Carl before they dashed back inside to play.
After saying goodbye they left, Andréa following Sebastian to his place.
Chapter Sixteen
Chester Holloway didn’t bother to look up as his mother walked into the study. She had something on her mind and wouldn’t say anything about it until she had everything she wanted to say worked out.
“Do you think you could give me a minute of your attention?” Eleanor Holloway asked her son.
She waited until Chester lowered the paper he’d been reading. His emerald eyes glittered as he stared at her.
“I just found out you’ve excluded your kids from inheriting what is theirs from your grandfather’s estate,” Eleanor accused.
“Those kids are not entitled to my grandfather’s estate.” Chester returned his attention back to the paper.
“Why do you say they’re not entitled to your grandfather’s estate?” Eleanor demanded once she had herself under control.
“Because they’re not my kids,” Chester responded again without lowering the paper, ignoring his mother’s gasp.
“What do you mean they aren’t your kids?”
“Mother, I’ll tell you how I can say the kids aren’t mine. After your husband and my grandfather pulled their underhanded shit and ran off the one woman I loved and hitched me to the worthless bitch to give them the kind of heir they desired, I went behind their backs and had a vasectomy. If I couldn’t have the woman that I loved, why in the hell should I give them what they desired most?”
Stunned by her son’s revelations, Eleanor took a seat before she fell to the floor. “If you aren’t their father, that means…” She trailed off, unable to say it.
“Yep, the bitch had been unfaithful.”
“Why did you let this go on for so long without saying anything? You let us all think you’d given us two beautiful children to carry on the Holloway name.”
“Just so the old man would think he’d gotten what he wanted, and now that he’s dead and gone there’s no longer a need for me to carry on the farce. Now, if you and your husband want to provide for them that’s your business, but I refuse to allow any of the money I’ve worked long and hard for be wasted on a pair of wastrels that will never amount to anything.”
Eleanor closed her eyes. How her son had changed. He’d always been amicable and caring in the past. She didn’t want to admit it, but she realized the change had come after he’d returned and found out that the black woman he’d been seeing before his father had sent him on that false errand had left without a word. She’d known that her husband and father-in-law had a hand in running the young woman off, just as Chester had, and although he hadn’t said anything against his father or grandfather once he’d
returned and had gone along with the marriage that they’d arranged, she’d noticed a decided change in her son. He’d become cold and unapproachable.
“You let them think they’d gotten what they wanted, and now you’re going to create a big scandal to get back at them for what they took away from you?” she said.
“Since the old man is dead, it won’t have the desired effect, but I’m tired of Maureen’s unfaithfulness and I refuse to put up with it any longer,” Chester stated, tossing the paper onto his desk.
They both looked up at the knock on the study door.
“Enter,” Chester called out.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Holloway, but there is a Mr. Wilkins here to see you and he says it is urgent.”
Chester instructed the butler to show the man in. Eleanor’s frown deepened at the sight of the distinguished black man as he entered the room. Her son stood and embraced him.
“It’s good to see you, Brian,” Chester said. “What brings you by?” He offered the man a seat.
“I did some checking on the person you’d asked me to search for and I found some information that you needed to know about as soon as possible.” Brian gave a slight glance at Eleanor seated on the leather sofa, obviously not wanting to reveal anything with her present.
“Mother, this is a very close friend of mine, Brian Wilkins. Brian, this is my mother, Eleanor Holloway. Mother, if you’d please excuse us. I have some things to go over with Brian.” Although it came out like a question, it had been an order just the same, and she wondered about what her son would learn from his friend.
Brian waited until the door closed behind his friend’s mother before he gave him the information he’d found out. “What you figured is correct. Your old man and grandfather approached April and turned her away by threatening to hurt you if she didn’t make a hasty exit.”
“Those sons of bitches. My heart told me the reason she left would have been because they’d threatened me,” Chester stormed and slammed his fist upon his desk. “Did you find out what happened to April?” Chester frowned at the look that crossed Brian’s face. “What?”
“April did leave because they threatened you, but she came back hoping to see you to let you know about her pregnancy, but from what I could piece together, she showed up here during your engagement party. She asked to speak with you, and while she waited for you a woman approached her and told her she’d wasted her time in coming and that you’d moved on, had gotten over your little fling on the dark side, and suggested she leave. She did, planning to raise the child the two of you created alone.”
Chester couldn’t believe what Brian had said. The woman he’d loved had come to him to tell him about their child and someone turned her away, leaving her to raise their child alone. He would find out who, and that person would pay.
“Do you know where my woman and child are?” he asked and looked over at his friend.
Brian didn’t answer, but the look on his face turned Chester’s heart to ice.
“April died giving birth to your little girl,” Brian said.
Chester rested his face in his hands, wanting to cry and rave all at the same time. If he’d stood up to his father and grandfather, he’d have his family and would have grandchildren to spoil by now. Instead, he lived an empty life having not only lost the woman he loved but also his child.
“Since April didn’t have any living relatives, the baby had to be given over to Social Services and grew up in the city orphanage.” Brian handed him an old picture of several children standing outside on a playground. The next picture he gave him had Chester’s hands shaking. A close up of a beautiful little girl with emerald green eyes…his eyes.
“What happened to her?” he asked after clearing his throat and blinking away tears that threatened to fall.
“She lives here in town and is a very talented architectural designer. She’s also a genius. After leaving the orphanage, she went away to college obtaining three different degrees all within a four-year time span. She obtained scholarships for college because of her genius, and with the money from her scholarships she purchased the basic school supplies. The rest of it she invested in the stock market making a big profit.” Brian handed him another picture of a beautiful young woman standing before the Galleria. She had her mother’s beauty, but his eyes.
“She designs commercial buildings and residential. She’s so damn good she can pick and choose her clients and charges top dollar for her services.”
“Does she have any idea of what happened to her parents?” Chester asked.
“No. From what I’ve gathered she never questioned how she ended up there, but she’s never allowed it to stop her. She’s a very determined woman, and I’m sure you and I both know where she got that from.”
Brian left after giving Chester his daughter’s address and phone number.
Eleanor walked into the study soon after Brian left. She gasped, and her hand went to her mouth as soon as she got a glimpse of the photos spread out on top of her son’s desk. “Who is she?” she asked, although she could tell by the young woman’s eyes that she had to be her son’s child. Her light brown skin tone gave a clue that she had to be a product of mixed heritage. Before her son could answer, the study door opened and her husband entered. By the look on his face, he’d heard what their son had done.
“I demand to know why you’ve had my grandchildren blocked from obtaining what is theirs,” Theodore Holloway stormed.
“Those kids are being blocked because they’re not your grandchildren,” Chester stated and gathered the pictures of his daughter.
“What in the hell do you mean they’re not my grand—?”
“After you and your father took from me the one person I’ve ever loved and set your little plan in motion, I made a plan of my own.” Chester went on to tell his father about his vasectomy. “So you see, your little plan didn’t work, and per the old man’s will, children of his blood could inherit his estate, and since neither one of the children Maureen gave birth to are mine they cannot inherit. I didn’t block them, the old man did. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” Chester stopped just inside the doorway. “Oh, and you might want to call the old man’s attorney. He’s confirmed through blood tests that the bastard’s aren’t mine.”
Theodore glared at his son’s retreating back. He snatched up the phone and called his father’s attorney. The man confirmed that his father had requested blood tests before any money was disbursed. The test result proved that the children Maureen had given birth to could not have come from Chester. “Son of a bitch,” Theodore yelled as he slammed the phone down.
“So what he said is true? The kids aren’t his?” Eleanor took a seat on the leather sofa. “You and your father thought you had all the bases covered, but Chester outsmarted both of you, and now…” She thought of telling him about the information Brian had given Chester regarding his child, but instead said nothing. Her husband and his father had hurt her baby boy enough, and she would not allow them to do any more to him or his child. Eleanor left her husband brooding in the study and headed towards the parlor.
Chester came down the stairs. Behind him, their butler carried several suitcases.
“Chester, what is going on?” she asked, even though she had an idea.
“I don’t think that it’s feasible for us to share this house any longer. You and your husband can have the house, and I’ll just use the townhouse I have downtown. I’ll have the remainder of my things moved within the next few days.”
Eleanor stood staring as her son walked out of the house without a backward glance. With a heavy heart, she made her way up to her rooms. She’d sat by and allowed her husband and father-in-law to manipulate her son’s life, but she would not give her husband any information to use against Chester. If Theodore had any knowledge about what Chester’s friend had told him, he would do everything in his power to keep her son and his daughter apart.
Her son had suffered enough.
Once he settled in his townhouse, Chester took out the close-up picture of his daughter and smiled. He and his love had created a lovely child. She had beauty like her mother. He’d been caught from the moment he’d first laid eyes on April and he’d fallen head over heels in love with her. They’d been perfect for each other, and he’d had every intention of making her his wife. But nothing turned out the way he’d planned because he’d allowed his father and grandfather to manipulate him, and here he sat, a fifty-year-old single man with a grown daughter who didn’t have a clue about him.
He glanced over at the information Brian had given him on how to contact her. He had to decide if it would be fair to disrupt her life all because he wanted the connection he’d missed out on.
Did he have a right to turn her life upside down? Chester raked his hands through his blond hair and wondered what the best thing for his daughter was. He had to consider her; he couldn’t do to her what his father and grandfather had done to him. He would have to think long and hard about what he would do.
Chapter Seventeen
Curtis sat in his car waiting for Andréa to come home. He made sure he’d parked where he could not be seen—he didn’t want the watchdog guard to spot him. He planned to approach her as soon as she parked—as long as she was alone and he could talk her into letting him up to her place where they could talk. He wished he could track down Serena. He needed her to get him another vial of the drug as soon as possible. While he waited, he tried her cell and again got her voice mail. He wasn’t sure why Serena kept ducking his calls, but he’d make her wish she hadn’t when he got done with her.
Curtis checked his watch again. The digital display showed close to midnight, and Andréa still hadn’t made it home. She had to be with that bitch Teresa. He’d just have to come back tomorrow night.
Found Love Page 9
