Jade’s breath left her. “Surely you don’t mean that,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry but I have to go,” Lucas said, running his hand on his face.
“Lucas...”
“Jade, please,” he said, his tone pained.
She bit her lip, then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Okay,” she said softly.
Then she got out of the car and watched him leave.
She didn’t believe it was over. Lucas simply needed some time alone to process what she’d just revealed to him.
She wished she could be by his side while he worked it all out in his head. It couldn’t be easy for him, and she wanted to be there to hold him and kiss him and comfort him. But she felt that Lucas wanted to make sense of things by himself. He needed his space.
Hopefully, in a couple of weeks, he’d be ready to let her back in.
She’d be anxiously waiting.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lucas opened his suitcase and started packing.
Why the hell did he feel so damned lost?
“Because you’re a fucking moron,” he muttered.
He might as well be honest with himself. Jade had stuck a knife to his heart and twisted it.
This was precisely why he didn’t want relationships and all that shit. Too complicated, too consuming, too... hurtful.
Sure, there were great times—the sex, the tender moments, the laughter...
He shook his head, refusing to remember them. They weren’t real. How could they be when on Jade’s part it was all an act?
The fact that she took their breakup so calmly, as if it were nothing—as if they had been nothing to each other—was further proof that her affections were fake.
His eyes stung and he angrily wiped away a tear.
After his conversation with Rick and Connor yesterday, he’d thought long and hard about confronting Jade about whether she was Thomas’ willing puppet. He’d decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.
But in the end, her words and actions gave her away.
He should have doubted Jade’s I-know-nothing act from the beginning, instead of being quick to believe everything she’d said. For all he knew, even the fact that she’d become Ruby’s customer was part of the plan.
He stilled. His mother would naturally continue being friends with Jade if he didn’t interfere. Should he, though?
With him going away for two weeks, and with Jade going to Greg’s surprise party with his mum on the weekend, it would play on his mind that Jade’s friendship with Ruby might be fake, too. It would drive him crazier. He’d need to find an answer soon.
There was only one option he could think of that was available to him right now.
He went to his spare room and opened a desk drawer. The card that Jade had handed to him a couple weeks ago was right on the top of the pile. He picked it up and turned it over. Then he dialled the private number handwritten on it.
“Hello?” came a wary reply.
“Mr. Bilton?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“It’s Lucas Renner.”
*****
Lucas took a deep breath before pressing the call button on the security pad by the gate.
“Good evening, Mr. Renner,” greeted a male voice. “Please drive through to the top of the driveway. Mr. Bilton will be waiting for you by the front of the house.”
He thanked the man and waited until the gates were fully opened before cruising in, still marvelling at the fact that Thomas had agreed to see him at ten o’clock at night.
It surprised him that Thomas had seemed pleased and eager for this encounter. He’d expected the man to decline—or at least ask for a more reasonable meeting time.
He followed the curve of the driveway and found Thomas standing by the entrance of the impressive house. His heart pounded. For the first time, he’d be face to face with his biological father. It was surreal.
He stopped the car and got out.
“Lucas,” Thomas said, surprising him once again. He’d expected ‘Mr. Renner’.
“Welcome,” Thomas continued. “I’m pleased to finally meet you in person.”
“Thank you for seeing me at such a late hour, Mr. Bilton,” he said politely.
“Please, call me Thomas, at least.”
His lips twisted. “I’d rather not, sir.”
Thomas gave him a sad smile, disconcerting him for a second. He gave himself a mental shake.
“Please come in.”
Lucas followed Thomas into the house and looked around for security men. He found none, although he was sure that cameras were strategically placed everywhere.
He hid a smirk. If he’d come with a knife or a gun to threaten Thomas Bilton, he would have been successful. Not that he’d ever do anything like that. He was just astounded, yet again, that how he’d pictured this meeting wasn’t what was happening. He’d thought someone would frisk him for weapons before being allowed to see Thomas.
Thomas opened the door to a room at the back of the house.
“Welcome to my personal man-cave,” Thomas said. “I believe that’s what you young people call it these days.”
Lucas walked in, his mouth parting in pleasant surprise. There was a large desk on one side and a massive flat screen on the wall opposite it. But his eyes were drawn to the sports memorabilia hanging on the wall. Even from where he was standing, he could see how valuable the pieces were. He was sure he’d find them to be limited edition items autographed by famous sports figures in their respective fields. He hated to say it, but this was his kind of room.
“Please feel free to check them out,” Thomas said softly, noticing his interest.
“Maybe later, sir,” he said. “Perhaps we should begin our conversation? It’s late.”
“Of course,” Thomas said. “Please take a seat on the sofa. Would you like tea, coffee, juice? I won’t offer you wine or beer as you’ll be driving back.”
Lucas had to smile at that comment. “Nothing for me, thank you.”
“Please, Lucas. Have something.”
“Coffee then, please. Flat white, no sugar,” he answered. Perhaps the ambiance of this room was tempering his emotions.
Thomas rushed to his desk and pressed a button on an intercom next to it. “Please bring the refreshments in, Karen. Mr. Renner will have a flat white, no sugar.” Then he sat on an adjacent chair and smiled at Lucas. “I’ve seen recent photos of you on your social media pages. You look exactly like them.”
Lucas chuckled. He had to admit, if Thomas was working on getting him to let his guard down, he was doing a great job of it. He’d have to watch himself.
“You’re a bit older than the last picture I’ve seen of you, sir,” he said.
Thomas laughed. “I avoid having my photo taken these days.”
“Well, Mr. Bilton. I’m glad we’ve started this conversation on a genial tone,” he said, deciding it was time to get to the point. “I’m here to reiterate and assure you that my mother and I won’t create any trouble. We haven’t for thirty years, and we’re not about to start now. All I’m asking is to close whatever book is still open and get on with our lives.”
“Has Jade told you about our meeting yesterday?”
The knife in Lucas’ heart twisted at the mention of Jade’s name. “Yes. To be perfectly frank, sir. I don’t buy it.”
Thomas let out a big sigh.
“There’s no need for all this scheming, Mr. Bilton. I’d even offer to sign a nondisclosure agreement myself. Needless to say, you also have to keep quiet about my mother’s past.”
They were interrupted by a knock.
“Come in,” Thomas called loudly.
The door opened and in walked a woman in housekeeper uniform. She placed a tray on the table, filled with a small fresh fruit platter, pastries, a cup of coffee and a pot of tea.
“Thank you,” they murmured to the housekeeper, who poured Thomas’ tea before walking out quietly.
“Luc
as, what exactly do you think I’m trying to protect?” Thomas asked softly. “Why do you think I’m doing what you think I’m doing?”
Lucas stared at Thomas. Did he really need to point it out?
He raked his hair. He was here to put the matter to bed. It was time to stop dancing around the main issue and lay everything on the table.
“For years you left us alone,” he said, holding Thomas’ gaze. “Then the news broke about five months ago that an employee of a certain escort agency has started naming her married politician clients. In an interview, the woman called on past and present escorts to name and shame the married politicians who’d paid for sex. That woman worked for the same agency that connected you to my mum.”
“Your mother told you that story?” Thomas asked in surprise.
“Yes, she did. Now, you’re not a politician, but you’re high profile and you were engaged when you met Mum. When your henchman turned up on Mum’s doorstep a few months ago, I figured it was because you’ve decided to remind her of your agreement, in case she was thinking of following the suggestions of the woman in the news. But I can guarantee you she has no intentions of creating a scandal involving you, Mr. Bilton.”
Thomas shook his head emphatically. “Lucas, I didn’t send anyone.”
Lucas threw up his hands in frustration. “Mr. Bilton, I don’t know what else to say to you to put your mind at ease that your secret is safe. No one will know you had a child with a woman you met through an escort agency while you were engaged to Diana. My mother doesn’t want that to come out either. Although she was one of a few who had a strict no-sex policy when she worked as an escort, who’d believe her if she explained that she became pregnant because you’d started dating, and not because you were her client? She knows that there are certain sections of society that would have some judgement on that. She wants to protect me as well as her business. So she—we—are not going to blab the past to anyone. And for the record, I am not, and will not be, after your money. I’ll put that in writing if it makes you feel better.”
“Oh, Lucas,” Thomas said, suddenly looking fragile and emotional. He stood up and went to his computer. The big screen on the wall came to life. “Please have a look.”
Lucas frowned but he sat on another chair to see the screen better.
“I know Jade would have told you everything I told her yesterday. You say you don’t buy it. But please pay attention to these.”
Thomas clicked his mouse and a document on a prominent law firm’s letterhead appeared on the screen. It was dated three months ago. Lucas read it and he covered his mouth in shock.
“As you can see,” Thomas said. “I threatened to sue the clinic who did the paternity test. The result I was given was fake. It stated you’re not my child. But this letter from the clinic’s lawyers proved that they didn’t make a mistake—that they sent the correct results to your mother and to my assistant, who I’d asked to coordinate the matter. I never knew until four months ago that you are my child, Lucas.”
Lucas slumped on the seat, his eyes watering.
“And here are the emails I’ve been exchanging with the private detective who’s working to figure out who has been harassing your mother. He tells me his work would be much easier if he could talk to you and Ruby. But I didn’t want him to contact you until I’d spoken to you. I was afraid I’ll alienate you further.”
Thomas scrolled slowly through various emails, allowing Lucas to follow the discussion in each. Lucas saw the extent of Thomas’ incredulity and fury at discovering the deception that had gone on for many years. His eyes bulged out when he saw how much money Thomas had offered the private detective to get to the bottom of the matter as fast as possible.
“I can give you all these documents, Lucas. If you feel the need, you can get experts to confirm their authenticity.”
Lucas had to admit it was compelling evidence. He couldn’t ignore the fact that these proved Thomas was telling the truth.
Thomas walked back to join him on the sofa. “When I received the original paternity result—the fake one—I did send someone to talk to Ruby and ask to her to stop scamming me. I did tell my assistant to threaten to expose her for fraudulent activities regarding the pregnancy if she divulged our affair to anyone. But that was the extent of my communication with her. I didn’t hear back from your mother after that and I thought that was the end of it.”
Lucas stared at Thomas, remembering Jade’s comment regarding Thomas’ demeanour when the two of them had spoken. Jade was right. Looking at the man, all he could sense were honesty, pain, regret and confusion. After he’d given Thomas his absolute guarantee of his silence, there was no reason for Thomas to keep persisting with his charade—unless it truly wasn’t an act.
He took an involuntary breath, feeling a lightening in his chest.
“The one thing I’ve wondered, Lucas, every single day since knowing this, is why Ruby never told me. Why did she stay quiet?” Thomas asked, his eyes troubled.
“I’d wondered about the same thing,” he answered. “Mum used to work two, three jobs at a time so she could buy me nice presents and clothes and send me to good schools. Child support from you would have made her life a lot easier. But she said that the threat your assistant made was not only to expose her stint at the escort agency but also to take me away from her. She was scared into believing that because she’d been an escort, you could easily get the courts to grant you full custody of me. It was even suggested to her that you might take me to another country and she’d never see me again. In exchange for her silence, she was promised that you’d leave us alone.”
“Oh my God,” Thomas whispered, clearly appalled. “I most certainly would have demanded to be part of your life, and at the very least pay child support. I was a cocky bastard back then, Lucas, but I would never have turned my back on my own son.” Thomas paused, wiping a stray tear. “I want to make up for all the years we’ve lost. I want you to be part of my life, my company... everything.”
“You hardly know me, sir,” Lucas croaked past the lump in his throat.
“I know enough, Lucas. And nothing changes the fact that you are my own flesh and blood. My only child. You may not believe this, but I do love you as if I’ve known you all your life.”
Lucas took a deep breath, trying to contain his emotions. He stared at Thomas, and a tear fell.
His father had never rejected him. His mother was not treated like a nobody. Thomas didn’t know.
He dropped his head in his hands and let the cathartic tears flow.
When he lifted his head, Thomas was silently weeping. He reached for his father’s hand and squeezed. Thomas pulled him for a tight hug, and with that gesture, he felt the healing begin.
“When did you find out I was your father?” Thomas asked when they’d composed themselves.
“When I was sixteen I needed to get a passport,” he answered. “It was the first time I saw my birth certificate. It named Thomas Bilton as my father. Before that I’d always believed that my father’s name was Thomas Renner and that he was dead. I questioned Mum. She tried to avoid telling me for the longest time. Then one day, she sat me down and told me everything. She’d worried I might hate her. To the contrary, I saw her deep love for me. I totally understood why she did what she did. Unfortunately, those untruths also made me hate you.”
“I’m so sorry about all this,” Thomas said. “I’d like to personally apologise to your mother, Lucas.”
“I’m off to Japan early tomorrow and I’m there for two weeks. I’ll talk to her about this first thing when I come back. I’ll tell her you want to talk to her.”
“Thank you, son,” Thomas whispered.
Lucas smiled. “I want to warn you that I’m not a ‘yes’ person. I can be headstrong, argumentative and difficult.”
Thomas chuckled. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“Um... about Jade...” Lucas said, already guessing Thomas’ answer. But he had to confirm.
> “Yes?”
“You really didn’t tell her anything until yesterday, right?”
“That’s right. Like I said, I didn’t want her to know what you didn’t want her to know. So I waited until you’d spoken with her.”
Lucas nodded.
“I’m very grateful to her,” Thomas said. “I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere with you if it weren’t for her. Even for getting you to read that first letter and listen to my recording, she already deserves an extra-special bonus.”
“Have you given her any yet?” he asked casually.
“She doesn’t know it but I’ve ordered a car,” Thomas said with a grin. “Not a company car, but all hers. And it’s one that I heard her say in passing that she dreams of having.”
Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. Jade had been honest with him.
And he’d been an absolute idiot. The biggest of the lot.
“I plan to surprise her with the car in a few days,” Thomas said. “It would be great if you could be around when I give her the keys.”
“You might scare her off with something so grand this early in her employment. She might feel too uncomfortable.” Lucas was certain that Jade would feel awkward getting the car just after he’d broken up with her. He didn’t want her to have any negative feelings towards her dream BMW.
“Really? I never thought of that. What do you suggest?”
“Still give her the car, but maybe around Christmas when bonuses are usually handed out.” That would give him plenty of time to apologise and grovel. Hopefully it wouldn’t take that long for Jade to forgive him.
“Good idea,” Thomas said, nodding his head. “I’ll ask for the order to be put on hold and released closer to Christmas.”
Lucas hid his smile, knowing Rick would get annoyed by that. Oh, well.
“Was there something you kept from her?” Thomas asked.
“She doesn’t know about Mum’s past at the escort agency. I figured that’s up to Mum to decide whether to tell her or not.”
“I didn’t mention that to her, either,” Thomas confirmed.
“Do you mind if you don’t tell her about this conversation until I come back?”
The Unwilling Executive Page 10
