THE LIES THAT BUILT MY FAMILY

Chapter one 

Philip stared at the paper in his trembling hands.

  He read it once. Then again and again, but the words remained the same.

  PATERNITY TEST RESULT: EXCLUDED.

  His eyes slowly moved down the page.

  The name written there was his third son, Ryan, who was only eighteen.

  Philip swallowed hard. “No,” he whispered, as he ran his hand over his neatly combed hair.

  He grabbed the second paper from the table and stared at it. A boldly written name stared back at him.

  Philip inhaled slowly. His breathing was a bit hard, and he couldn't stop the sweat that was now dripping down his cheek.

  He stared at the result of his second son, Daniel. He was seventeen, and the result was the same.

  EXCLUDED.

  His breathing became heavier. He quickly picked up the third report.

  His eldest son, Ethan. He was nineteen.

  Philip had always believed Ethan was his son because he had his eyes.

  He shut his eyes, hoping maybe just one of the boys was really his son.

  His eyes rushed down the paper, but what he saw made his heart collapse.

  EXCLUDED.

  Philip dropped the papers onto the table. All three of his sons were not his.

  For nineteen years, he had believed they were his children.

  Nineteen years of protecting them, nineteen years of calling them his sons.

  And now, a simple test has destroyed everything.

  “Three?” he muttered, his hands balled into fists. “All three of them?”

  The doctor sitting across from him shifted uncomfortably.

  “Mr. Philip, I understand this is difficult, but the results are very clear.”

  “Clear?”

  Philip suddenly let out a shaky laugh.

  “You call this clear?”

  “I am sorry, Mr. Philip, but here, we do not lie. Whatever you are seeing is the real deal.”

  The doctor lowered his eyes.

  Philip stood up. He missed a step and nearly fell.

  “Mr. Philip, are you alright?” the doctor asked again.

  But Philip's mind was filled with questions.

  Who had Elena been with?

  How many years had she been lying to him?

  Has she ever loved him?

  Or had their entire marriage been a lie?

  He remembered how they had promised an undying mutual affection towards each other.

  Elena Hawkins' family was not only rich, but they were known for wealth.

  Immediately after her father died, she took over the family business.

  Many men wanted her, but she chose him.

  Philip had counted himself lucky and had tried his best to be not only a good man but overly protective.

  Elena had what most men wanted.

  A beautiful face, a nice body curve which she maintained after childbirth, and firm breasts.

  The truth was that most women failed to keep theirs even after childbirth. But the reverse was the case for Elena.

  She had it all intact.

  He got into his car and drove without knowing where he was going.

  He finally stopped near the beach, and for a moment, the thought of killing himself filled his mind.

He remembered how they had met.

  Elena had paid for his tuition fees and had helped him go to school.

That was the only reason he had devoted his love and life to her, even after finding her cheating on him back then.

 Elena had promised to change.

  Philip believed her, but not until now.

 The sound of the waves did nothing to calm him. Philip walked toward the shore and found a quiet place to sit.

  He bought a bottle of alcohol from a nearby shop and sat on the sand.

  He opened it and drank.

  He had always hated the taste of alcohol, but not today.

  He took a swallow, then another.

  Soon, he stopped caring about the taste. He only wanted his mind to go quiet.

  “My sons,” he muttered.

 He laughed bitterly. “My sons aren't even mine,” he said, taking another drink. “Ethan. Daniel. Ryan.”

  He shook his head and belched. “All bastards,” he added.

  A woman suddenly walked toward him. She wore a short dress and had a bright smile on her face.

“Hey,” she said.

  Philip ignored her, but she sat beside him anyway.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No.”

  She looked at the bottle in his hand. “Looks like you need company.”

  “I don't.”

  She moved closer. “I can keep you company,” she said with a bright smile enough to light the darkness inside him.

  Philip turned to her. “I said no. Which part of that don't you understand?”

  She smiled. “You don't have to be rude.”

  “I'm not interested.”

  She touched his arm, and Philip immediately pushed her hand away.

  “Don't touch me,” he snapped.

  The woman frowned. “Relax. I was only trying to help.”

  “I don't need your help.”

  She stood up and walked away while Philip took another drink.

  A few minutes later, another woman approached.

  This one was older and dressed elegantly.

  “Handsome,” she said, sitting beside him. “Are you alone?”

  Philip didn't answer.

  She leaned closer. “Why don't you come somewhere more private with me? I can make all your sorrows disappear.”

  Philip looked at her. “I'm not going anywhere with you.”

  She laughed softly. “You look lonely.”

  “I'm not in the mood for your chit-chat.”

  “Even better,” she replied.

  Philip frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “You need someone to make you forget your problems. I can help you with that,” she said, trying to place her hand on his chest.

  Philip immediately caught her wrist. “Don't.”

  She tried to pull away. “Let me go.”

  Philip released her. “Go.”

  She stood up angrily. “You don't have to act like you're better than everyone.”

  “I don't,” he said and picked up his bottle. “I just want to be left alone.”

  The woman walked away, muttering under her breath.

  Philip watched the waves. His anger slowly turned into pain.

  He raised the bottle again into the thin air. “To nineteen years of lies and to three children that aren't mine.”

  He drank and exhaled, his hand still raised. “To Elena and to the fool who trusted her.”

  He drank until his stomach could take no more.

  Suddenly, Philip covered his mouth.

  “Damn…” he said.

  Philip stumbled to his feet and rushed toward the side. He bent over and vomited.

  His body shook as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

  “I feel terrible.”

  He tried to stand straight, but the world suddenly spun around him. His knees almost gave way when a hand suddenly grabbed his arm.

  “Philip!”

  He froze.

  Even though he was drunk, he had a sharp memory for recognizing every voice he heard.

  A woman stood beside him. Her blonde hair was neatly tied behind her head. She looked worried, but Philip could barely focus his eyes.

  “Elena…”

  “Yes,” she replied, holding him firmly. “What are you doing here?”

  Philip stared at her, then he laughed.

  “You.”

  Elena said nothing.

  “You know what I found out today?”

 “Philip, you're drunk.”

  “I know.”

  He pointed a shaky finger at her. “I know everything.”

  Elena's expression remained strangely calm.

  “Our children…” Philip laughed again. “Our children are not mine.”

  Elena didn't respond.

  “Ethan isn't mine, Daniel isn't mine, and Ryan…”

  Philip's voice became louder. “Ryan isn't mine either!”

  Elena simply looked at him but said nothing.

  “You knew, didn't you?” he added.

  She bent down and picked up the bottle before he could drop it. “Philip, we need to go home.”

  “Don't change the subject!”

  “You're drunk.”

  “You knew!”

  Philip grabbed her shoulder. “You knew those boys weren't mine!”

  Some nearby onlookers couldn't stop staring at them, but Philip didn't care.

  Surprisingly, he had never had the audacity to challenge Elena Hawkins, but not today. Not while he was drunk.

  Elena looked directly into his eyes.

  For a moment, Philip expected her to deny it.

  He expected tears and expected an explanation.

  Instead, she said nothing, like he was wrong about everything.

  Elena pulled him toward the car.

  By the time they reached home, Philip was barely conscious.

  Elena opened his door and helped him out. He tried to walk, but his legs refused to cooperate.

  “Easy,” she whispered.

  She dragged him inside and took him to the bedroom.

 Philip collapsed onto the bed, his eyes fixed on the blur picture of the woman he loved. 

  “Elena…” he called out slowly. 

  She looked down at him as his eyes were already closing.

  “WHY? WHY HAVE YOU DECEIVED ME ALL THIS WHILE?”