THE LIES THAT BUILT MY FAMILY

7

Chapter seven 

Tyrel took the paper from Philip and slowly went through it. His eyes moved from one line to another as he carefully read the results. For a few seconds, he said nothing.

  Then he looked up at Philip. “Are you sure about this?”

  Philip nodded. “I am.”

  Tyrel looked back at the paper. “Have you done the test more than once?”

  “Yes.” Philips replied 

  “How many times?”

  “Three times.”

  Tyrel's eyebrows lifted slightly. “And the results were the same?”

  “All three times.”

  Tyrel remained silent.

  Philip watched him carefully, trying to understand what was going through the old man's mind.

  Finally, Tyrel sighed and placed the paper on the table.

  “Philip, you did the right thing by coming to me.”

  Philip's eyes narrowed slightly. “I did?”

  For a moment, Philip thought the man knew nothing and was definitely going to be on his side. 

  “Yes.” Tyrel leaned back in his chair. “I will take this up with my daughter.”

  Philip stared at him. “With Elena?”

  “Yes.”

  “And what exactly are you going to ask her?”

  Tyrel looked at him. “I'll handle it.”

  Philip nodded slowly. “Of course.”

  But inside, Philip was already suspicious. There was something wrong with Tyrel's reaction.

  The old man wasn't shocked enough and he wasn't angry enough.

  He wasn't even asking the questions a father should ask after discovering that his daughter had deceived her husband for nineteen years.

  Instead, he was calm.

  Philip looked at him carefully. “You don't seem surprised.”

  Tyrel's expression changed slightly. “What do you mean?”

  “You heard what I said.”

  Tyrel sighed. “Philip, this is a family matter. I don't want to make things worse by reacting emotionally.”

  Philip gave a small smile. “A family matter?”

  “Yes.” Tyrel nodded.

  “Understood.”

  But he didn't understand at all. Something was happening behind his back.

  Either Tyrel already knew about Elena's actions, or he was trying to cover for his daughter.

  Maybe both.

  Philip clenched his jaw. For nineteen years, everyone had treated him like a fool.

  He wasn't going to allow them to do it anymore.

  Tyrel picked up his phone. “I'll call Elena.”

  Philip sat quietly.

  Tyrel dialed his daughter's number.

  “Elena, where are you?”

  There was a short pause at the other line. 

  “Come to the guest room. We need to talk.”

  Tyrel ended the call while Philip leaned back. He was prepared to hear whatever Elena had to say.

  A few minutes passed before the door suddenly opened.

  Elena rushed inside.

  Her eyes immediately fell on the paper sitting on the table before Philip could react, she grabbed it.

  “Elena!”

  She quickly crumpled the paper in her hand and, to Philip's complete shock, pushed it into her mouth.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  Philip jumped to his feet.

  Elena chewed the paper and swallowed it while Philip stared at her in disbelief.

  “You just ate the results?”

  Elena wiped her mouth and smiled. “Yes.”

  “You're crazy.”

  Tyrel remained seated, watching his daughter while Philip turned toward him.

  “And you're just going to sit there?”

  Tyrel didn't answer and Philip's anger rise.

  “You knew about this, didn't you?”

  Tyrel frowned. “Philip—”

  “You knew!”

  Elena laughed. “Stop shouting.”

  Philip turned toward her. “You think this is funny?”

  Philip stared at her. “You destroyed nineteen years of my life, and you're laughing?”

  Elena folded her arms. “You're being too emotional.”

  “Emotional?” Philip laughed bitterly. “I gave you nineteen years of my life!”

  Philip stepped closer.

  “You think eating that paper is going to change anything?”

  “I don't care about that paper.”

  “You should.”

  “I don't.”

  Philip shook his head.

  “Fine.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out another document.

  Elena's eyes narrowed. “What is that?”

  “You want to play games?” Philip placed the document on the table. “Then the amount I'm asking for just increased.”

  Elena burst into laughter. “You're asking for more money?”

  “Yes.”

  “How much?”

  Philip told her.

  The smile disappeared from Elena's face for a moment.

  Then she laughed again. “You really think you can demand money from me?”

  “I am not begging.”

  “You should.” Philip said staring at her.

  Elena walked closer to him. “Philip, you have forgotten your position.”

  “My position?”

  “Yes.” She pointed toward the floor.“You are standing in the Hawkins estate.”

  Philip remained silent.

  “This is my family's home. Everything you have ever enjoyed came from us.”

  Philip shook his head.“Not again.”

  Elena smiled. “You want money? Then plead for mercy.”

  Philip's eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “Bow down and apologize.”

  She glanced at her father. “Dad and I will forgive you and forget this ever happened."

  Philip stared at both of them. For a moment, he couldn't believe what he was hearing then he laughed.

  “You want me to bow before you?”

  “Yes.”

  Elena's smile widened. “Do that, and maybe I'll consider forgiving you.”

  Philip shook his head. “No.”

  Elena's smile disappeared. “What did you say?”

  “I said no.”

  “You're refusing to bow?”

  “Yes.”

  “You'd rather lose everything?”

  Philip looked directly into her eyes.

  “I already lost everything the day I found out those boys weren't mine.”

  Elena's face twisted with anger. “You ungrateful man!”

  She suddenly raised her hand.

  Philip barely had time to react before her palm struck him hard across the face.

  The sound of the slap echoed through the room.

  Philip's head turned to the side and silence filled the room.

  He slowly turned his face back toward Elena.

  His cheek burned while Elena stood in front of him, breathing heavily.

  Philip stared at her.

  He simply looked at her with a coldness Elena had never seen before.

  “You just slapped me.”

  Elena's chest rose and fell. “You deserved it.”

  Philip slowly nodded. “I see.”

  Tyrel finally stood up. “Elena.”

 But She turned toward him. “What?” she snapped in anger.

  “That's enough.”

  But before anyone could say another word, the door suddenly burst open.

  Elena's mother rushed into the room.

  “What is going on here?” she asked as she looked from Tyrel to Elena.

  Then her eyes landed on Philip.

  She noticed the red mark spreading across his cheek.