THE LIES THAT BUILT MY FAMILY

8

Chapter eight 

Sophia was shocked when she saw what was going on. She looked at Philip, whose face was red from the slap, and then back at Elena, who was still fuming with anger.

  “What is happening here?” she asked.

  Nobody answered immediately. Sophia looked at her daughter.

  “Elena?”

  Elena quickly composed herself and pointed at Philip. “He wants a divorce.”

  Sophia's eyes widened. “A divorce?”

  “Yes.” Elena shook her head angrily. “After everything we have done for him, he suddenly decided that he wants to leave the family because of some baseless accusations.”

  Philip stared at her in disbelief. “Baseless accusations?”

  “Yes.”

  “You know that's not true.”

  Sophia looked between them. “What exactly is he accusing you of?”

  Elena hesitated but Philip didn't.

  “She cheated on me.” he said in anger. 

  Sophia's face changed. “What?”

  Philip stepped forward. “Your daughter cheated on me, Sophia. And the three children I raised as my sons aren't mine.”

  The room suddenly became silent.

  Sophia stared at Philip. “What did you just say?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Elena?”

  Sophia turned toward her daughter. Elena opened her mouth, but Tyrel immediately intervened.

  “Sophia, don't listen to him.”

  She looked at her husband. “What are you saying?”

  Tyrel shook his head. “Philip is only doing this because he wants money.”

  Philip turned sharply toward him. “What?”

  Tyrel pointed at the divorce papers. “He knows what this family has. He knows our wealth. Now he's trying to use this situation to take money from us.”

  Philip laughed bitterly. “So that's what you think?”

  Tyrel remained calm. “You've been part of this family for nineteen years. You know exactly how wealthy we are.”

  “And you think I stayed with Elena for money?”

  “Why else would you suddenly demand such a ridiculous amount?”

  Philip shook his head. “I demanded compensation for what your daughter put me through.”

  “You are a gold digger.”

  The words hit Philip harder than he expected. He looked at Tyrel for a few seconds then he looked at Sophia.

  “Do you really believe that?”

  Sophia's expression had changed and She looked angry.

  “You have been part of this family for nineteen years,” she said. “We have treated you well. We welcomed you. We supported you. We never made you feel like an outsider.”

  Philip clenched his fists. “You think that gives Elena the right to betray me?”

  Sophia shook her head. “We don't know that she betrayed you.”

  “I have the results.”

  “Results that could be wrong.”

  “Three different tests?”

  Sophia became silent.

  Philip looked at her. “You don't even want to ask her to take another test.”

  Sophia looked toward Elena. “Elena?”

  Elena quickly answered. “I already told him there must have been a mistake.”

  Philip laughed. “A mistake that happened three times?”

  Sophia's face remained hard. “You should be careful with your words, Philip.”

  “My words?”

  “Yes. You cannot walk into this house, insult my daughter, accuse her of cheating, call her children bastards, and then demand money from us.”

  Philip's anger grew. “I raised those boys!”

  “And we appreciate that,” Sophia replied.

  “No, you don't.”

  “We do.”

  “Then why am I standing here being called a gold digger?”

  Sophia didn't answer. It was clear that she didn't have any answer to that. 

  Philip took a deep breath. He looked around the room and realized something.

  None of them were interested in hearing him. They had already chosen Elena's side. Perhaps they had chosen it long before he arrived.

  “Fine,” he said quietly.

  Sophia frowned. “Fine?”

  Philip picked up his phone. “If this family wants to handle things this way, then I'll see Elena in court.”

  Elena's eyes widened. “You wouldn't dare.”

  Philip looked at her. “Try me.”

  “You're threatening me?”

  “No. I'm telling you what I'm going to do.”

  He turned toward the door while Sophia immediately called after him.

  “Philip, come back!” she barked. 

  He didn't stop.

  “Philip!”

  He continued walking.

  “Philip, I'm talking to you!”

  He opened the door and walked out while Sophia stood there in disbelief.

  She turned toward her husband. “What have you done?”

  Tyrel sighed. “Calm your nerves, Sophia.”

  “How can I calm down after what just happened?”

  “He's angry.”

  “He said he's taking Elena to court.”

  Tyrel shook his head. “He won't.”

  Sophia frowned. “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because he has nowhere else to go.”

  Sophia looked at him. “What do you mean?”

  “He'll come back.” Tyrel leaned back. “Philip has depended on this family for too long. He won't throw everything away.”

  Sophia remained silent but she wasn't convinced.

  She looked at Elena who was standing near the table, staring at the door Philip had just walked through.

  “Elena.” she called 

  But Elena didn't answer.

  Sophia walked toward her.

  “Take another paternity test.”

  Elena immediately looked at her mother.

  “What?”

  “If you have nothing to hide, take another test.”

  Elena's face changed. “Mom, I already told you there was a mistake.”

  “Then prove it.”

  “There is nothing to prove.”

  Sophia stared at her. “If Philip is wrong, another test will settle everything.”

  Elena shook her head. “I don't need to prove anything to him.”

  Sophia's eyes narrowed. “Why are you so afraid of taking another test?”

  “I'm not afraid!”

  “Then take it.” she said in anger.

  Elena opened her mouth but couldn't answer. Sophia stared at her daughter for several seconds.

  Something about her reaction wasn't right.

  But before Sophia could say anything else, Elena suddenly turned and rushed toward the door.

  “Where are you going?” Sophia asked.

 "I am going to make things right. I have not done anything to be sorry about. You and father need to stay out of this and let me handle things as I want." 

 She carried her bag and walked out of the door without turning back.