Chapter 94 - Hidden Motive (2/2)

” It's not late though. You can always start over. ”

” Start over? That's not gonna happen. My kids can hate me all they want as long they're living a good life. I no longer have to worry about Stella since she married you. You see, back then in her high school, someone was bullying her. When her bodyguards informed me about it, I gathered information about that bully and made their company bankrupt. What a moron! Like I'd let them hurt my daughter. Listen Theo, when you have money, you have power.” With a sinister smile he laughed, patting on my shoulder. Wait a minute, didn't Vanessa said that Stella was responsible for her tragic life? That means Mr. Carlton was behind it. And bodyguards? Stella has bodyguards? Did she know all these?

” Wait a minute. Does Stella know all this?” I exclaimed in surprise.

” No, and please don't tell her about the bodyguards. I was always worried about her so, I appointed some bodyguards to look after her. I also did a background check on you before agreeing to this arrange marriage. You may have dated few women in the past but you're not the type of guy who'd have a new woman every single day. I hope you would forgive me for spying on you.” Of course he did a background check on me. I'm just relieved that he didn't found any strange intel on me.

” No, no. It's really okay. You have rights to know about the guy your daughter's gonna marry.” Keeping my anxiety in contact, I replied. Dear lord! I wonder what I was thinking when I agreed to do that fake marriage!

” Thanks for understanding. Your parents may have said that you were single but it's better to confirm it.” I don't know why did that guy failed to know that I was in a relationship with Regina but I'm glad he did.

Maybe because my relationship with Regina was very secretive. We were always busy with our work and we never spend too much time with each other in public.

Thanks to that guy's wrong information I was able to marry Stella. Mr. Carlton continued to speak, ” I also thought about keeping the bodyguards with her for sometime to see if you guys are doing well with your married life. But that would have been a bit extreme.” Oh! Thank god! It didn't happen. Or else he would find out about our fake marriage.

” I see.” I replied being dumbfounded by lack of words.

” Besides Neil is there for her. If she had any problems adjusting there he would have helped her.” He said with a fake smile as it reminded him of Neil.

Suddenly I remember another memory and continued my interrogation, ” Then what about the nightclub incident? Your behaviour was definitely outrageous that day.”

” Huh? Night club?.... oh you mean that incident? Did you know what actually happened on that night?” He halted and gave me a wicked stare before continuing, ”Stella's friends were so busy with themselves that they left her alone. Someone had spiked her drink. If it were not for the bodyguards, she would have ended up in a terrible situation.” He grumbled as he spoke of that dreadful night.

Who could have thought that this was the real reason. I suddenly felt guilty for not trusting my father-in-law. ” Yes, I agree that I shouldn't have slapped her. But I was so angry, thinking about the outcome of that night. My rage took over my sanity and forced me to hit my daughter. My intentions were never bad although my methods were just .....outrageous.” It pains me to think how much of struggle he faced in his life. I haven't faced such ridiculously tragic decisions of fate.

~ to be continued