Chapter 8 - A Gloomy day

Standing amidst the solemnity of the cemetery, I could feel the weight of grief pressing on me as the gray clouds hung low. The air was thick with sorrow, but a different storm raged within me. My heart quickened as I watched Alex, his revelation shook my very core.

"What do you mean you're my brother?! What is the meaning of this nonsense Alex?!"

I snapped as I looked at him angrily. What was he even yapping about?! Why would he say such to me?!

"You do know this is a private event?! I want you out of here."

I exclaimed as I pointed to the other way where he could leave. Alex didn't move, he just kept standing there while he reached into his pocket and brought out an envelope from his pocket. He handed it to me.

"What is this?!"

I asked and he shrugged.

"Cleo," he said, his voice laden with an uneasy calm, "Calm down and I'll tell you all you need to know."

My eyes narrowed, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "Talk? What more is there to say?"

He pointed at the envelope in my hand. "Open it. It's the truth."

Reluctantly, I unfolded the papers, revealing DNA test results that claimed Alex was indeed my brother, born of the same blood that coursed through my veins. I crumpled the paper and threw it away, unwilling to accept the reality.

"I don't care about your so-called proof. Why tell me now? Why reveal this twisted truth on the day I lay my father to rest?" I spat out the words, my grief intertwined with a newfound anger.

Why was this happening?! Why were things different now? I was reliving the same timeline but things had been vastly different ever since then. What pushed Alex to reveal this now?! Why didn't he reveal it before?!

That was my question. Before, when my father had died, nothing of the sort had happened. I buried my father peacefully with Michael by my side.

Unless, my eyes widened in realization.

When Michael was on the phone on the day I had drowned, he talked about a man bringing the documents that I had to sign. Was that man Alex?! I thought as I looked at him.

His eyes held a steely determination as he m brought out a phone, playing a video. My father's face appeared on the screen.

"Talk."

Alex's voice said in the background.

My father sighed and looked at the camera. He was just as I remembered, his greying dark hair, thick rimmed glasses and mustache. It was him and by the way he looked, the video must have been taken before he got sick.

"If you're watching this Cleopatra it means that you have found out that Alexander Anderson is your brother. I'm sorry I kept this from you."

Involuntary tears fell from my eyes as I watched and listened to my father's voice.

"I only just recently found out that I fathered a son and now I want to make things right."

"I have legally transferred my shares to Alexander Anderson and this will become effective when I die. Alexander will also become the new chairman of the board of directors and he also owns half of the mansion that you know as our home."

"I'm sorry I kept this from you Cleo."

The video ended. My heart sank as I processed the secret that my father had kept from me.

"Why didn't he tell me?" I whispered, the ache in my chest growing with every passing second.

"Because he knew you'd react like this," Alex retorted, a smirk playing on his lips. "As I've been named director of the board and given a share of the company, this means I’m your superior in the company. Your precious birthright now belongs to me, it only makes sense if you surrender what is left of your inheritance to me."

A sense of betrayal clung to the air as the gravity of the situation settled in. "Forget about it. I'm not giving you anything," I spat, but doubt lingered in my eyes.

Nicholas was right all along. My father must have realised his mistakes and tried to make amends. So he asked me to talk to Nicholas and ask him for help. It was the plot to push ne out of the company.

Alexander was not satisfied with what he had. He had control of the company but I'm sure he wanted everything else. Like my father's entire estate and the lands and properties that have been in my name since my birth. He would stop at nothing to completely push me out of the company and get all of that too.

"Do you really think your father wanted a woman running the family empire? He gave me what I deserved but to be honest it's not enough."

"You still have the lion share of everything he owns and you still have shares in the company. If you don't do as I say or manage to upset me in any way, I'll leave you penniless on the streets." he threatened.

With that, Alex walked away, leaving me to deal with the weight of the information that he had presented to me.

I felt dizzy all of a sudden and felt like I was going to faint.

This was too much. How could how could one person have so many problems?!

Why was everything happening to me all at once?!

I came back to get my revenge on Michael but now it seemed like more than one person had plotted my downfall, now I had more people to deal with. My supposed brother included.

Did this mean that Alex had a hand in my father's demise?!

Could Michael have been working with Alex?!

It made sense if they were working together. Michael had to have been working with someone to get the documents he spoke of over the phone. And Alex being my father's personal assistant and later finding out that he was my father's son would have been the perfect person to have and present those documents to Michael.

When I came back from the drowning to get my revenge, the one thing I had done different was break up my engagement, this must have prompted Alex to show his hands. To lay out all his cards on the table.

But what did Alex promise Michael if they were working together?

My head hurt as the questions kept coming in my head, I went back into the car to wait till the ceremony began.

........

When the ceremony began, Alex was in attendance. I couldn't send him away without making a scene. And I couldn't help but notice that he was standing next to Michael and Selena. Michael smiled at me but I ignored him, Selena looked prim and proper in a black gown and long veil. Michael and Alex started whispering to each other the moment they stood next to each other. If they were truly working together, they made no move to hide it.

I felt the weight of Alex's presence like a dark cloud, suffocating my grief. As the burial proceeded, I couldn't stop thinking of what Alex had said to me. The way he had talked. He was so confident, so cocky, so sure that he would be able to take away everything that I had.

I didn't blame him. I was weak, I had been weak all my life, they were probably laughing at how easy it would be to take away everything from me. I knew nothing about business, I spent my life baking, learning mundane skills that added little to nothing to my life, my father let me and now that he was dead I was struggling, with no one to help me.

After the funeral ended, I turned and saw a familiar figure a few steps away from the crowd. I could recognise that face anywhere. My heart skipped as I saw that it was Nicholas Moretti.

I didn't think that he would attend, but now that I could see him, I wanted to thank him for coming.

Faye moved to my side, I didn't even notice that she had been in attendance.

"Cleo. I'm sorry about the other day."

She murmured and I nodded.

"It's fine."

I said and she touched my shoulder.

"Are you sure?!"

She asked and I shrugged.

"It's not like you were lying anyways, I just didn't expect that I would hear such words from you."

I explained.

Faye sighed.

"I spoke too fast, I wasn't thinking. I'm very sorry." She apologised again and gave me a hug. I hugged her back. Grateful for her friendship, even though in that moment, her hug did little to quell the storm raging inside of me.

Many other people came to say hello as they left slowly and I silently prayed that I would get a chance to talk to Nicholas Moretti before he left.

As the crowd of people thinned and even Alex and Michael left, Nicholas Moretti approached me.

He was as dashing as ever and I avoided his eyes at first.

"Cleopatra, I'm sorry about your father. Did you get my messages?"

I nodded.

"Thank you Nicholas. I did."

"Although I have to say, you don't look all that surprised that my father died." I added.

Nicholas sighed. His dark sunglasses hid his eyes and any expression he would be making with them from me.

"Your father... when he got sick, he was sure he would die."

I flinched a little but I maintained my composure.

I nodded my head.

"You were right about the plot against me."

Nicholas's eyes widened.

"You found out so soon?!" He asked and I  nodded.

"Is your offer still on the table?"

I asked and Nicholas stared at me, confusion etched in his face.

Nicholas Moretti was a shareholder in my father's company, he was also a majority shareholder. I also had shares in the company. Our union, he was right about our union making a major difference. If we joined hands, we would be unstoppable.

Perhaps together, we could kick my brother out.

Nicholas knew all about business, I didn't know anything about business. Nicholas wanted a wife and he wanted to marry me. It was a win win situation.

If marriage was what would take for him to help me carry out my revenge against everyone who wronged me, then I would get married.

"What offer?!"

"Your marriage offer Nicholas. Do you still want to marry me?"

I asked. My whole body tensed as I waited for Nicholas's answer.

Then, a smirk appeared on his face and he nodded.

"Yes. Yes I want to marry you."