Chapter Thirty One.

" Don't start what son? I am merely stating the facts " Mrs Steele stubbornly said.

" Not today, please? "Henry requested his mother.

"Oh! so now you are also siding with her. Great, Just great. I am sure you are happy , after all you are slowly tearing my family apart" she almost yelled.

"Mum you better drop that subject or Zawadi and I are leaving." Lucas warned.

"Okay fine, I'll drop it" Mrs Steele said defeated.

" Come, dinner is ready " Sabine said changing the topic. "I'll go get Adam " she gave Zawadi a sympathetic look before heading towards Adam's room.

"Excuse me, I'll just use the bathroom" Zawadi said before exiting the room.

She made her way to the bathroom and as soon as she closed the door behind her, tears started falling from her eyes.

She was hopeful that Mrs Steele would be convinced that she truly loved Lucas by now, but still she wasn't.

Just like before she felt strongly against her. She still hated her.

"Zawadi, are you okay? " It was Sabine's voice.

"Yes" she replied, wiping her tears with the back of her hands. She cleaned her face before exiting the bathroom.

"Oh you poor thing! " Sabine pulled her into a tight hug.

And that's when the dam broke. She sobbed furiously on her shoulder.

"I love him. I love him so much, but... "she sniffed" ...but she doesn't want to see it. She doesn't want to believe me. "Zawadi cried.

"I know, honey. " Sabine soothed rubbing her back.

"Why won't she believe me. I would never hurt Lucas" Zawadi thought out loud.

"Just give her time. She has her own reasons. " Sabine said.

"Time... " Zawadi laughed bitterly. "It's been nine months since she last saw me but she still hates me. I don't think she will ever like me. " she said sadly.

"What are you saying ? Of course she will love you, Just give her some time please. She has her reasons. " Sabine advised.

"Okay, I will try. Even though it breaks my heart that she thinks of me as a gold digger." she gave her a weak smile.

"Come, everyone must be wondering where we are. "

Sabine led her to the dinning room.

"Where were you guys, we're starting to get worried "Henry said a bit too dramatically making Sabine roll her eyes at him.

They ate happily, much to Zawadi's surprise. At that moment, she didn't feel that Mrs Steele hated her or that she was not from the same financial status as them.

The siblings on by one took turns stating the other's embarrassing moments. After each story, everyone would burst out laughing with someone occasionally throwing in a funny comment making the laughter double even more.

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After dinner , the were chatting away with their mother while Zawadi and Sabine where in the kitchen.

"So, Sabine, Is Adam your son? " Zawadi asked, curious.

She laughed a little before saying " No, actually Adam, Just like the rest of us are adopted. Mum took him in last year. He was from an orphanage run by Lucas. Mum fell in love with him at first glance and so she took him in" Sabine explained.

"Oh, in sorry I assumed it's just that he called Lucas uncle so I thought... " Zawadi began.

"It's nothing to worry about. He just loves calling Lucas uncle. He said Lucas is too old to be his brother. " She sighed then continued.

"You know mom is not all that bad. She is a kind and caring woman. She picked us all from the streets and raised us all as her own. She is a very good person. " Sabine defended.

"What about Mr Steele, where is he" Zawadi questioned.

"He left" Sabine said sadly.

"What do you mean he left" Zawadi probed.

"He used to love mom a lot while we were growing up. Then he started changing. Getting angry over everything. At that time there was this woman, mom's friend working in his office as his secretary. Rose was her name.

My mom would confide in her, telling her of her problems with her husband. She trusted Rose a lot. But little did she know that father and Rose had a relationship.

One day after telling rose that she was unable to conceive and that's why she kept adopting, Rose went to father and convinced him to leave mother. She promised him children of his own and just like that, dad left mum and all of us behind and moved to the USA with Rose.

We haven't seen either of them since. The company was left in the hands of Lucas since he was the most talented in that field. Mom became depressed and it took two years for her to heal.

That's why she behaves the way she does with you. I'm not justifying her actions. Just know that she doesn't hate you. She loved father the way that Lucas loves you and she is just afraid that you will break Lucas, Just like dad broke her. " Sabine explained.

"Oh, that must have been horrible. I can't imagine how I would feel if Lucas left me. I would die of heartache. She really is a strong woman. I admire her for that" Zawadi said sadly.

"Come on, let's finish doing the dishes

"Sabine suggested.

"Okay" Zawadi said as they went back to cleaning the dishes.

All this while Mrs Steele stood by the door. She heard everything that Sabine had told Zawadi and it reminded her of her husband. Her husband, that's what he still was to her. After all they were never divorced. He had simply packed his bags and left.

No explanation, no goodbyes he just left. He had betrayed her, a betrayal that nearly cost her her family and her life.

She had stayed strong, however, for herself and for her family. But still she couldn't deny the fact that she still loved him. After all the heartache and sorrow that he had caused her, she was still in love with him. And that was the cold hard truth.

Looking back at Zawadi, she saw how her eyes lit up every time she spoke of Lucas. That's when she knew that she had made a mistake of judging her.

"Hello ladies," she greeted as she walked into the kitchen and immediately saw Zawadi stiffen.