Chapter 25

JANE'S POV

"Why did you tell him about Elena?, " Lola cried out at me in an angry voice.

I stood still and silent , suddenly paralysed to the spot by the reminder of my reckless actions. In my anger , l had told that vile man the existence of Elena.

What if he decided that what he stole from me wasn't enough and he needed Elena too!

My legs began to tremble at the new thought and l slumped on the nearest couch feeling drained. A lot of events had occurred in a single day and it was too much for my brain to register it all.

Aunt Amira was staring at me , her dark eyes filled with disappointment. Lola was glaring at me from her couch and Claudius was leaning against the wall, his eyes casted on the floor. I knew he was angry with me.

All of them felt betrayed and disappointed that l had kept this whole issue from them. I casted down my eyes on the floor feeling guilty. They were supposed to be my family yet l kept secrets from them.

I sucked in my breath feeling helpless.

" l did it for Elena's sake. I wanted to guarantee her safety. He won't include her in our battle because he knows it's his daughter, " l whispered over the lump in my throat .

A bitter taste rose in my mouth after saying these words. I hated to acknowledge that Elena was Ferracco's daughter. My princess didn't deserve that con artist for a father.

"What if he decides to file for custody," Aunt Amira softly spoke for the first time, echoing my thoughts.

I clutched my skirt feeling a cold trickle running down my back.

"He wouldn't dare ! Elena is my daughter and no one will take her away from me!," l shouted suddenly feeling hysterical.

Three pairs of shocked eyes turned to me. I then realised that l had overreacted. I drew in a deep breath to steady myself and racked a hand through my blond hair in agitation.

"I am sorry Aunt. I didn't mean to shout at you," l apologised to Amira.

"Jane , you must know that powerful men like Lucas Moretti can do anything,"Amira said in a meek voice laced with worry.

A shiver swept through me at her words.

"So what are you going to tell Elena?" Lola asked me.

"Nothing. There is no need to tell her about him. I am not letting that devil anyway near my daughter," l gritted out.

"Then you shouldn't have told him about Elena in the first place . You invited custody battle yourself," Lola said in a sharp voice.

She was very angry with me. Tears welled in my eyes at the prospect of losing my daughter. God couldn't be that heartless . I have had my share of suffering to last me a lifetime. I had lost my parents , been robbed of my family's inheritance. I couldn't lose my child.

"The judge will rule in her favour unless Ferracco pulls some strings with the judge. Elena is still young and needs a mother. She has been living with you for six years so she is more adapted to you than him. I will help with the case if he files for custody," Claudius quietly spoke from the corner.

I felt relief wash over me.

****

After dinner , l accompanied Claudius to his car. He barely said a word throughout the entire dinner. I knew he still felt betrayed and cheated. Ferracco had managed to create a rift between us for the second time and it was all my fault.

I regretted not telling him in the first place. Claudius was a competent lawyer ,surely he would have known what to do in the situation.

We stopped besides his car parked in front of my apartment. A brief moment of awkward silence settled over us. I avoided looking at his face. Instead l stared at my shoes as they dug into the dirt. I felt embarrassed to meet his eyes after what l did.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

I looked up when he spoke for the first time. My heart swelled in pain and guilty as l stared at the pained look on his face. Claudius had been nothing but caring towards me yet l always let him down.

I blinked back as l felt hot tears prickling my eyes.

"I didn't want to make you unhappy. I know you still think l am obsessing over Ferracco," l whispered over the lump in my throat.

"We are a couple , Jane! And couples tell each other some things," he said in an accusing tone.

"Do you even realise what you have done to us. I don't know if l will be able to trust you again," he added in a cold voice.

I drew in an uneven breath as l stared at his hardened face. The tears that l had been hiding flowed shamelessly down my cheeks. I drew closer to him.

" Claudius.. l am ..sorry," l stammered as l tried to hug him.

Claudius held my hands away from him shaking his head.

"I need a break , Jane. I will contact you first," he said and l felt a million glass shards pierce my heart.

Claudius was breaking up with me before we even started.

More tears spilled down my face at the realisation that l had allowed Ferracco to ruin my life even further.

"Don't allow him to continue hurting you !"

I recalled Aunt Amira's words and l cried even harder.

Claudius seeing my tearstained face ,let out a helpless sigh before taking me in his arms . At the feel of his comforting embrace , l sobbed even harder on his shoulder,wetting his shirt front.

He silently patted my hair as l cried out my eyes.

Why am l so unlucky!

After my sobs subsided , he let go of me and cupped my pale face between his large hands. His soft eyes stared into my puffy ones.

"If he brings custody, l will help you. I will not let you lose your daughter," he assured before releasing me and walking back to his car.

He got into his car and drove away. I was left standing on the pavement staring at his disappearing headlights with a feeling of immense guilty.

I didn't want to lose him!

****

NO ONE'S POV

Lucas took a huge gulp of wine from his glass. He couldn't believe what had happened today!

Jane!

A ghost from his past had suddenly appeared and ruined everything for him. And to top it all, he discovered that he was a father.

A FATHER!

He looked up at the ceiling and a hysterical laughter bubbled from him.

How did it happen?

He had always been carefully not to get her pregnant. He wondered where it had gone wrong. Then it hit him with full force !

Jane had conceived on their honeymoon!

Just for that one day in Paris, he had let down his guard for a moment . He had ordered a wine bottle to be delivered to their room. The two of them had drank themselves to a stupor celebrating their wedding and the next moment they were all over each other.

Lucas racked a hand through his dark hair feeling frustrated . That day he got so drunk that he made love to her without protection.

He had never been that careless but Jane had always held a power over him. Being with her had often made him lose track of time. At times he had even forgot his real purpose in approaching her.

She had always held the power to disarm him. When she flashed him that sweet smile of hers , he had found himself melting.

Lucas had vowed never to be a father. That's why he had always been careful. Just the thought of having a kid was enough for him to break into a cold sweat.

And now he had a daughter overnight. A fully grown one at that!

"I do have evidence and it's your daughter! "

The words kept echoing in his head until he couldn't take it anymore. Lucas grabbed the wine bottle and slammed it hard against the wall.

The bottle made a rattling sound and laid on the carpet completely shattered. The red wine was splashed all over the white Persian carpet. Bianca Morelo entered the room looking around the mess in surprise.

"Dios! What a temper you got !," she said in disbelief.

Lucas took another wine bottle from the cellar. He poured himself another drink.

"What's wrong Lucas?," Bianca asked him in a voice laced with concern.

She has always considered Lucas her son. Lucas ignored her and took a huge gulp of wine instead. Bianca frowned at his action. She grabbed the wine bottle from him.

"Do you want to drink yourself to death?," she scolded.

" Jane showed up at the wedding!, " Lucas blurted out angrily.

Bianca Morelo stared at him in pure shock and horror.

"Meu deus! ( oh my God) Lucas! , " Bianca gasped loudly looking horrified.

She had cooked up an excuse not to go to Lucas's wedding the previous day. Bianca had felt regretful for having urged Lucas to join ties with Silvia. After Silvia moved into the mansion, she had discovered that the woman was nothing but a scheming witch. Bianca Morelo then opted to remain behind than to watch that sly woman pledge fake vows at the altar.

"She ruined everything!," Lucas said through clenched teeth.

Bianca flashed him a wicked grin and joined him on the sofa. Inside she felt happy that at least he had not married that sly woman , Silvia.

"Relax, my boy. We both know that she won't do anything to you. You are one of the most powerful and influential man in Rio at the moment. You are untouchable! She will never win against you...."

"She has my daughter!," Lucas interrupted her in an annoyed voice.

Bianca stared at him for the second time with widened eyes.

"Lucas! You got to be kidding me," she exclaimed looking horrified.

Lucas sucked in a deep breath. He racked his hand through his midnight black hair feeling frustrated.

"I wish that wasn't true. I am not cut out to be a father."

"I thought you said you were careful."

Bianca's tone was accusing. Lucas threw her a level look.

"You think l wanted this?," he snapped back at her.

Bianca held up her hands in surrender.

"I am sorry. I am just shocked to hear the news."

Lucas nodded his head. He smiled sardonically at her.

"So what's the next step?," Bianca continued.

A mocking laughter escaped Lucas's lips.

"Hell! I am not even sure it's my daughter. It could be that lawyer's . I knew from the start that he wanted Jane. They could have hit it off once l was gone," Lucas said in bitterness.

Bianca threw back her head and laughed.

"Don't delude yourself, Lucas. We both know that child is yours," she chuckled.

Lucas glared at her. Bianca flashed him a smile instead and cocked her brow at him questioningly.

"You are only saying that to make yourself feel better. Man up and take responsibility for your child. You don't want to end up like your father , right?," Bianca said in a sharp voice.

Lucas narrowed his eyes dangerously at her.

"Don't you ever talk about that devil in my sight!," he growled at her.

Lucas got up and strode out of the room leaving a gaping Bianca.