Chapter 24

Mike said it was a long story. That they all had their valid reasons. That it all worked out in the end, anyway, right?

Trevor would've agreed if he hadn't bumped into Tina at the wedding. Just because she hadn't been around all these while didn't mean she wouldn't be around for his wedding. They were the closest in his family!

He suddenly wondered if the reason Andrew's wedding was at an unexpected location. It was so close by because of Tina, wasn't it?

He laughed at himself as he thought it all through. He hadn't even come to terms with the whole family thing. He wasn't even sure if he was mad about that.

Still awake by midnight, he was able to see the incoming call from his dad. Mike probably called him. It wouldn't surprise him. A lot of things wouldn't surprise him now.

"Hey, dad," he answered, eyes closed as he tried his best to relax on the bed, inhaling the cool air coming through the windows.

"Mike called."

"Of course he did."

"How are you... feeling?"

"Great," he said. "How's mom? I tried to call her but she wasn't responding."

He sighed. "She's taking a break from picking up calls ever since her illness. But I'm guessing now that all this is being blown over she'll reach out."

His mom loved Tina a lot. Thought they were perfect together, and was the most emotional when she broke it off between them. He pondered over the fact that his mom who never gave up on certain things didn't bother to look for her. Less than a week after the break up, she made him try to focus on other things. She comforted him, but her expressions were... Yeah, she probably found out everything right after.

"Okay."

"Listen, I..."

"Do you know who her parents are? Did you always know?" he asked.

No bothering to ask who 'she' was, his father answered, "Yes."

"Hm."

"But it was for your own good," his father defended. "For everyone's good. Finding out about that would hurt you more. You of all people know how much pain my parents- your grandparents went through in the past. They told you themselves. Would you have taken the news happily if you'd found out?"

He said nothing.

"I wanted you to avoid the internet was the best. If you found out everything, you most likely still would've searched for her. And with new information while in an emotional state, no one knew what you'd do. You were... going crazy. Work has always been the thing that's helped you coped with anything. And that's what we tried to make you do."

"Did it ever occur to you that I might leave and still find her someday?" he asked slowly.

"Yes... But then you'd be able to handle it better. You wouldn't have still been pining over her..."

"Well, that didn't work out well did it?" he asked. "Met her. Still like her. Still care for her. Still want her. Still mad at her though... But it doesn't negate the other points."

"Trevor..."

"Does she know you guys know about this?"

He heard his father groan a bit, sounding like he was moving around, before he answered, "Maybe, maybe not. But she seemed more worried about what you thought, from what Mike explained."

"Yeah," he muttered, remembering how sorry she looked after she told him the truth.

She left because she didn't want him to hate her, he assumed. Her family wasn't very well respected in his family. They hated them. Especially her grandparents.

"I'm sorry, son."

He hummed. "I know."

"You're not... angry? Not mad?" his father asked, sounding hesitant.

Mike has asked him the same thing when he told him the truth.

He wasn't exactly filled with fury. Not at anyone, but himself. He should've gone to look for her anyway. He really shouldn't have followed his parents advice from the beginning.

"Nothing to be mad about. Any anger I have isn't as strong as it would've been if I'd learned all these in the past. So maybe you guys were right."

"I'm really sorry."

"However," he continued, ignoring the apology, "Everyone is going to have to give me at least an apology since you all thought preventing me from accessing the internet didn't really change much."

"Oh, I'm sure everyone will by now."

Taking his wine bottle from the table nearby and gulping down a bit, he continued speaking, "Why haven't you done anything to her or her family yet?"

His father had been making big business moves throughout the year and he was curious why he hadn't tried to do some crazy things to the family. Over the years, he'd actually forgotten about Fawyers for a bit. Nobody ever mentioned them in the family or to him. Not that they ever willingly did, but... It was weird.

"Do you want us to do something?" his father asked to his surprise.

"Uh... I'm not the CEO of your company. I own a restaurant. I don't think I have that much power."

His father let out a little laugh. "You're the first born, Trevor. You seem to have forgotten the power you weild. But that's fine, I guess. It's better you're clueless than being a tyrant. We raised you well."

"Well?"

"They're beneath us now," his father said proudly. "We're the richest. The most influential. Right now, no one can do us the same way they did your grandparents."

"So... You don't want revenge?" Trevor asked.

"Do you?" his father shot back.

Trevor thought about it for a moment. "I don't want anything to happen to Tina," he mumbled, thinking about what would happen to her business... Her everything. He was hurt... Maybe even angry, but he would never wish hurt upon her.

"Neither do I."

Trevor's eyes widened at that. "Wait, really?"

"You cared about her. She never tried to sabotage us despite everything. And she left for a good reason. Your mother and I have discussed this for years and accepted it. We still have a soft spot for her in our hearts, you know. She's the reason your smile always reached your eyes."

He smiled wryly as he thought about how truthful his father was being.

"So you're not doing anything."

"Oh, I'm going to get back that land. By force. Tina doesn't own the lands, so she'll be fine."

He knew what land that was. If his father succeeded in getting it- which he probably would, then that would complete his ongoing mission all these years.

"So you're not angry at her, you don't hate her..."

"We're not that important in this story, remember? It's both of you. Her focus was you." He kept going, "Talk to each other, after you've taken all these in. Talk to each other so you can decide if you want her back in your life. You said you love her but... Sometimes that's not enough for a relationship. This can get you closure. This can help you heal and... Just move on. With or without her."

His father was right, Trevor thought right after the call eventually ended.

Tina didn't exactly do anything terrible. She was deceptive, but she left to let him move on without her because she felt guilty. Because she was hurt to. Sure, she didn't really act in an acceptable way, but... It wasn't really her fault.

He should talk to her.

Maybe not now, but soon. Because he really needed that closure.