Chapter 3 - unveiling secrets

Sharon was in the garden, the cold night air caressing her skin, the moon low in the heavens. She had gone outside to clear her head, but her solitude didn't last for long.

A low, familiar voice called out "Sharon."

Her breath hitching, she whirled around to see Davis coming out of the darkness.

She said angrily, "What are you doing here?" looking toward the house.

"We need to talk," Davis replied, stepping forward firmly. 

She crossed her arms and murmured, "I don't think this is a good idea," but the determination in his eyes told her there was no getting out of this.

Davis fixed his eyes on her, his emotions hardly under control. You went without saying a word. And then you show up here and I learn you have a child. a young boy looking like myself."

Sharon avoided his look by hard swallowing. "Davis, I—";

"No," he said, his voice sharp. "You cannot just shrug this off. You owe an explanation to me. Sharon, how did we get ourselves here? Start from the beginning."

She drew a long breath, her hands shaking. "Fine. You curious about this? That evening I was at my lowest. I was hurt and I had recently broken off a horrible relationship. You were there, providing distraction, and I was too lost to reject you." She paused for a while.

Davis's teeth closed tightly. "And when you learnt you were pregnant, why didn't you try to reach out?"

Her voice shaking, she said, "I was scared. I doubted you would be interested. You were a playboy, Davis, living carefree without regard for obligations. You seemed not wanting to be involved in this, and you didn't look like one who would want to take up a fatherly responsibility."

"That was not your choice to make!" Davis reacted and raised his voice. "Sharon, you kept my son away from me. Do you know how that feels? Do you know?"

Sharon defensively stated, "I did what I thought was best. I was confused. Besides, you were the one who left me alone. When I woke up the next morning, I didn’t see you by my side. You barely left a trace of how I could locate you.

And i feared it was too late when I finally worked out how to get to you. I had no idea."

Frustration written on his face, Davis raked a hand through his hair. "You denied me the opportunity to be by his side And for you."

Tears spilled from Sharon's eyes. "I never meant to offend you Davis. All I was doing was surviving."

Their conversation got hot, their voices rising despite their best efforts to keep quiet. Isabella entered the garden neither of them noticed until she spoke.

"What's happening here?" Like a razor, Isabella's voice sliced through the tension.

Sharon froze while her heart hammered. Davis turned to face her, his expression unreadable.

"Isabella, I—"; Sharon mumbled.

Isabella responded sharply, her eyes narrowing, "don't, try to lie to me Sharon, I have found your behavior to be really strange throughout today. And you, she continued, pointing at Davis, "why are you here with her? What are the two of you hiding from me."

"Isabella, it's not what you think," Sharon said, but even to her own ears the words sounded empty.

"Then what is it?" Isabella's demanded, her voice shaking. "Why are you two out here arguing in the middle of the night?" She said growing impatient.

Sharon looked to Davis, who gave a subdued nod asking her to speak.

"I didn't want you to find out like this," Sharon remarked gently.

"Find out what?" Tears filling her eyes, Isabella's voice broke.

Sharon stammered, her hands shaking. " Davis... he is Ethan's father."

It seemed as though the planet stopped. Isabella gazed at her sister, her face a mixture of incredibility and grief. "What? do you mean he is Ethan's father?" She said confused.

Sharon said fast, "I didn't know you were together." "I had no idea you had met him until you brought he home."

Bitterly laughing, Isabella started to cry. "You're kidding, right? This needs to be some sort of twisted joke."

"It's not," Davis remarked softly.

"No," Isabella exclaimed, violently shaking her head. "No, this isn't logical. You shared a bed with my sister? And she also carried your child. How then could you not know? How could none of you tell me."

"I didn't know," Davis answered with great conviction. Not till right now.

"And you?” Isabella glanced to Sharon, her face contorted with pain. "You have been lying to me all this time. You let me carry him into this house without saying a word?"

Tears rolling down her face, Sharon continued, "I didn't know how to tell you. I was afraid of what it might do to us."

"What it would do to us?" Isabella repeated, her voice getting higher. "Do you hear yourself at all? You've wrecked us!"

Sharon grabbed for her, then Isabella retreated, her face falling apart. She said, "Don't touch me," softly.

Sharon said, "Isabella, please.I never wanted for this to happen."

"I'm unable to..." Isabella broke off her voice and murmured, "I can't do this." Tears streaking her face, she turned and raced into the house.

Silent as they stood, Sharon and Davis felt the weight of what had just transpired crushing down on them.

With shaky voice, Sharon said, "She hates me."

"She's hurt," Davis replied, but his own voice was heavy with feeling.

Inside the house, the sound of a door echoed through the house.

Sobs muffled behind the door, Isabella shut herself in her room. Her heart hurt with uncertainty, wrath, and sadness from the deep betrayal cut.

Sharon dropped to her hands and buried her face in the earth. " What have I done?"

Davis knelt next to her, his hand hovering uncertainly before he laid it softly on her shoulder.

Quiet

ly, he murmured, "This isn't over," determination shining in his eyes. "We'll handle this”.