Chapter 2

Ophelia's POV

Different thoughts were running through my mind as I wiped my tear stained face with the back of my hand. 

I started my car, and drove out the parking lot. Just about a minute as I was headed to the hospital my phone rang again, this time around it was my stepmother, Genevieve.

My relationship with Genevieve had always been cordial, with no open conflicts. Ever since my father married her, I realised my Dad wasn't who he portrays himself as. While my mom was still alive, he acted like the perfect husband, or so I thought. 

But all along he has been cheating on her! He and Genevieve had a daughter a year younger than me. That revelation made me feel like an outsider rather than part of the family. It was one thing if they had my stepsister after they got married, and a completely different thing when she's been in the picture all along. My Dad showered all his love on my stepsister, leaving me in her shadows like I never existed.

Since Genevieve came along, I've not really asked my Dad for anything, and the one time I actually did, I asked my Dad to invest in Hudson's company, I even went extra and asked my Dad to make him a shareholder in his company. Thinking about this now, I feel so stupid, like I'm literally an idiot. Instead of requesting for funds to revive my failing art gallery, I requested for funds for my deadbeat boyfriend.

"Gosh, Ophelia, you're such a fool," I cussed under my breath.

The phone rang again, snapping me out of my train of thoughts. It was Genevieve calling again.

I sighed, before answering the call.

"Hello?" I answered, and put the call on speaker.

"Ophelia, where are you?" She said in a trembling voice.

"I'm on my way to the hospital, but I'm stuck in traffic now. I got a call from Dr. Adams," I answered. "What happened to Dad?"

"He–" she sniffled. "He had a heart attack," she said, and broke into a sob.

My heart dropped, I felt like air had been knocked out of me. "What? How? He was perfectly fine yesterday when I saw him.  What happened?"

"It's the company, Ophelia," she replied. "The stress was too much on him as It went bankrupt–"

"Bankrupt?" I echoed, trying to process the information. "How did this happen?"

"The details are still unclear," she informed me. "Just get to the hospital as soon as you can," she said, before ending the call.

My mind was racing with different thoughts all at once. I couldn't understand what happened overnight. I had met with my Dad yesterday, and he didn't look like someone who's company was on the verge of going bankrupt. 

I turned on the radio to distract my thoughts, I was driving and I needed to focus on something else right now apart from my Dad's heart attack, I can't afford to get into an accident and cause more problems.

"....in business news," the anchor was saying as I turned on the radio. "Hudson Wright of H.W holdings, just acquired another company," at the mention of Hudson, my interest was piqued, and I listened with rapt attention. "Sources say he manipulated the market to short-sell the company into bankruptcy, taking advantage of insider information."

I scoffed. "Typical Hudson."

"Mr. Wright's recent acquisition is the once thriving Beaumont Corporation, owned by Richard Beaumont."

My heart sank, and my blood instantly turned cold, as I began to piece two and two together. It was all beginning to make sense, the sleepless night, the secretive phone calls, Hudson has been plotting this for months, or even years. 

"He used me," I muttered, tears streaming down my cheeks faster than a heartbeat. 

This was all my fault, I led my family into this, my Dad might lose his life, all because of what, his foolish daughter fell in love with the devil himself. 

There was only one thing left to do now, FIX THIS. I brought my family into this mess, I can as well take them out of it. Wiping my tears for the umpteenth time, I reached for my phone and dialled Hudson's number.

The phone rang, and rang, and each time it went unanswered, anger coursed through my veins, as I gripped the steering wheel so hard that my knuckles turned white.

"Ophelia?" he finally answered, sounding slightly surprised. "What is it now?"

"You bastard!" I screamed into the phone. "How could you do this to my family, to me?!" I yelled. "You better reverse whatever you did to my father's company, or I swear—"

Hudson burst out into a cold heartless laughter.  "I see you've heard," he chuckled darkly again. "Well, Ophelia, it's just business, nothing personal."

"Nothing personal?" I scoffed irritatedly, my blood boiling with rage. "You know what this has done to him? He had a heart attack, Hudson. My father is in the hospital because of you!"

"Well, that's unfortunate," he said nonchalantly. "Your father's company was growing weak. It was only a matter of time before someone took advantage of that. I just happened to be the one who did."

"Y–you're a monster, Hudson," I whispered, unable to hold back the tears that streamed down my cheeks. "I trusted you Hudson, because I loved you, how–"

"Love?" Hudson scoffed. "This is business Ophelia, grow up. Love has nothing to do with this," he said coldly. "The world isn't some fairy tale, it's a battlefield and only the strongest survive."

I was left speechless for a moment. 

"Listen, Ophelia," Hudson sighed. "I can help you," he said.

"How?" I found myself asking.

"I bought the company and I can give it back, I'll even clear whatever debts the company is owing," he explained. "But you just need to do one little thing."

"And what's that?' I asked again shamelessly, at this point I don't think I care what Hudson wants. I just need to fix this, and get my family out of the mess I put them in.

"Why don't we meet up to discuss this, the Fairview Hotel?"

I sighed deeply, trying to contain the rising anger within me.

"I'm stuck in traffic right now Hudson, and once I leave here I'm headed straight to the hospital," I told him. "So, just tell me what you want over the phone."

"It's nothing much," he said casually. "You just need to continue being my girlfriend."

"What did you just say?" I asked again, maybe I misheard him.

"I said, you just need to continue being my girlfriend," he repeated, like it was the simplest thing in the world, like It was fucking a walk in the Park! "We don't need to stop seeing each other."

I was stunned momentarily, it felt like my brain was refusing to accept what I just heard.

"So, you're asking me to be your mistress, while you'll be married to someone else?" I asked again, for him to clarify.

"Yes," he answered shamelessly. "You'll always have my heart, Ophelia. Besides, you're doing this for your father, remember? Think of it as a business arrangement."

I felt like I've been slapped across my face.

"You're disgusting, Hudson," I spat.

"Oh, come on, Ophelia, stop being dramatic," he said dismissively. "You're overreacting, don't you think?"

"I–"

"You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain," he interrupted. "This is the real world, not some fairytale. You do what you need to survive. And right now, this is what you need to do to save your father," he continued. "And this is the best offer you can get. It's a win-win."

"You're a disgusting excuse of a human being," I flared. "You think I would still want anything to do with you after everything you’ve done?"

Hudson sighed. "Good luck with your miserable life then,"  he mocked. "But don't come running to me when all you have is those heaps of rubbish you call paintings that no one would ever buy."

"Go to hell, Hudson!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, before ending the call, and throwing my phone in the passenger seat. "Ugh!!" I yelled, letting out all the anger, hurt, and frustration, as I hit the steering wheel a couple of times with tears streaming down my cheeks like a dam has been opened.

The nerve of him, the arrogance, gosh!!! It was just too much, who do fuck does he think he is?! How could I have been so blind, so naive? I've never hated myself as much as I do right now.

The traffic soon began to clear up, and in a blur I sped to the hospital and pulled into the parking lot. I put my head on the steering wheel, and took in a deep breath. I can't let them see me like this, especially my Dad. If there's any time I need to be strong and put on my big girl pants, it's right now.

I was hit with the sterile smell of the hospital as soon as I stepped in the reception.

"Hi, Excuse me," I greeted the lady at the reception. "I'm here to see Richard Beaumont, he was admitted here earlier."

"Who is the patient to you?" She asked absentmindedly as she continuously worked on her computer.

"He's my Dad," I answered.

"Give me a sec," she said, and typed harder on her computer. "He's in the ICU," she looked up at me sympathetically. "Go down the hall, take a left, and it's the second door on your right."

"Thank you," I muttered, already moving.

As I took a left turn just after the hall, I saw Genevieve seated outside with a grim face.

"Genevieve," I called out, and rushed to her side. Her eyes were puffy and red, obviously from crying her eyes out. "How's my Dad?"

"He's–"

The door to the room the receptionist told me opened, and Dr. Adams came out.

"Dr. Adams, how's he doing?" She rushed over to him, worry etched on her face.

"He's stable now," Dr. Adams responded with a reassuring smile. "We've managed to get his heart rate under control."

"Can I go in and see him?" Genevieve asked pleadingly.

"Yeah, sure," Dr. Adams nodded approvingly. "But, please, don't bring up anything that might stress him. He needs to rest."

"Of course," Genevieve said in understanding, and Dr. Adams walked away leaving the both of us. "

I made to follow Genevieve in, but she held me back.

"You've already done enough, Ophelia," she said, her face etched in a frown. "You're the last person your Dad would want to see right now."