Chapter 5 Awkward Meeting

(Sybil’s POV)

John was studying me intensely, clearly confused as to what I was doing in the hospital. 

He was holding a baby in one arm and much to my annoyance, his other arm was linked with his fiancée Willa’s. Or were they married by now? 

Actually, I didn’t want to know.

From the puzzled look on his face as he took in the fact that I was sitting in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown, I got the impression that his mother hadn’t told him about the baby yet. 

I decided that, if John really didn’t know about the baby, I wouldn’t volunteer any information. Little Charlie doesn’t need him in her life.

“Charlie died this morning,” I said, as an explanation for what I was doing there, “I was involved in a car accident when I was hurrying to get here in time. Nothing serious, just minor injuries.” I glanced at the baby he was holding.

John followed my gaze. “This is my son.” Beside him, Willa was beaming.

So he finally admitted it. 

He had told me multiple times before we got divorced that he wasn’t the father of Willa’s baby, and like the fool I was, I had believed him. 

The fact that, until the scandal broke out, he had repeatedly refused to sign the divorce papers hadn’t helped. I had taken that to mean that maybe he wanted something more than just a contract marriage, but I could see now that I was wrong. It was just his bruised male ego. He wanted to be the one that ended this contract, not me. 

I turned my head so that he couldn’t see my expression.

He noticed, despite my effort to hide my emotions. “Stop acting like you’re sad,” he said, glaring at me, “I can’t believe anything you say or do anymore, so don’t bother.”

I quickly wiped my tears away and looked back at him. When the rumors about me had come to light, he could have easily searched for the truth. He was more than capable of finding a way to clear up the scandal if he’d wanted to. 

Instead, he just automatically decided that I was the one who had been dishonest. He hadn’t even bothered checking for facts before blaming me for stringing him along for three years. He obviously didn’t trust me, so I needed to stop putting faith in him.

“John, I’m tired,” Willa said sweetly, after remaining silent this whole time, “let’s go back to my room so I can lie down.”

He glanced at her. “I’m sorry for making you stand there like that. You’re right, you need your rest. Let’s go.” With that, they both turned and walked away, with Willa turning her head and smiling at me victoriously.

“Wow, that was awkward.” Emma continued pushing my wheelchair down the hall. “I was so tempted to say something, but I restrained myself. Is it just me, or do those people have a knack for showing up everywhere you go?”

We went back to my room, where I got back into bed, leaning on Emma for support. 

I turned on my computer and saw that there was yet another email from the CEO of the company where I would soon be working as the CFO. This company happened to be owned by the Worthingtons. 

My biological parents.

I had spent the first twenty-seven years of my life unaware of this, until one day when the Worthingtons showed me a letter that Charlie had sent them. In it, he explained that when he was eight years old, he had seen a nurse accidentally switch two babies - me and Willa - and that he had never told anyone about that, because he had decided at the time that he would prefer me as a sister instead of Willa. The reason that he was bringing this up now, according to his letter, was so that he could unburden himself while he still had time to do so.

This information hadn’t affected my relationship with him, or with the Worthingtons, who had always treated me with love and kindness ever since long before they knew that I was their real daughter. 

I had been giving them financial advice for the last few months, and they had started talking about giving me a position in their family’s company as the official CFO. 

If I accepted, they said that they would throw a party in my honor to announce not only my new position, but also my true identity as their daughter. 

I opened the email from the CEO, not at all surprised to see yet another strongly-worded tirade. I let out an exasperated groan.

Emma raised her eyebrows at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Just another email from the CEO, Mr. Parker.” I rolled my eyes. “Remember what I told you about him?”

“Oh, yeah.” She nodded. “He thinks that you’re just some nepo baby who doesn’t know what she’s doing, just because you’re related to the Worthingtons.”

She frowned as she read it. “He sounds like a grumpy old fogey. He doesn’t seem to want to understand anything that goes against his preconceived notions.”

“I just can’t wait to work with him,” I said sarcastically, “I’m sure it’ll be fun.” I made a face.

I could only hope that, now that there was nothing preventing me from appearing in public and I could start working as soon as I was physically able to, that man would change his opinion of me. I seriously doubted it, though.