GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO

“Kathen started working at Lina’s company when she was 20 years old and was a receptionist. Two years passed, and she saw others getting promoted while she didn’t. She always saw Lina arrive every day with a smile, and that frustrated my mother. She thought your mother had it out for her. Several events happened between them, but they are not relevant to tell. Once, Kathen entered the bathroom and noticed Lina depressed. She overheard her talking on the phone, saying she found her boyfriend in bed with another woman. Kathen and John were a couple living in a poor neighborhood, struggling. Unfortunately, she got pregnant with a daughter she didn’t want, and that’s me,” she paused, trying to control her tears.

“However painful it is for you, I can stop if you don’t want to continue. But I desperately want to know everything.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Don’t worry! It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you everything,” replied Courney, distressed.

“How do you know everything you’re going to tell me?”

“I overheard part of it when they argued, and I found out the rest by chance.”

Lindsey knows it’s not easy for her. She held her hand as a sign of trust and reassurance, and that seemed to achieve its purpose.

“Kathen devised a plan to enjoy Lina’s money. She found out that your mother wanted a child. She told John about her plan, which involved him getting a job as an assistant accountant in the company, falling in love with Lina, marrying her, and they wouldn’t have to get pregnant. Instead, John would show up with me, and they would adopt me. Later, he would divorce her after a year. With half of everything, John and Kathen lived like kings, and I would be raised by Lina, inheriting the rest of the fortune.”

“All for the damn money,” Lindsey exclaimed.

“Here’s the story of my family. Kathen got John a job and informed him about Lina’s comings and goings to make their encounters seem casual. In no time, he charmed her, and they got married. I had already been born. He took care and made her believe that he couldn’t have children. When everything was ready to take me to Lina, she gave him the news that she was pregnant.”

“I imagine she didn’t like the news! How did it happen? He was supposed to be careful,” Lindsey wanted to know every detail.

“I overheard them arguing one day. My mother confronted him, asking why he came home drunk that night and had relations with Lina without protection. That’s when you were conceived.”

“So, I was the product of John’s drunkenness. No wonder she hated me since I was born. I ruined their plans,” Lindsey replied with sarcasm mixed with melancholy.

“Yes! And mine too, because my mother always told me from a young age that you took away what belonged to me and that you shouldn’t have been born. I grew up with that resentment and hatred toward you. Forgive me, sister,” her eyes were filled with remorse.

“Continue,” a rage was growing inside her again; her eyes turned dark.

Courney choked on her own saliva, seeing her sister’s gaze. She knows she will have her contempt.

“My mother, upon receiving the news of Lina’s pregnancy, became furious. She wanted to kill our father. On the other hand, there were my mother’s demands for John to divorce, but as you know, he was greedy and ambitious. He didn’t want to give up his life of luxury. He was happy with the comfort of managing all of Lina’s assets. Here comes the most horrifying part of this story. I found out by chance when I overheard my mother talking on the phone and celebrating her death,” she clasped her hands nervously and bowed her head.

“For God’s sake, speak! Don’t stay silent! Continue,” Lindsey was moved by everything she heard about her mother’s suffering told from another perspective.

“Kathen was already tired of being John’s secretary, of living in a rented apartment, and receiving the crumbs he gave her, as she put it. She wanted to be Mrs. Girt and be part of high society.” Courney paused again, unsure of how to continue, feeling her throat dry. “May I have a glass of water to continue?”

Lindsey said nothing, got up, poured two glasses of water, and offered one to her sister. She could see that Courney was making her best effort to speak, observing how her hands trembled. Lindsey took a sip of her water as well, and when she saw Courney finishing all of hers, she took the glass from her hand, sat back down without saying a word, her gaze reflecting her desire to know more.

“During the time that your mother’s death occurred, Lina visited the company more often. Kathen always offered her water. Your mom didn’t die from a simple virus; Kathen poisoned her. I can’t remember the name of the poison right now, but it was something used as antifreeze for cars.”

Lindsey’s tears began to flow uncontrollably. She felt her heart shatter, almost hearing the crash, as if it were made of glass and falling to the floor. She hadn’t prepared herself to hear everything her sister had just revealed, and thoughts raced through her mind.

‘My mother died for a damn fortune, and I lived 11 years in the hands of the woman who killed her. Now I understand why those two unscrupulous bastards resent me. Finding out all of this gives a twist to my life. Kathen and John are going to see the worst side of me.’

“Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me, little sister!” Courney shouted with a choked voice, kneeling at Lindsey’s feet. Her hands trembled, and her eyes were swollen from crying.

Lindsey grabbed her sister’s face with her hands and with a restrained smile said. “Courney, I have nothing to forgive you for. You’ve also been a victim of the malice and ambition of the monster you have as a mother.”

Courney stood up and clung to Lindsey’s neck. The two began to cry like little girls. They separated, and without saying anything, Lindsey left the room. She walked without looking at anyone to the mansion, rushed up the stairs, and locked herself in her room. She grabbed her phone and dialed.

“Hello, my love.” Kyle answered; he was in the middle of a meeting, but when it came to his wife and he heard that tone on his phone, he didn’t care what he was doing, he always answered.

“Love, I need you!” She whispered, a mixture of sobbing and hiccups.

“I’m on my way,” he cut the call, worried.

“Gentlemen, I have to leave. Freed will continue the meeting.”

“Did something happen?” Freed asked, puzzled.

“I’ll tell you later,” he grabbed his things and left the office in a hurry.

Upon reaching his wife’s side and seeing her crying, hugging a pillow, he didn’t ask anything. He just sat beside her, pulled her towards him, and hugged her tightly, the two of them merging into one.