Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 37 RYAN Lily's face drained of color before my eyes, but I was too stunned to fully comprehend it. I turned to Angelo, silently seeking confirmation that I wasn't the only witness to this sudden change. "Are those kids you picked up from school yours?" I blurted out, my gaze flickering back to the car. "Actually, scratch that. Could they be mine?" Confusion and disbelief warred within me. On one hand, I dreaded the thought of Lily having children with another man. On the other. the idea that she might have kept our kids hidden from me for nearly seven years was incomprehensible. Lily approached tentatively. "Let's go inside and talk about this, Ryan," she suggested. "Of course, we're going to discuss this! I hissed, my steps quickening towards my car. "Open the gate!" I barked at her security team. The gate swung open, allowing Angelo to follow Lily into the compound. As I pulled into the parking lot, I observed Lily alighting from the car, while one of her security personnel opened the back door. To my astonishment, instead of one, three children emerged from the vehicle. "What in the world? Angelo muttered beside me, his voice laced with disbelief. Anger surged through me. "You have three kids with her, and she..." He trailed off, exhaling heavily before stepping out of the car. Two of the children, who bore a slight resemblance to each other, remained close to their mother's side. The third child, who peeked out of the window, darted into the building. Frozen in place, I watched the trio of boys, stunned by the revelation. Lily cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence. "Can we please go inside?" she requested, her voice strained with apprehension. Struck dumbfounded, I found myself wordlessly trailing Lily's lead as we made our way into the house. The trio of little boys ascended the staircase, disappearing from sight, likely retreating to their designated rooms. Meanwhile, Angelo tactfully excused himself under the guise of a phone call, though I knew it was just an excuse to give us a moment. Sinking into the soft cushions of the sofa, I cradled my head in my hands, grappling with a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. "What in the world is happening here?" How could Lily possibly have kept such a big secret from me for all this time? Lily settled beside me, "I was going to tell you Ryan." With a tentative gesture, she reached out to touch my hand, but I flinched away, my heart heavy with betrayal. "You we were planning to tell me this, Lily?" I uttered, my voice a mixture of disbelief and hurt. Unable to contain the storm raging within me, I rose to my feet, pacing the room in restless agitation. Three children, Lily. Three innocent lives, and you saw fit to keep them hidden from me all this while?" Standing in response, Lily's voice remained remarkably composed, a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside me. "Ryan, you really need to calm down. We must engage in a civilized conversation about this. Shouting and arguing will not lead us anywhere constructive." "And will an apology change the fact that I missed everything in their lives?" I countered, the frustration evident in my tone. She struggled to form a response, her silence speaking volumes. "What could you possibly have to say, Lily? Nothing justifies keeping my kids away from me!" "I'm sorry," she whispered softly, her voice barely audible. "I truly am sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, but all I can say is that I am sorry. I halted in my tracks, turning to stare at her incredulously. "Do you hate me that much?" I whispered, the pain evident in my voice. "Do you hate me enough to keep my children away from me? To allow another man to take my place in their lives?" She sighed, the weight of the situation heavy upon us both. "What can I do to make this better, Ryan?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation. Scoffing bitterly, I raised my head and cast my gaze skyward, attempting to quell the raging storm of anger within me. "I don't know. maybe you can turn back the hands of time to when they were born so I could have spent every moment with them, or perhaps you can magically erase the look of strangers from their eyes. 11:40 AM Chapter 37 As she took another tentative step toward me, I instinctively retreated, the space between us a chasm of unresolved emotions. "Ryan... her voice pleaded, reaching out to me. Shaking my head in disbelief, I scanned the room, ensuring I hadn't overlooked anything. "I can't do this with you right now, I muttered, my resolve faltering as I stormed out of the living room, deaf to her calls behind me. Just as I stepped outside, I collided with Jake, the intensity of our gaze locking in a silent standoff. My eyes darted to the five plastic bags he held, undoubtedly filled with takeout-a sight that only stoked the flames of my simmering fury My fist clenched and trembled behind me, the wild, untamed part of my being clamoring to break free from its restraints. "Sir." Angelo's voice cut through the haze, a desperate attempt to pull me back from the brink of that feral mood threatening to consume me. Ignoring his words, I remained lost in the tumult of my own emotions until his firm grip closed around my forearm, grounding me in the present, "Ryan, let's go. The kids are watching from their window," That simple statement jolted me back to reality. Reluctantly tearing my gaze away from Jake, I followed Angelo's direction. He nodded towards the left, and I followed his gaze to the window where two heads peered out. They waved, their attention fixed on Jake, not me. "Don't lay the blame solely on Lily," Jake rasped. "Remember, none of this would have happened if you hadn't walked away from her." Suppressing the urge to unleash my pent-up frustration on Jake for the sake of the children observing us, I bit my tongue and held back, though my simmering anger pulsed beneath the surface. Moving closer to him, I kept my fists clenched at my sides. "I'm so furious with Lily that I can't even think straight. I feel utterly betrayed, to the point where I can't even bear to look her in the face, I admitted, my voice laced with raw emotion. "But understand this, Jake: my anger won't last forever." Angelo let out a weary sigh before respectfully stepping away, allowing us a moment of privacy. "I can't sustain my anger towards Lily indefinitely, and I think you should be aware of that," I stated firmly, meeting Jake's gaze head-on. His eyes swept over me, assessing my words with a confidence that irked me. "And what am I supposed to do with

that information?" he retorted, his tone brimming with self-assurance. Grinning, I stepped back. "Just so you know, I am coming back for my family." I grew up in a home where my father was present but absent. I never saw him or his affection very often, "my kids will not grow up in a broken home Jake, and not even your silly self can stop IL Jake's expression shifted instantly, his features contorting with anger. "You do realize that Lily and I are engaged, right?" he shot back, his tone tinged with defiance. Throwing my head back, I laughed heartily, the sound ringing out into the air. "And you think that's going to deter me?" I challenged, sweeping my gaze over him. "Even if you were married to her, it wouldn't stop me." As the tension mounted, the front door swung open, and Lily emerged, her gaze flitting between Jake and me. "What's going on here?" she inquired. "What do you think is going on?" I growled at Lily, frustration and hurt evident in my voice. "A man shows up with five plastic bags, acting like he's here to have dinner with my kids as if they're his. Giving Jake one last stern glare, I climbed into the car and instructed Angelo to drive away. The ride to one of our hotels in Canada was filled with a heavy silence. Angelo, sensing my need for solitude, turned on the music, allowing me to get lost in my thoughts Not a word passed between us until Angelo parked the car in the hotel's lot. As he turned off the engine, he faced me. "What's on your mind?" My gaze shifted slowly to him. "What if they don't like me?" I mumbled, the mere thought tightening my heart. "What if they choose Jake over me?" Angelo sighed reassuringly. "They are your sons, Ryan. Developing a liking for you will come naturally." I harbored doubts. "It's not that simple, I argued, my past experience coloring my perspective. "I never developed any liking for my father "That's because he didn't make an effort, Angelo countered, offering a glimmer of hope. "Make an effort, show them that you care, and 2/3 11:40 AM Chapter 37 watch how things fall into place." I wished it were as straightforward as he made it sound. "On the bright side," he continued, "I believe you just resolved your issue with the board. You not only have an heir they desire, but heirs, and you don't have to entertain the idea of marrying Stephanie or worrying about fathering another child."