Mila stared at the gloomy and nervous expression on her father's face . She wasn't even half way through the conversation and had just asked him if he remembers Mr Andromeda from the last night and the man's expression just gave away so many answers to her unspoken questions .
Mila swallowed the sudden bile risinh on her throat . She is weak when it comes to her family but no stupid person could've missed the answers that are written in her father's eyes .
"The marriage proposal , is it true ?" Mila questioned , a more sobered expression on her face and unreadable ; her everyday mask .
Her father glanced at her , but no shock expression was on his face . It was as if he knew Mr Andromeda will tell her once she meets with him . It made her question , does he know that Mr Andromeda is the mysterious gifter and that the man they had beat to a pulp is just a scapegoat they are using to put her at ease that when she marries Mr Andromeda, she will be free because she will not suspect him as the mysterious gifter when the so called mysterious gifter has already been caught .
Her father placed his hands on the table, and Mila instinctively placed hers on top of his. He squeezed her hands tightly, his eyes filled with emotion as he spoke. "I'm so sorry, pumpkin , I promise you that from now on, I'll be completely honest with you." Mila nodded, her eyes filling with tears as her instincts told her that something painful and devastating was about to happen.
"I don't know where to start ." Her father nervously laughed and Mila formed a small smile that soon didn't last long. She is nervous , but also wants to hear this . He looked up at her , eyes filled with warmth before he let go of her hands and he stood up ," Come on ," he indicated for her to follow him before he headed to the shelves at the far end of the corner .
They were in the second room next to his study that Mila never knew existed until now . His father is a short man , so he needed the small ladder for assistance to reach the book shelf and behind the books , he pulled out a medium white box.
When he retrieved the box and was now standing infront of her , he handed her the box and spoke ," Do not open the box now . I first want to tell you a few things . "
Her father walked past her and sat on the brown leather couch . She followed and he took her hands in his again , an act he usually does when he seeks for comfort during his nervous breakdowns . She remembers that one time when she was young and it was time that he had to breakdown the news of the tooth fairy to her .
Either way , she knew something bad was about to come and she read a few words between the lines . She bit back the words at the tip of her tongue of wanting to tell her father to let it all slide and she wants to head back to her room . She forced the thoughts at the back of her head and listened .
"I am dying ." He first said .
Her heart stopped beating and she felt like someone had poured her with a bucket of water and ice . She only stared at her father , her voice suddenly lost and her brain seemed to have shut down . She felt him brush her hands before he spoke ," I have brain cancer, and if I had known sooner, I would have told you and your sister immediately." He lowered his head ," I too found out late, and I was caught up in the chaos of my work and the stalker who was targeting you." He took a deep breath," My father knew about my illness but kept it a secret from me because he wanted me to live like a normal boy after my mother's death. I'm sorry for keeping this a secret from you and many other secrets ."
Mila listened quietly . Her mouth could barely part and her brain could barely form any words out . It was like it too was shocked and speechless at the new information. She chose to ignore how her father did not mention keeping her mother in the dark too or maybe she does know , but Mila had to focus on important things than her mother knowing of her husband's illness . It wouldn't be much of a difference too if Charlotte Woods would be kept in the dark .
"About Mr Andromeda ." Her father shook his head , the regret clear and hanging in his shoulders like clothing ," I would never marry you off to him and I still don't plan on doing that either ." Her father took the box from her and opened it before he went through the papers in there while he spoke ," He just caught me where I was desperate the most. The businesses were not cooperating like before and I had gone bankrupt. The mansion was threaten to be taken away from me . I could not pay for you and Jaz educational fees and he happens to collide with me . Well," her father shrugged his shoulders and smiled lightly ," I happen to collide with him."
If Mila could guess , Mr silver eyes made sure his father collides with him . It was well planned .
"He helped me Mila . With a snap of his fingers , he saved my life and everyone's else in the house . Everything went back to normal and I had promised I will pay him back but he went ahead and told me that he wants my daughter's hand in marriage . I had refused back then . I ran away , and that is why we left that mansion and moved here . He couldn't find me for months . Or he just didn't bother searching for me . Until I hit another dead end and this time , people were targetting me and my businesses . He is a powerful man , he had all the resources to protect all of us and help us . So I went back to him , and he did it again , he pulled me back from the pits of darkness without any second thought and hadn't made my betrayal clear or expect an apology from me other than my daughter's hand in marriage ."
Mila listened carefully , she just knew there is more to it and when his father handed her a USB and said ," He told me of something I could not believe . He told me of your mother's deepest secret that she has kept from me for all these years . He opened my eyes . " And there it is .