Chapter 26 HER FAMILY

"They are Amaranth, do you think if I kill Zacharias, will you be free? no, another Amaranth will come and maybe will kill us both. If I let you run away, do you think you will be free again? Again no, because they will hunt you wherever you go."

I suddenly realized the reality. I was mistaken for a woman I crashed into. I thought Ley is an easy woman, I forgot dad's warning because I'm so mad at her. Now she is charging me. It hasn't really started yet but it brought me a strange fear.

"I am not doing this just because of myself, Hunter, but because of you also. My life is almost over, if I'm having fun now, it's because I deserve all of this. After all the sacrifices and the hard work that I made. If I am accumulating wealth because I want that if I leave in this World, I have something for you," he explained to me.

"If something bad happens to Ley, I will be imprisoned, I will not be able to use your wealth either." What is the use of his wealth if it doesn't set me free either? His money is useless if I will be in jail.

"Then enjoy your money in jail, live like a king there. Besides, you have to be thankful if you will be in jail. If nothing bad happened to Ley in her disappearance. As long as she's missing your safe with Zacharias but when she floats and something bad happened to her, then brace yourself. "

"Dad, please."

"You're not my only child. Even if your sister gives me a headache like a pest and I rejected her because she preferred to go to your mother, she's still my child. You said that maybe karma will return to her for what I did, well now I'm just going to save up for her nonsense. That will only happen if Zacharias remains my investor. "

"So you disowned me just Zacharias could stay with you?"

"Did I?" he asked. "I said I won't help you, but I didn't say I disowned you. Your still my son, you can live here, you can stay here, what mine is yours. But not in Hailey's case. Because once you were charged with the case against Amaranth or against Hailey that is your fight alone. "

I understood what daddy wanted to convey. I can't blame him if he can't let go of Ley's daddy.

He came from a poor family and as a child, he worked hard to get where he was.

Besides, he has nothing against the Amaranth. Both of us will be losers. Because what I did is very wrong.

"I don't want to go to jail," I said softly then wiped my face. Now I realize I was all wrong.

"Then go to Zacharias and talk to him." I looked up then looked at him. "I told you, as long as Ley is not floating, alive or dead. Zacharias will not do any action," he added.

"What will I do?"

"Sweet lies, do what you think is right. Ley isn't here yet so you should emphasize her first. Do it as of now just to be safe with Zacharias. When Ley comes back, you can fix the mess you made."

I think dad is right. But do I need to emphasize Ley first? I think yes. I need to clear my name in her family while she's gone so her dad won't hate me.

"Dad."

"You're welcome son, so don't say that I didn't do anything. I already gave you a piece of advice. But before you go there, fix yourself, take a rest first, then go there. I'm going upstairs and I'm going to continue what I did before you came. "

I thought dad doesn't really care about me anymore. But he gave me an idea to somehow lighten my load. He's still a father I know, he just wanted to let me know that I really made a mistake. He just doesn't want to get stuck between me and Hailey's dad, simple as that.

I'll take some rest, to condition my brain and myself. I need to be sober so I don't make mistakes before I show up to Ley's father.

I HAD just entered the Amaranth hall when the guard saw me and immediately let me in.

"Sir Hunter, it's you." He smiles while greeted me and I greeted him back.

I park my car when I saw a maid approach me.

"Where is daddy Zach?" I ask.

"In the garden, Sir, with Madam Charlotte and Miss Hera." I nodded at the maid's answer. I calm myself first as I walk towards them.

I saw them immediately. When Hera saw me, she immediately waved at me.

"Good evening," I greeted the three of them. Daddy Zacharias just nodded at me. I did not sit down because none of them invited me.

"I came here just to ask if you have any news about Ley." No one answered them. Daddy Zacharias sighed then pointed to the chair opposite me.

"Set," He said as I immediately complied.

"Tell us what exactly happened, Hunter?" Mommy Charlotte asked.

"Is it true that you're hurting Ley?" Hera ask.

"No," I quickly answered.

"Then how can you explain to us about the evidence that my sister gave to her lawyer. And you indeed filed an annulment?"

Hera didn't smile, she was too far from Hera who was jolly and naughty. Even mommy Charlotte was quiet too.

"I'll give you five minutes to explain to us what really happened to you my daughter, Hunter." The voice of daddy Zacharias demands with full of authority. I nodded at what he said. I need to do this. I saw some of the bodyguards move. I want to do this for my own safety, I need to, or else I can't leave here alive.

"Hailey hates me, cause I blamed her for what happened to our baby." I started. Three pairs of eyes staring at me and I was in their bastion. It is just a snap on their fingers can this be where my life will end if I give the wrong answer.

"When we got home from the hospital, that night I got drunk. I couldn't help myself. I'm mad, I'm in pain. I asked Ley for a long time to let us have a child and then it just disappeared so easily because she didn't take care of it. I knew I had done the wrong thing because I wasn't the only one hurt. Ley is the mother, but I was carried away by my emotions and I couldn't stop myself from being so drunk." I tried to convince them and hoped they would believe.

"The next morning, I go to work without talking to her---- then her lawyer suddenly came and said that Ley had filed an annulment. Yeah, I honestly suggested then, because in my anger I said we should just split up. But I didn't mean it. "

I shouldn't have put all the blame on Hailey. It wouldn't be realistic if I passed all the blame on her. I must have done something wrong somehow but for her must have been heavier. She started this so she should just be the one to insist.

"And why did you sign the papers?" Hera asks.

"I don't know, I am confused, I didn't know what I would do and I was already out of my mind. I was no longer on my own when I signed the annulment. I want to withdraw it, I want to talk to her but I cannot contact her. Only then did I find out from the Atty that she is missing."

"Is it true that you're hurting her, Hunter?" Gently, but full of sadness mommy Charlotte asked. The pain of a mother who is hurting.

"No Mom, I can't do that." I don't know where I got that courage to lie. I can see mommy Emilia on mommy Charlotte. I feel like I lied to my mother too. But I need to do this to protect myself.

"Then, why does she have bruises on the photos she gave to the fiscal's secretary?" I looked at the three of them first and then sighed as if I was ashamed to answer mommy's question.