Not One's Cup of My Tea

Tristan was confident that his ears were still functioning very, very well. Listening to the words that just came out of Alfonso's mouth, he immediately blinked. Digest for a few seconds and then think again and again.

Is what his father-in-law said the truth or just nonsense to invite his emotions. Like lightning strikes in broad daylight, he again discovers a new reality. It turns out that Raphael is his birth father.

Did Tristan immediately believe it? Of course not. He even tried hard to deny what Alfonso had just said.

"Don't be crazy, Pa! What kind of bullshit do you want to tell me?" said the man casually. As much as possible, keep his face of continue to look calm. Tristan must not be provoked by the bait that Alfonso just threw.

"So you doubt what I said?" Alfonso replied with a smile. The man's face was genuinely mocking. "Have you forgotten about the news about the scandal between Gracia and Raphael that I told you a while ago? I'm sure you must have proven the truth yourself. So now you doubt this one news?"

"Tristan, please don't ----"

"Shut up, Raphael!" cut Alfonso. "You are the suspect here. Don't dodge. Today all your rottenness will be exposed one by one in front of your son," he said later.

Meanwhile, Tristan seemed to be silent again for a moment. After a while, the man's voice was heard again.

"Don't make it up. Don't poison me with fake news. I am Tristan Quartararo, the only son of Andrew John Quartararo and Gracia Floy Quartararo."

Once again, Alfonso laughed, seeing how Tristan was trying to deny the reality in front of his eyes. But he tried to understand it.

"I'm not making this up. You need to know when the accident happened to you a few days ago. Did you know that Raphael donated your blood for you? Yes, your blood types are the same because they are related."

"It could be a coincidence," said Tristan disapprovingly. "My blood type is even the same as Edward's father. So I'm the son of the Cullen aristocrat who got mixed up?" he said mockingly.

At the same time, the smile did not fade from Alfonso's lips in the slightest. Choosing not to answer, the man fished something out of his jacket pocket. He takes out a white envelope and hands it to Tristan to look at.

"Please check this one out. I'm sure you'll need it."

At first, Tristan was lazy to accept what Alfonso gave him. But because the man kept thrusting it, he hesitated to reach for his mother-in-law's gift. Then slowly open and then read the contents written there.

"That's the result of a DNA test that Andrew did a few years ago after you were born. There was also a DNA sample of Andrew and Raphael. But the one with you belongs to Raphael."

Tristan read carefully what was written on the sheet of paper. A few seconds later, he seemed to shake his head. Then after squeezing and then throwing away the paper, he was holding.

"This is impossible. This must be a fabrication. Detective Joseph said Uncle Raphael had been separated from Mama for a long time before he married Papa."

Still laughing, Alfonso's gaze immediately turned to Raphael, standing stiffly beside him.

"Is that so, Raphael? Do you deny this one news?"

Raphael's throat felt tight. Even to answer, he seemed unable to. When he told the truth, he had to be ready to open the old wounds he had worked so hard to bury. It wasn't that he didn't want to admit Tristan. It was just that Raphael wasn't ready to tell him so quickly and at the wrong moment like now.

"Come on, Raphael," repeated Alfonso. "Why are you silent? Are you ashamed to admit your flesh and blood? What kind of father are you. Could it be that you left Gracia because you didn't want to be responsible for her? That's why Andrew was kind enough to marry poor Gracia."

"ENOUGH, ALFONSO!" Raphael looked furious. The patience he had been trying to cultivate was exhausted.

"Tell the truth, Uncle Raphael." This time Tristan took over the conversation. the man is standing in front of him. "Tell me that this story isn't true."

Raphael looked up briefly. He couldn't help but answer what Tristan had asked him. What

"Alfonso said was true. I'm your real daddy, Tristan."

"No."

Tristan laughed, shaking his head. "This must be a big lie. It's bullshit, Uncle!" Tristan shouted disapprovingly. "If you are my real father, then why did Mama marry Papa? Why did you let them get married? Why don't you take Mama from Papa? WHY!"

Raphael gasped. Tristan's questions made him feel like he was dying of lice. Raising his hands, Raphael asked Tristan to calm down the overflowing emotions.

"Please calm down, Tristan. We can discuss all of this with a cool head. I'll explain everything to you, but calm down a bit."

"Answer my question, Uncle! Don't waste time," Tristan said firmly. The expression on his face was very disapproving. "Ah, I forgot. I don't need to call you Papa, do I?" the man sneered later.

Raphael took a deep breath. He gathered all his courage, then decided to tell his son everything without exception.

"Rather than Andrew, Gracia and I have already had a fairly close relationship. Long enough. The two of us are so close, and you could say very intimate. Several times I asked Gracia to get married, but she always refused because she wanted to finish her undergraduate education first. Ok, I accept the decision. However, I received an internship on campus in my final year at Cambridge. That's when our relationship was tested, and I couldn't help but leave Gracia for a while."

"Leaving Mama for a year?" Tristan asked as if asking for clarification. He had previously heard from detective Joseph that Raphael had been separated for up to a year and that this caused Gracia to turn to Andrew.

"No." Raphael shook his head. "In the first month, I was home for a few days. We both had time to spend New Year's Eve in my apartment. I even invited Gracia to stay there so she can have fun and unwind."

Tristan rolled his eyes in disgust. He was uncomfortable with what Raphael had said.

"Then since when did Uncle know Papa was approaching Mama? So since when have I been among you?" Tristan inquired impatiently.

"I introduced Gracia to Andrew a few months before getting my internship abroad. I never knew that Andrew had an interest and even an obsession with having Gracia," Raphael continued. "Right in the third month I was gone, Andrew deliberately incited Gracia. Somehow, he was able to get intimate photos of another woman and me when we were having a Halloween party. He then made the photo a weapon to secretly instigate Gracia. Unfortunately, your Mama believed. At that moment, he unilaterally broke off relations. Change cell phone number. Closing all access so that I can no longer contact him."

"Why don't you try to go home and provide clarification in person?" This time Tristan looked annoyed.

"You don't need to tell me, Tristan. I'm not a stupid man," Raphael retorted sharply. "As soon as I found out Gracia was avoiding me, I took the initiative to go home a few days after finishing work. But what do I get when I get to London?"

Tristan stupidly replied reflexively. "What?"

"I got the fact that your Mama married another man without first listening to my explanation."

Tristan could see Raphael's expression from his eyes which was flat—now replaced with a sad phrase. The shoulders of the man who was no longer young seemed to rise and fall following his breath.

"For God's sake, I feel devastated. I was feeling useless. Was I angry at that time? Of course, I was furious, especially when I found out that the child Gracia was carrying was my flesh and blood."

While Alfonso, who had been silent in the other corner, now seemed to be laughing. It was nice to see the father and son in front of him involved in such a big fight.

"For some reason. this is Raphael wanting to destroy Andrew." Alfonso joined in. "Instead of you are bothering to accuse me, it makes more sense for Raphael to kill your stepfather. Just look at what Andrew did to him."

"Shut your mouth, Alfonso!"

Having shot an angry look at his rival, Raphael now fixes his eyes on Tristan's figure, who is still motionless.

"Tristan, For God's sake, don't believe what Alfonso said. He's just trying to instigate you."

"Don't argue anymore, Raphael." Alfonso chimed in again. "Here, the one that makes the most sense to kill Andrew is you, not me! You have a grudge against Andrew. Deliberately approaching Gracia again to seize all of Andrew's assets slowly."

"No!" Raphael shook his head. "Don't believe Alfonso's words, Tristan. You should know that---"

"Stop it!" Tristan, who had been silent this time, shouted again in anger—asking the two people in front of him to stop arguing. "You two better get out of my room! And you, Uncle Raphael." Tristan pointed at the face of the man he now knew was his birth father. "If it's proven that you killed Papa, I will still drag you to jail. I don't care about the blood relationship between us."

"Tristan ---"

Tristan raised his hand. He immediately asked his two guests to get out of his way directly. After Raphael and Alfonso left, Tristan looked very angry. He immediately swept the table with one hand movement until it fell on the floor.

While rubbing his face roughly, he kept cursing in his heart. So hated the fact that he had just heard. Not to mention the anger was gone. Suddenly Mario entered the room. His assistant seemed to be walking in a hurry with a document.

"What about Mario? I don't want to be disturbed right now."

"Sorry if I'm presumptuous, Mister," Mario answered carefully. Then handed him something he had been holding in his hand. "But you need to read the file specially sent to you."

On his face, Tristan looked so lazy. Not long after that, he grabbed what Mario handed him and asked. "What file is this?"

"It's a file containing your wife's divorce suit."

Immediately Tristan grabbed his chest, which was throbbing in pain. even came closer, afraid that something would happen to her boss.

***

Sophia seemed to enjoy a piece of red velvet that her parents specially brought to her a few hours ago to visit her. While watching television, she appeared to be voraciously chewing until the last bite.

While Edward, who had just changed, immediately approached. He was handing Sophia a glass of water to drink.

"After eating something sweet, you should drink lots of water, Sophia. So that your tongue doesn't feel thick."

Accepting Edward's glass of water, Sophia then smiled and said quietly.

"Thank you very much. I'll finish the water that you have brought."

At that second, Sophia immediately gulped down the drink in her hand. Seeing Sophia's lips that looked wet, Edward, who had taken a sitting position, pointed his fingers to wipe dry those lips.

"You are this. Just like a child."

Sophia giggled, amused. Come to think of it again, Edward is really like a stepmother.

"Why have you been nagging since yesterday?"

"Because you're so hard to tell," Edward said quickly.

"No. I even obeyed your orders, didn't I?"

"Yes." Edward nodded. "But it must be accompanied by threats first."

Sophia immediately laughed, which was contagious to Edward. After the two fell silent, Edward took the initiative to speak again.

"By the way. Speaking of Tristan, I already told someone to send the divorce papers to his office."

Hearing that, Sophia immediately turned her head. The woman, of course, gave her a look as if asking for more explanation. It didn't take long for her to remember that Edward had asked her to sign a few days before.

A file that Sophia doesn't know what it's for. She knew Edward might use it for this one purpose.

"You really did?" Edward nodded nonchalantly. "I never play games, Sophia. From the start you told me about Tristan's rottenness, I was determined to separate you from that bad man. Besides, do you really have any intentions of going back to Tristan? After what he did to you? Don't tell me you still love him."

Sophia fell silent immediately. The question that Edward had asked just now left her speechless as well. She could not even be sure whether the love was still there or wholly erased from her heart.

"Don't waste your time loving a man who can only hurt you, Sophia," Edward said again. The man grabbed Sophia's face, asking her to look at him. "Even if you don't have a match with me, at least live with a man who can respect you, take care of you, and love you sincerely."

Sophia nodded. It seemed once he took a deep breath as if to release the burden that had squeezed his chest cavity.

"If I do break up with Tristan, will you accept me?" Sophia asked then.

"Ck." Edward immediately chuckled. "What kind of stupid question is that. Of course I would. Is there any reason for me to reject you?"

"I'm another man, Ed. Aren't you disgusted by marrying a woman who's obviously been used by your best friend? I feel ---"

Edward silenced the babble that had escaped Sophia's lips into one kiss—biting him so gently, trying to kiss him again and again. When Sophia was surprised and wanted to pull her face away, Edward quickly grabbed her by the neck. Then tried to deepen their kiss until Sophia couldn't help but reply.

"Never say things like that, Sophia," Edward whispered as their lips finally broke apart. Putting his forehead together, he spoke again. "Do I really care about your status? No matter who you are, I don't care Sophia. No matter who you are, you have the right to feel happy again."

Sophia was touched. She was very flattered to hear what Edward told her. For some reason, every man defended him, and he would always feel guilty and even cursed his stupidity in the past for ignoring Edward.

"You're not saying this because you've slept with other women yourself, are you?"

Edward choked on his spit and was suddenly accused in such a way by the woman next to him. "Don't make accusations. Even though I like to change dates, of course I'm still clean, Sophia."

"Clean? Clean what do you mean."

Edward sighed before long. The man's hand was directed to scratch the back of his neck repeatedly. I thought to myself, why didn't Sophia understand what he meant.

"Edward, you heard my question, right?"

Sophia continued to chase. As if curious what Edward meant. "Ok, Fine. I'm still a virgin, Sophia."

"Seriously? A playboy like you is still a virgin? Seriously, Ed."

Sophia looked doubtful. The woman kept shaking her head in disbelief.

"I can swear on behalf of my parents, Sophia. I'm still a virgin. I haven't slept with any woman so far. That's why, when you become my wife, you must be very lucky."

Excited to hear Edward's words, Sophia hit the arm of the man beside her repeatedly.

"But I'm really serious, Sophia," Edward said again as the two of them fell silent for a moment. "Anyway, I'll wait for you until you're ready to change your heart to me. Even if I have to start from scratch, I'm not the least bit of a problem. The important thing is that in the end I can live together with you."

"Edward... I can't say anything but thank you."

Edward nodded. Without saying much more, the man grabbed Sophia's body and hugged her tightly. Give the effect as comfortable as possible so that the woman feels at home for long in his arms.