"Why Can't she forgive me? Why can't she understand me, Dad? Don't I even deserve a chance?" Cedric let out his outburst.
Regan could understand his son's outburst. But again Eleanor wasn't wrong. From his observation, she already endured a lot. And his son was taking everything for granted without understanding her.
"Cedric…" Regan called out when he sat back in his seat.
"Do you know how your mom fell in love with me?" Regan asked. Cedric was kind of shocked to hear this response. He thought he would get an earful from his father but… this question is kind of unexpected.
Cedric nodded him in a no saying he doesn't know much about their story.
"It's kind of similar to your story. I met her at a ball held by my university. As a young successful businessman, I was invited there. It was a masquerade ball. I never knew that this kind of ball would be held in the universities until I visited the university where your mother was studying.
"I gave a speech about my success. Then… I was asked to pick a random girl to be my dancing partner for the opening of the ball. Many women jumped in joy and tried to reach me so that I could pick them up. But… there is one woman… who lost her interest right after hearing the announcement where I am allowed to pick anyone. She even removed her mask and threw it on the ground before turning her heels around.
"Maybe we are fated, I happened to witness her actions. I knew she doesn't want to be my dance partner, But I wantedly to pick her as my first dance partner. She gave me an unpleasant look before putting on her mask and coming to me.
"From then, I realized I fell for her at first sight. A new thing was added to my daily schedule. That is chasing her. Even though she never spared a glance at me, I used to wait for her near the entrance during the college off times.
"Finally, one fated day she was so pissed and came to scold me. That fueled me. I took three months to leave the company and took my dad's help to manage the company. While I dedicated myself to chasing your mother.
"I joined as a professor there. I flirted with her endlessly and made her fall for me in those three months. We decided to get married after she graduated. But then again she said she wanted to do a job before getting married.
"I was eagerly waiting for her to graduate just to start my married life with her. But I was disappointed when she asked me to wait till she finds a job and work there. It's not like I am against it. It's just that… she didn't trust me enough to marry me. It's not like I won't allow her to work. Why does she need to do that before marriage?
"I was pissed, frustrated, and angered. That affected our relationship badly. I thought we might close our chapter there only. But I am not ready to lose her and neither is she. So, I decided to have a clean chat with her.
"Then I said, she can work wherever or how long she wished to after marriage. And asked my question why can't she go ahead with the marriage. Your mother is an illegitimate child in her family. Even though her stepbrother and her father were good to her but not her stepmother.
"When she was about to graduate, her father fell sick and needed a huge amount of money to pay for his hospital expenses. Her brother was just like her, he was about to graduate. Her father was the only earning person.
"When they were struggling, Deborah's mother paid the hospital fee by staking your mother to a middle-aged man. Deborah's mother promised her widowed brother that she would let him marry Deborah to him.
"That thing led into a huge argument. Finally, Deborah was given a choice. That she has to raise the money and pay it back in six months or she has to marry the middle-aged man. Before that, she shouldn't run or marry someone else.
"Your mother didn't tell me the troubles she was facing. I thought she was neglecting me. She knew everything about me but I don't about her. I felt useless, stupid, and unworthy to be with her.
"You know she dealt everything by herself. She managed to get six months to clear the debt. She stopped contacting me and we had less time. And the time just got lesser and lesser. And to the point, she doesn't have any time for me. We didn't contact each other in the last month of her deadline. That's when I grew suspicious and got her investigated. Only then did I get to know, she was working three jobs a day along with her regular job. Also, she did a freelancing job to make money.
"Finally fifteen days prior she made enough money to pay off the debt. She collected money from the back and was about to pay it back. But… a thief stole her money. She was trying to take loans from wherever she can. But no one is helping her.
"That was then I went to her and helped her. Even though she took it she wrote an IOU for me. I was like… I don't know but I felt hurt. Rifts… were the only things we had at that time.
"No one explained anything. I couldn't hold it anymore. I drank like a madman and talked with her. I don't remember what I said to her. But your mother came back to me and explained everything.
"She said she doesn't want to burden me or trouble me. How could helping her would be trouble or a burden? She would be my wife. How could I say anything to her? From then we made a promise whatever happens good or bad… we shall talk to each other.
"That's when we started our life. A happy life. My times with her were only the worthy times of my life.
"What I want to say is… communication is important in a relationship. We almost missed each other because of a lack of communication. And you are doing the same thing. Women are beautiful creatures. They want the person in their life to be with them all the time. And when they love someone they feel like that person belongs only to them. And their happiness and sadness everything they want to know it and be part of it.
"You did one of the biggest mistakes in your relationship by not talking things with her, by cheating on her, insulting her, asking her to get an abortion. How dare you!? Which woman would like to share the news of her pregnancy with her husband when he said the child doesn't deserve to be born just because you hate the woman? And what did you say to her… slut… a whore… and a bed warmer. You didn't even give her enough respect.
"She is right. There is love but only from her side. Not from you.
"Cedric, Now… tell me… give me one reason why Eleanor has to forgive you. She did a great job in trying to hold her emotions. A woman would never like a rape. Rape is a big insult to them and a scar that cannot be removed from their life. And you raped her. But she said nothing. She tried to not hurt you or didn't ask for an explanation. And till now… you never explained that but apologized without explaining. And even now… you said nothing and wanted her to understand you. She did once but she got hurt. Now… again, if she understands you and comes to you she is afraid that she and her child might get hurt.
"Now… if you got the answer, then rectify it rather than having your way with the things you do," Regan said as he poured another glass of alcohol in his glass. He downed it in a go and placed the glass on the counter.
"I am leaving. I left everything there without any announcement. So, I need to clean the stuff. You stay here and think about what you should do and the reason why Eleanor has to understand you. Just tell me one reason other than saying she has your child in her womb. You are just a sperm donor. Nothing much. As the mother… she has all the rights to her child. Don't you dare involve them in this," Regan said and got up from his seat before leaving.
He motioned Stephen with his hand. Stephen understood and was about to get the watch but he stopped in his tracks when he heard a female voice.
"Mr. Emerson, I need to talk to you.. I heard that you and your son did something that violates the law," A woman's voice sounded in the hall.