The Truth is Out (3)

''I am pretty sure that you know that the marriage between Ivy and me was not one for love but a political one... one for business gains.

Our father thought that since Ivy was one of the Crompton's grandchildren, he could make use of her to obtain some business deals but little did he knew how wrong he was.

On the second day of our marriage, he learnt the truth, that Ivy and her mother Ava were not at all liked by the Crompton's and all his carefully laid down plans went to waste.

At that time if he knew that I cared about Ivy then he would have used her in some way to make me listen to him and his wishes.

As at first, I had no wish to get married but later when I learned that if her marriage with me failed then she would have to marry someone twenty years her senior. That is why I went along with father and married her.''

''What wishes?''

Leo asked,

"He wished for me to have.... intimate relationships with different women to gain advantages for our company.''

"What advantages?''

"Advantages in biddings... in getting license and clearances for our projects.''

"But you did it anyway, didn't you? I mean, have relationships with different women?''

''I didn't,''

Damon said in a guaranteed voice.

"Come on, don't lie to me Damon you are famous even in Hawaii for not being with a woman for more than one night.''

''I never cheated on Ivy... never.''

Damon again repeated himself.

"Yeah, like hell I believe you.''

Leo said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes at him.

"But are you sure you are talking about our father? I know how important reputation and status is to him, but even he would not stoop down so low....would he?''

Leo asked, finding it hard to believe Damon.

"You don't know anything...''

"What do you mean?''

Leo asked,

"You don't know that our father has been cheating on mother for years...''

Damon told Leo feeling a bit sad and disappointed that his own brother was not able to fully believe him without proof and explanations.

"No... no, you are lying if it was true, then mother must have known or at least heard about it till now?''

''She knows, but she doesn't care.... she doesn't care as long she is his legal wife and has claim over his property and money.''

''No.....no way...you..... you are lying! Why..... why would they do that?''

Leo asked in disbelief as all his faith in everything he has believed since he was young was slipping away, like sand from his grasp.

"Because they don't love each other. Because both of them are in an arranged marriage..... because our father exchanges favor for the relationships he has.....because...… because he is just like that and he wanted me to be like that too but I didn't listen to him..... I didn't want to live like that...live my whole life as a lie.''

"I need to sit down.''

Leo said as he felt dizzy, making his way to the couch to crash down at it.

"How... how are you so sure? Maybe...maybe you are wrong..... maybe you misunderstood him.''

Leo said after a while, in a desperate move to have a grasp at things, trying to hold on to his belief that no matter how messed up his family is, they are not that bad.

''Leo... I saw him with my own eyes as he had one of his women who was pregnant with his child.... with the DNA test matching him thrown out of the house by the security, I also saw our mother sitting silently at the table, not minding the disturbance as she had her breakfast.

Acting as if the person who was so ruthlessly throwing away a woman...not even once denying that he was innocent...that he was being set up was her husband of twenty years.''

Damon said as he looked at his younger. Seeing the pain in his eyes, Damon felt as if he had failed...failed to protect his younger brother from the disgusting things happening in their home.

"This is also one of the reasons I didn't look for you when you suddenly shifted to Hawaii. I thought that it might be good for you to stay away from here.''

Damon told him.

''I...I need to leave..."

Leo said breathlessly as he stumbled towards the door to escape, wishing desperately for all of this to be a dream.