chapter 28

We all looked at Tay; it was quite obvious that none of us could fathom why he would say that to his father. This wasn't him; Tay adores his father so much that he would do anything for his family. Chris looks at his son with disbelief; to say he is hurt is an understatement. God, this is not good.

"Tay, what's going on? Why would you say that to dad?" Andrew asks, confused.

"Because it's true Andrew, if it wasn't for him, none of this would have happened," Tay spits.

"Tay, what are you saying?" Nate asks.

"Son, I don't know what you heard, but this is not how you talk to your father," Chris tells Tay.

"I lost all respect for you the minute I stepped into that damn police station," Tay says, and runs his hand through his hair.

"You are just angry. I will let you cool down then we will talk tomorrow," Chris says and stands up.

"I'm calm, trust me. I just want to let you know that from this moment you are dead to me. You mean absolutely nothing to me," Tay spits, and we all gasp yet again.

"Why don't you tell me what got you so vivid?" Chris asks.

"How about you ask your dearest brother, I'm sure he will tell you? I thought you were not like him but...you are just like him even worse." Tay says with venom. And we all just stare.

"Brother, why are you doing this?" Nate asks.

"I'm doing what is best for us. I can't forbid you from seeing your father. Just know he is dead to me, and he is not welcome in my house." Tay tells Nate.

"You seem to forget that I gave you this house," Chris points out.

"Which is why we are moving. I have enough money to last us for a lifetime? Even if this is your house, it doesn't belong to you now." Tay fires back.

"We are moving?" Nate whispers.

"Yeah, I want you guys to pack up your clothes. That's all we'll be taking with us." Tay says and walks out of the kitchen. Chris follows his son, and we just sit in silence. None of us knows how to break it.

"What just happened?" Future asks, for the first time since the argument started.

"I honestly don't know," Andrew says and wraps his arm around her shoulders.

"I guess we better pack," I say, and they nod in agreement. I walk up the stairs and harsh voices are heard as I walk towards our room.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Tay. I honestly don't know how David found out. I did it to protect your mother." A voice I recognize as Chris says.

"Protecting her... are you kidding me? You fucked up! You turned her into a monster, that's what you did," Tay yells.

"Tay please I…,"

"You should be glad I didn't throw your ass in jail."

"Son, I didn't mean for what happened—"

"You were a man enough to do it!" Tay yells.

"Get out," Tay orders his father.

"What?"

"You heard me; I never want to see you again. What you did is too much for me to handle, let alone forgive," Tay says.

"I will go, but please visit your mother," Chris pleads, and silence takes over. Footsteps approach in my direction, and I run back to the stairs to make it look like I just arrived.

Christopher walks out, "Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, where are the boys?" he asks.

"I left them in the kitchen," I tell him, and he nods then walks away.

Sounds of things breaking inside our room catch my attention, and I quickly make my way to the room. The room is a mess; the small couch at the corner is flipped upside down. Bed sheets, pillows, and his laptop and iPhone smashed on the floor.

"Tay," I say as I approach him on the bed. He is sitting on the edge of the bed, his head buried in his hands.

I sit next to him and touch his shoulder. He snaps his head up, pulls me on his lap, and nuzzles his nose in the crook of my neck. I wrap my arms around his neck, and we sit like this for hours, him stroking my hair now and then.

****

We are now standing on the patio. Tay is sharing with me about what went wrong between him and David. After he calmed down, I got him to freshen up.

When Tay received a call from the office, the time we were at his parent's house, it was about David. Apparently, he walked into Payne Corporations and told everyone that he was now the owner of the company. Tay's assistant immediately called to let him know and when he got to the office they talked, but David started provoking Tay about the past; how he enjoyed fucking his girlfriend and Tay snapped when he started badmouthing his mother and kicked him to a pulp. He left him at the office and drove back.

"What does David have on you, which made you to give up everything your dad worked hard for?" I ask and lean my back against the balcony rail and place my hands on it.

"He has nothing on me but my parents," Tay says and leans his arms on the balcony rail and intertwined his fingers.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm sure Nana told you that Andrew and I don't have the same mother, right?" Tay asks, and I nod.

"Dad cheated on my mother, and Andrew is the product." Tay informs me.

"Of course Andrew doesn't know, and I didn't know as well. I also found out today from David." Tay says, and takes a deep breath.

"Dad told us that Andrew's mother died from a heart attack, and we never questioned it. He lied to us. Olivia, Andrew's mother, didn't die from a heart attack but from the poison that my mother injected her with." I froze.

I didn't know how to respond. I literally turned into a vegetable. I couldn't believe my ears, Carmen a murder. She is so sweet and caring, it's impossible that she would kill someone.

"Are you being serious right now?" I ask, shocked.

"Everything is on tape, David has it," Tay says and runs his hand through his hair.

"Will you tell Andrew?" I ask.

"I don't think I have the heart to. He will hate us and I can't afford that. I love him, and it will break my heart if he hates me," Tay says.

"But you are not the one who injected his mother with poison," I defend.

"But it was my mother, Olivia. He had to grow up without his mother's affection because of my own," Tay says, and leans his back against the balcony rail and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I know what Carmen did was cruel, but she raised him and gave him love." I try to reason.

"I'm not ready to lose my brother yet, Olivia. If possible, I will take this secret to the grave," Tay says, and I touch his shoulder to offer him some comfort.

"So, what happens now?" I ask.

"We are moving. I bought a house a year ago for a day like this," Tay informs me.

"Payne Corporations?" I ask.

"It's no longer my problem, and I want nothing to do with it either." Tay spits.

"Just like that, after everything you have done to grow it?"

"There's nothing I can do, Olivia, it's over. Payne Corporation has reached its downfall." Tay says.

"I'm sure there's something we can do?" I try to reason.

"Yes, there is,"

"What?" I ask.

"Sit back and watch," Tay says, and I swat his arm.

"Really?" I ask with disbelief.

"I can only try to find out what happened between mom, dad, and Andrew's mother's love triangle. I have someone who can help me." Tay informs.

"Okay, at least there's something we can do," I say. Silence takes over and after some minutes, Tay breaks it.

"Thanks,"

"For what?" I ask, confused.

"For being here and for not leaving. I know my family is complicated," Tay says, and tucks my hair behind my ear.

"I promised to be with you through thick and thin. It's difficult to get rid of me," Tay chuckles.

"Come on, time to go," Tay says, and we walk inside the room.

We spend the next hour packing our clothes. One thing I hate about moving is unpacking. The shit is exhausting. Tay and I descend the staircase to the living room. Andrew and Nate have already packed and ready to go. Future sitting beside Andrew.

"Nana I have been meaning to talk to you," Tay tells Nana.

"Me, too my son,"

"I won't be going with you guys. You're all grown now. My job here is done. I'm going back home to take care of my husband and children. I love you guys like my own children, and I hope you stay together forever. You remember what I used to tell you, right?" Nana asks the guys. The brothers share a look and nod at Nana.

"All for one and one for all!" The guys say in unison and hug Nana.

Future and I watch, "Why are you two just standing there, come here," Nana says, Future and I join the group hug. Seconds later, we separate.

"Take care of each other, okay?" Nana says, and we all nod.

"They say mountains don't meet but people do so until we meet again," Nana says and grabs her bags, and walks towards the front door.

"So, this is it, then?" Nate asks.

"Yep, this is it," Tay replies. Seconds later, we grab our bags and walk out.

"What will happen to the cars?" Nate asks.

"They are not mine anymore," Tay says, and Nate gasps.

"You are kidding, right?" Nate shouts and Future smacks the back of his head this time.

"Stop being so loud," Future says, and we walk to Andrew's car. The guys put the bags in the boot, Tay slid in the driver's seat, Future, Nate, and I in the backseat, and Andrew with Tay in the front.

"I have an idea," Nate says and leans in the middle of Tay and Andrew's seats. We made him sit between Future and I.

"What?" Tay asks as he drives through the highway.

"We could struggle David in his sleep and everything will go back to normal," Nate suggests, and we all glared at him.

"Seriously, that is your solution?" Future asks.

"Think about it, he will no longer be a problem."

"And Tay will go to jail for first-degree murder. Who do you think they will suspect first, genius?" Future asks.

"I didn't think about that," Nate says, and he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"That's because thinking is not in your vocabulary. There are watermelons in that head of yours." We all erupt in laughter and Nate glares at us.

"One of those days you will need me," Nate says and crosses his arms over his chest.

"I wonder how Rachel can put up with you. You are worse than a radio and mosquitoes combined," Future says and shakes her head.

"Andrew, I will kill her if she continues to say those things," Nate tells Andrew. Seconds later, the car comes to a halt.

The house in front of us is not as big as the previous one, but still beautiful. We all climb out; retrieve our bags and walk inside. The kitchen and living room are facing each other, and there are small stairs next to the kitchen. The couches are brown.

"There are six bedrooms. Choose any room you want," Tay says, and Nate is the first one to run up the stairs. We chuckle and walk up the stairs. Andrew and Future take the first room in the hallway; Nate, the one at the end, and Tay, and I took the middle one. After settling in, I walk out and into the kitchen.

I find Future drinking water. "Did you tell Andrew about...you know?" I ask.

"Yeah,"

"And?" I ask as I take a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"He was ecstatic; I have never seen him so happy before. And he asked me to move in here with you guys." Future says and I beam.

"And, will you move in?" I ask.

"I don't know,"

"Come on, it will be fun. I will need help to handle three guys. Nate is already a pain in the ass," I say, and Future chuckles.

"Tell me about it."

"So?" I ask.

"Okay, I will move in!" I hug her.

"Can't breathe," Future says and I break the hug.

"Sorry."

"Can you accompany me to the pharmacy, down the street; we passed it when we were driving here?" Future asks.

"Yeah, are you sick or something?" I ask.

"Not yet, but I think I'm going to catch the flu," Future says, and seconds later, we walk out the front door.

"Where did the guys disappear to?" I ask.

"Grocery," Future informs.

"Grocery, Nate in the grocery store?" I ask, shocked.

"They practically had to drag him to the car." Future says and I chuckle. We walk into the pharmacy shop, we separate to look for the medicine, and I come face to face with a person I never thought I will ever see again.

"Ria!"

"You are pregnant?" I ask, shocked, and staring at her small bump.

"Yep, and guess who is the father?"