Chapter 66

"Your father? What does he want?" Robbie could not hide the anger in his voice as he stared at Alex. He knew he shouldn't be mad at Richard but the way he treated Alex like she did not even exist, was something he would never forget.

Robbie witnessed it all. She was twenty-one when she moved in with him as she caught her drunk again on the couch, barely breathing. Apparently, he learned to abuse anti-depressants as well and it almost killed him. Since then, Alex had enough of him.

Richard was diagnosed with severe depression after Marife passed away with cancer. It was the lowest point of his life and to cope, he started binging on alcohol. Along the way, he stopped caring about her two daughters. When Clarice had the opportunity to leave by meeting Armand, she didn't think twice and after getting married, she just flew away to New Zealand.

Alex had tried to take care of her father at a young age that one of her escapes was to be with a guy who just loved her for what she could give him personally.... her body. She thought that was the only way to love that she never saw her full worth until now with Robbie.

She could have a wonderful life without her father. She had her own family now, and the reappearance of her father would just ruin everything she was trying to build.

"I didn't want him in my life anymore, Robbie. Why won't he just leave me alone?" and she started to weep. "My life had been quiet without him and now what? Just because he learned I'm getting married, he wanted to barge in back in my life. Who the hell did he think he is?! I don't want him back in my life, Robbie. I hate him!"

Tears fell like a well from her eyes as Robbie pulled her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried and lean on his chest. He hugged her tightly as he tried to ease her pain by comforting her.

"I know... I understand..." and Robbie ran his hand on her hair as she laid down on his chest. "What do you want me to do?"

Alex lifted her head and shook it.

"It's okay, Robbie," she said as Robbie wiped her tears. "I'll talk to Clarice about this. I know she was the one who gave my number to Dad."

Robbie sighed. Clarice had always tried to reconcile the father and daughter but she always failed. Alex didn't want anything to do with her father anymore since that incident.

It was late at night when they came back to the beach house. Alex sneaked out to the terrace so she could talk to Clarice privately. Robbie had already gone to bed after they gave Sasha a kiss on her forehead when they came in. Her daughter was fast asleep when they walked in her room and she knew that by tomorrow the girl would be asking her questions on why they came home late.

She would deal with it tomorrow but for now, she needed to make a video call to her sister, Clarice.

"Hello, Alex," greeted Clarice on the other line. "Listen Alex-"

"How could you? You have no right-" Alex spat out.

"No right? I haven't heard from you, Alex, when you said you would call me. Then Dad called me. He said he wanted to see you."

"And you believed him?"

Clarice sighed. "I know you're still mad at him but please give him a chance."

"HOW MUCH MORE CHANCES, CLARICE?! I gave him so many chances all my life. You were not there. You left me with him, remember?"

"I know what I did, Alex, and I still regret it. But it is not an excuse for you to not acknowledge him at all. Besides, you're getting married. Can you forget your differences and at least let him walk you in the aisle?"

"Wow, unbelievable! I wasn't even there on your wedding, and now you want him to be part of mine! Stop manipulating my life, Clarice!"

"He had changed, Alex. He's not the same as years ago. He really changed."

"How would you know? Have you been talking to him recently?"

Clarice lowered her eyes.

"Fuck!" she cursed in anger as her sister glared at her. "I don't get it. He neglected us and yet, here you are ready to accept him no matter what."

"He is still our father!"

"But he was never been a father to us when he decided to love alcohol more than us!"

Clarice sighed. "Alex.... just try to talk to him, please, okay."

Alex looked away, trying to decide what should be the better step. In her heart, there was full of anger and pain. Pain that never left for years whenever she thought of him.

But she also knew that she had to face him soon. There was no other way because he would try to keep communicating with her until she gave up... He knew her very well.... he would go for heights for them to meet personally.

"Talk to him now or it might be too late..."

Alex creased her eyebrows as she suddenly felt nervous on what Clarice had said.

"Too late for what, Clarice?"

Clarice looked away as she blew a breath on her face.

"What is it Clarice? Is there something you are not telling me?"

Clarice was about to speak when a loud scream filled the room.

"Mommmyyyy!!! Mommmyyy!!" yelled a little boy from the background as Clarice turned her head towards it.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I got to go. Sonny is awake. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Okay. Bye," and the screen turned black.

Alex placed the phone on the small round table on the terrace and leaned herself onto the rail. She looked up to the moon shining up in the night sky as she sighed.

Could his father have a condition too?