Iam a con.
It’s not just a nickname.
I kept her away when all I wanted was to have her closer.
Now she’s in front of me combusting from life-altering news, and my heart is breaking for her.
Hadley’s eyes blaze with fury as they slowly travel between me and her father. She’s not sure what to do with this information.
Her hands find her hair and she claws the strands as she shakes her head. “W-wait, I don’t… where the fuck do I begin right now?”
“Hadley, it’s really not what it seems,” her dad attempts to soften the blow.
“Not what it seems?” she yells. “Are you kidding me? You’re not… and my husband knew this whole time!” Hadley is enraged, and she has every right to be.
I step to her, but she moves farther away, giving me a warning glare to stand back. “Let him explain,” I attempt to suggest.
She shakes her head, hysterical from this news. “I don’t understand,” she cries.
“You’re my daughter. In every way that matters, you’re my daughter. But if you really want to look at biology, then we are related, just not as father and daughter. My brother was a twin, just not identical. Technically, you’re my niece…” Spencer drops the bomb.
Hadley stares at him blankly, connecting dots in her head. “You mean my uncle, your brother, the one who died?”
He nods. “He wanted me to raise you as my own, and I did just that since you were barely able to walk, and I never looked back. My brother never wanted me to tell you. Still, I thought about telling you, but I was scared because you’remydaughter.” The agony on his face is apparent, and I feel for him in this moment.
Tears stream down Hadley’s face, and I try once again to reach out to her, only to be rebuffed quickly by her taking another step back. I just want to hold her in my arms right now. She doesn’t need to stand by herself. I’ll take care of her.
“Unbelievable… I had a biological mother who didn’t want me, a dad I never got to know, and only now I learn of this,” she wails.
“I’m so sorry. You must know it’s from love.” Spencer swipes a hand across his jaw before wiping a tear away.
Hadley looks at him with pure hurt. “Who else knows?”
“Your grandparents, Mom, a friend, lawyers… and apparently Connor.” He sighs.
Her sharp gaze returns to me. “Why does he say it like that?”
My shoulders sink, and I know nothing I say will ease her pain. “A few years ago, when I came to you that morning, I snuck in to surprise you, but I accidentally overheard your parents talking. They didn’t realize I was there, obviously, and they were debating telling you since you had just turned eighteen. Spencer didn’t know I knew until I told him the day after we got married.”
A gasp escapes her lips and fresh tears form. “That’s what you two were talking about so intensely?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
She lunges forward and takes hold of my shirt in pure rage. “Were you ever going to fucking tell me? Or were you just going to stay married to me and keep this secret?”
I take hold of her wrists and ensure our eyes engage. “Hadley, you have to understand—”
“No,” she interjects firmly.
“What can I do right now to make this better for you?” Spencer requests with sadness in his voice yet standing strong because he won’t ever let her go.
Her sobs fill the room. “Go away,” she whispers with deep pain flooding her face.
“Hadley.” He tips his head to the side, hopeful the conversation won’t stop.
“I can’t be here right now.” Hadley’s voice cracks right before she just flees the kitchen, leaving us there.
I want to go after her, but I feel she needs a minute. Instead, my hands slam down on the counter from pure anger that she’s hurting and I’m not even sure who’s at fault.
