Scars Of A Broken Bond



"What? Why would you say that?" Sabrina asked.

"Because my uncle..." Blayze's words trailed off. He grabbed the wine glass from the table, draining it in one go, and then slowly filled it again. "My uncle interfered with Tyrone's investigation into your father's case... He tried to pin the blame on Larry. Remember when I told you the Evans family was clashing with Tyrone over some business? I wasn't telling you the whole truth."

Sabrina felt trapped. She'd been avoiding Blayze since her return, hoping to distance herself from the chaos.

Blayze lowered his head. "You didn't argue. You must despise me now."

Sabrina found herself at a loss for words. After a brief pause, she admitted, "I don't know. I just can't wrap my head around why you would do something like that."

Back in Philade, Sabrina had trusted Blayze's words completely. But everything changed after she heard the full story from Tyrone that her father's case was the root of the feud between the Evans and Blakely families.

At that time, Sabrina supposed Blayze might be unaware of what the Evans family had done. Otherwise, why would he have been so open about wanting to take action against them the last time they talked? But now, he confessed he had lied, which revealed he was indeed aware.

"Then why don't you just come and ask me?" Blayze suggested, propping an arm under his head and narrowing his eyes at Sabrina.

Sabrina had contemplated asking Blayze why the Evans family intervened in the investigation. Yet, she quickly realized it was pointless. She had only met Blayze by chance. He had no obligation to explain anything to her. Although Blayze had assisted her on a few occasions, it didn't mean he was bound to help her with everything.

"Blayze, you're aware of how much my father's case means to me, yet you decided to proceed as you did. You must have your reasons, ones that matter more to you than how I feel about it. So, asking you about it seems pointless," Sabrina revealed.

Blayze was stunned at her words. Then, with a strained smile, he looked up at Sabrina. "You're right, so..."

He lifted his gaze to meet hers, his expression turning somber. "Do you want to know why?"

"Why?" Sabrina inquired, curiosity piqued.

Blayze bowed his head, gripping the glass so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Striving for composure, he confessed, "Because my uncle despises the Blakely family, and so do I."

Seeing his face, so reminiscent of Tyrone's, Sabrina was struck with a thought. Could it be...

"Back then, my dad had an affair with Kira. She flaunted her pregnancy to my mom, who was eight months pregnant at the time. My mom went into premature labor and gave birth to me. After that, she couldn't find peace. One day, unnoticed by the nurse, she jumped from the rooftop..." Blayze shut his eyes, teeth clenched, lips quivering slightly. His voice was deep and rough, filled with sorrow.

"My uncle told me she died instantly, the ground soaked with her blood..." he shared, taking a sip from his glass.

"She was just twenty-four years old when she passed away... I remember my grandma saying my mom was born in the fall. The night before her birth, it drizzled. My grandma saw it as a sign and named her Analia. My mom was sensitive and delicate, with a perpetual sadness in her eyes.

Hearing of my mom's death, my grandma fainted, and her health declined after that. She developed Alzheimer's and

often mistook people for my mom. Near the end, she approached me, grasping my hand, regretting she named my mom Analia. She said autumn rain symbolizes parting, descent, and life's fading... Since birth, I've been without my mom. The one who caused her so much pain lived comfortably, shielded by the Blakely family. Kira left the country, facing no consequences..."

Blayze clenched his jaw, tears gathering in his eyes. He quickly shut his eyes, leaned his head back against the chair, and inhaled deeply.

Sabrina pieced things together as she considered Tyrone's family background. Tyrone was the child of Kira and Horace. Blayze harbored deep resentment toward the Blakely family due to his mother's passing.

The Evans family's intervention in delving into the case of the death of Sabrina's father stemmed from their desire to have Larry take the fall, regardless of the truth. If the word got out that Larry was the culprit, it would inevitably incur losses to the Blakely Group. By then, the Fowler and Evans families, along with others keen on seeing the Blakely family decline, would add salt to the wound. Even if the Blakely Group managed to navigate through the crisis, the ordeal would still leave its mark.

Suddenly, it dawned on Sabrina that she had once spoken to Horace over the phone. Horace's courteous demeanor made sense to her now. His knowledge of her being Tyrone's ex-wife was at play. Plus, before that call, Tyrone had visited Horace's place over Rita bugging her. Horace's easy consent to Tyrone's request was likely because Tyrone was his son.

Sabrina stated, her voice soft, "Blayze, I get where you're coming from. I've been without a mother since I was little. Luckily, my dad loved me enough to take big risks. That's the main reason I'm driven to uncover the truth behind his death."

It seemed Blayze hadn't been as fortunate. His strained relationship with Horace was evident, as he often mentioned his uncle and grandmother instead. His father didn't seem to play a significant role in his life. If Horace had been willing to own up, none of these subsequent issues would have happened.

"You really care about your mom, just as I do about my dad. Knowing the pain of losing someone close, I shouldn't give up," Sabrina added.

"I'm sorry..." Blayze took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and looked at Sabrina apologetically. "I've regretted it, but I didn't dare to face you. That's why I didn't meet you until today."

"I get it... Everyone has secrets they find hard to share with others," she replied.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

"I'm really worn out, Sabrina," Blayze whispered, leaning over the table.

"Then you shouldn't push yourself so hard." Sabrina paused for a moment before standing up and taking the glass from his hand. "Let's not talk about your feud with the Blakely family. Why let yourself be consumed by hatred and plots? You could travel, take photos, and just enjoy life. Doesn't that sound like a better plan?

"That could be... But... But things are not that simple..." Blayze frowned and said, "If I leave, who's going to take charge of the Fowler family?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," Sabrina replied. "It's getting pretty late. Should we head back? Where do you live?"

"Where I live? I live..." Blayze's words became blurred due to the alcohol.

Leaning closer, Sabrina tried to catch his words but couldn't make out what he mumbled in the end. Damn it. If only she had known, she wouldn't have wasted time listening to him ramble. She should have directly asked for his address.

Sabrina had no clue where the Fowler family resided. Tyrone probably knew. But, if she reached out to Tyrone explaining she needed to drop the tipsy Blayze home, he'd likely rush over to Violetholt to fetch her.

Calling Rita didn't seem like a good option. Then, Sabrina recalled Horace had called her before. Yet, Horace was the last person Blayze wanted to see... It was best to take Horace to a hotel.

Sabrina took a taxi and asked the waiter's help to escort Blayze into the car. Then, she returned to the hotel and secured a room for him.