A Fateful Chance — Chapter 53: PRIYA’S ASSUMPTIONS

Andrew's POV

"I am glad that you were able to think about things. That exclusive press conference was made possible because of you. Thank you." She grinned as she held my arm. I gently removed her hands from holding my left arm. She looked at me as if she couldn't believe that someone was treating her like this.

"I am just doing my job." I coldly replied while looking at the other direction.

"Yeah, I was wondering why you accepted this job right away. I wonder what made up your mind."

"That is none of your business."

I saw her folding her arms right away as she frowned. She got her cigarette from her handbag and her personalized lighter as she lit it. We're outside of my car, taking up some cool air after that press conference.

She simply invited me to light one too but I refused.

"You know what, Drew? You have changed a lot."

"I guess I have to."

"Even if you're acting like that, please know that I never stopped loving you, even from the time I broke up with you."

I looked at her and the next thing surprised me. She put her arms around my shoulders and attempted to kiss me but I avoided my face. She sighed as she frowned. She let me go right away.

"I am married. Please respect that."

She laughed but I could sense the bitterness on the way she said it.

"Wow, my stepmother is really good at preying for men. She has a great taste, I should say. I first class bitch." She murmured the last word but it never escaped my ears.

"I already read all the new evidence that you presented and most of them were valid enough to reopen the case."

"I have more." She smirked. I can't help but to swallow hard this time. She hated her stepmother so much that she will do everything just to put her to jail.

"Dr. McNally is our family doctor for ten years. He was able to confess to me that it's Ms. Dianne Swiss who was advising Denysse to give the medicines for my father."

I looked at her facial expression and she's really confident about her new evidence that she will present.

"I was the one who also bought the same medicine because she's telling us to do so. If only I am aware that she only wanted to poison my father little by little, I should've killed her first." She started crying again, I couldn't help but feel pity towards my ex-girlfriend.

I noticed that Priya is more attached to her father than Denysse. That's why I am not surprised at all for her to react and feel this way.

"I'm sorry..."

I pulled her close to me and hugged her tight.

"Everything will be alright. The reopening of the investigation will expose the truth. I will do my best."

I went to our condominium unit with a heavy heart. I am sure Dianne already saw the exclusive press conference on TV. I was there not because I personally want it. I want to get involved because I also deserve an explanation. I deserve to know the whole truth, too.

The truth that my wife is not telling me. I am more of a stranger of my own family.

As I went inside our room, I saw a familiar shadow that's reflecting the window.

"Dianne?"

I saw her as she stepped forward. Her face looked miserable and sad at the same time.

"How could you do this to me?"

----

***flashback***

"Priya, are you sure you'll be okay in cleaning mom's room? It's a bit dusty here." Denysse gave her a worried look. She just smiled back and nodded. Her younger sister left her as she started to dust the windows. When she's done, she went to the drawers and cabinets.

She could see a lot of papers scattered inside the cabinet but something caught her attention.

It was a picture of a woman holding a new-born baby. She flipped the picture and she was able to see the message.

"Please take care of Angela."

It's like her whole world shook when she noticed the name 'Angela' was deleted by a vertical line and changed it to 'Priya'.

She scanned all the papers where she saw the picture and it was included in the information about Angela.

"What is the meaning of this?" She murmured as she covered her hand on her mouth.

She read the papers more and she saw her birth certificate. She noticed that the child 'Angela' is as similar to her birthday. They were even born close. Because Priya wanted to confirm what's on her mind, she decided to hire a private investigator to locate the midwife of Angela.

It was exactly seven days after she did that. The private investigator called her and told her about the location of the midwife.

She went to their house right away. The old midwife greeted her courteously. They sat facing each other on the table. Priya gave her the documents for her to read. The midwife looked terrified as she shifted her gaze to Priya and the papers that she's holding.

"I want to know the truth. Please tell me everything. I am willing to pay you. Just tell me what happened when I was born."

"Ma'am..."

"My mother is already dead. I can't ask her some questions anymore. I know you're the only one that could help me with the things that's bothering me right now."

"Ma'am, I knew your mother. She even warned me that our secret must be kept forever or else, she will kill me."

"My mother died ten years ago. She couldn't touch you anymore."

She gently swallowed as she looked into Priya's eyes.

"The real Priya Swiss was dead before she was born. Because Mrs. Reike feared that her husband might know what really happened, she asked for my help."

Priya felt that her knees started to shake as her heart beat very fast. She can't believe she's hearing a lot of things that she didn't expect to hear from her.

"I guess it's Mrs. Reike's lucky day because a woman also gave birth to a baby girl that's born at the same time as you are. Since that woman cannot afford to sustain the baby because of poverty, she agreed that Mrs. Reike will buy the baby from her."

She felt like gripping on something for strength because she's about to lose it any time. What she heard was too much for her to handle. Of all the possible news she would hear all her life, something like this was the least she expected the most. This can't be! She doesn't want to believe at all!

She swallowed as she tried gathering all the strength that's left of her that time. She tried gathering her courage because she wanted to know the truth before someone else will.

"Tell me, am I that baby?" She couldn't stop herself from crying this time.

"Yes, ma'am."