A Blind Fall

chapter twenty

She wouldn't panic, yet. That would only give away what she had up her sleeve and result to losing her daughter. Besides, she was almost certain there'll be a reaction soon. In no time, the unwanted, prickly, little boy whose existence meant hers and her family's destruction, would disappear.

But even as she understood this, anxiety stole at her heart. How long did it take for a deceived father to claim their blood? The fact that the man had information regarding the boy made it all easy. She'd confirmed with her husband, Daniel, that Leon knew of his son's existence and if the boy was truly Archibald's son, then he was sure to come and collect his burdensome child.

How the man had gotten involved with Debra, Maureen couldn't fathom. She'd been led to believe he'd want nothing to do with her family, ensuing their past conflicts. Hadn't Daniel been the one to lead Ellen, Leon's mother, to her untimely demise? That and the unkindness the boy's sister had met in the arms of the Sylvesters was enough reason to cause an abysmal grudge between the families.

Still, Leon had gone ahead and sought out Debra, engaging her long enough to impregnate her. For anonymous reasons, Maureen's daughter had wanted to keep the pregnancy from the man. She couldn't begin deciphering her motive but it couldn't remain a secret anymore. Maureen would ensure of it, the woman having decided to intervene.

It wasn't about what the world would think, anymore. All things considered, the prestige and status that came with stringing the Sylvester name with the Mayor through Debra's brat would be compensation enough for damages incurred. However, her womanly intuition could detect trouble from a mile away. The union was likely to wreck havoc for the Sylvesters, bring out the skeletons in the closest and Maureen doubted they'd all survive it. Her especially.

At least she still had everything in control, with her family by her side. Already, she was beginning to rethink their support should the storm commence. The past was probably fast approaching, ready to render her ruined but as long as she ensured all ties were severed between them and the Mayors, then she could rest easy, knowing her secrets were safe.

And the greatest cord needing clipping, was her grandson. Salvatore had to go. Debra wouldn't have spread her legs for Leon without the involvement of disastrous feelings for the man, which made the situation all the more perilous. With the probability of the estranged parents reuniting over the probable existence of romantic emotions and their son, Maureen's end was guaranteed. If she didn't do something about the possible reunion of course. And as long as Leon didn't have his son back, he was sure to stay in their lives, the notion deadly.

She'd have to identify the cause of her daughter's self-exile. Maureen wasn't fooled that Debra simply woke up one day and decided to leave for Italy. Her suspicions were confirmed when she learned the woman was expecting and her refusal to divulge information about the father of her bastard. But of course Debra wasn't as smart as she liked to believe she was and her obvious discomfort at the mention of the Mayors had given her out. Maureen had concluded her daughter's son was fathered by a Mayor, there being only to males and Archibald with his morals and disguised distaste for the Sylvesters cancelled him as the potential father. Which had accurately left Maureen with Leon as the candidate. That she'd caught the two sneaking each other glances, their lingering stares and her daughter's flustered face at the mention of Leon's name, ruled out whatever doubts she may have harboured before.

And once she figured the root cause of their separation, she'd assert there would never be chance for reconciliation. Only a perennial drift and gradually, eternal enmity.

Slowly etching towards the toddler crawling on the floor, his chubby limbs gaining strength by the day, she squatted before him. The boy stopped, a sound of what seemed to be displeasure for the barrier she'd placed, blocking the child's way, filled the room. Her hand reached out and touched his round chin a bit firmer than endurable for a child, causing his cherubic face to contort in discomfort.