Chapter 695 Father and Daughter Reunion
Riley looked surprised. "Do you still not know?"Patricia was even more puzzled. "Know what?"
Riley glanced at Sebastian, who touched his nose and gave an awkward smile. "We left too quickly. After rescuing you, we don't have a chance to talk."
Patricia looked at Sebastian. "What were you going to tell me?"
The group fell silent, exchanging uncertain glances. It was clear they all believed Kaleb should be the one to explain.
Riley looked around and said, "This is not the place to talk. Let's get in the car first and discuss it at the hotel."
Martin gently guided Patricia into the vehicle, and Rosalind, sensing what was needed, took the front passenger seat, leaving the back seats for Kaleb, Patricia, and Riley.
The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly thick with unspoken words. The silence stretched endlessly as they exchanged nervous glances. Patricia was bursting with questions but didn't know how to begin.
Sensing her turmoil, Kaleb pulled a photo from his shirt pocket, warmed by his body heat, and handed it to her. "This is a photo of me and Margaret."
As Patricia's eyes fell upon her mother's familiar face, tears welled up uncontrollably. She began to cry softly.
Kaleb’s voice was gentle, filled with a tender sorrow. "Like I said before, Margaret is Elise, and Elise is Margaret. I didn't know her name was chosen because of me, and I didn't know that she changed her name again after she left. That's why, after more than twenty years, there was still no news about Margaret. It all came down to the name."
Patricia’s fingers traced her mother's face in the photo. Margaret's radiant smile complemented Kaleb's handsome features beautifully. Patricia had always thought of Gavin as her father, but he had never once photographed with Margaret. After her mother’s death, Gavin had destroyed all pictures of Margaret. If Patricia hadn’t salvaged a few precious photos, her mother’s visage might have faded from her memory altogether.
Kaleb continued, "When Maximilian and I first saw you, we both noticed how much you resembled Margaret. But you told us your mother was Isabella Laurent. It wasn’t until Randy revealed that Margaret's real name was Elise that everything clicked. I only confirmed it when I saw her photo with your grandfather."
Fearful and anxious, Kaleb swallowed nervously, wiping the cold sweat from his palms on his pants. "Patricia, I'm so sorry for hurting you before! If you resent me and don’t want to acknowledge me, I understand..."
Before he could finish, Patricia threw her arms around him, bridging the gap with a heartfelt cry. "Dad..."
In those moments pretending to be Kaleb’s daughter, Patricia had seen the kindness in his eyes. She had felt the weight of his hope and the warmth of his affection but had always felt unworthy, like an impostor. Now, knowing Kaleb was her biological father, she could finally give voice to her feelings.
Kaleb nearly fainted with joy at her words, tears streaming down his face as he patted her back. "Good girl," he choked out, as his tears and snot mingled in a torrent of emotion.
Both of them cried, releasing years of pent-up longing and sorrow in each other's arms.
"I thought, I thought I would never see my biological father in my life..."
As Patricia reminisced about her childhood, she remembered how every time Gavin came home, he would first embrace Debbie and then present her with small gifts to lift her spirits. Patricia had envied Debbie immensely.
Back then, Patricia couldn't understand why Gavin adored Debbie but seemed indifferent to her. She often dreamed of nestling in Gavin's arms like Debbie did, listening to his soothing bedtime stories. She yearned desperately for his affection.
So, when she pretended to be Kaleb's daughter, Patricia had fantasized countless times about how wonderful it would be if she were truly his daughter. She longed for a father’s love and warmth that had always eluded her.
Kaleb held Patricia tightly, his voice thick with regret. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't fled back then, Margaret wouldn't have remarried, and you wouldn't have had to suffer so much."
Kaleb had been engrossed in understanding Patricia's situation through Martin and the others, even prying details from Ryan about Patricia's marriage to Martin. He learned that after her half-sister Debbie eloped, an eighteen-year-old Patricia was forced by Gavin to marry Martin, who was then disabled.
Despite Martin's current success, back then, rumors swirled about his supposed impotence. Marrying Martin meant Patricia held the title of a wife without enjoying the conjugal affection. She had been just eighteen, her life irrevocably altered by this marriage.
Even when Martin regained mobility, Patricia only found a glimmer of hope for her future, which Debbie's return cruelly extinguished, forcing Patricia to raise a child alone and endure five years of hardship. Kaleb, seeing how well Martin treated Patricia now, restrained his fury; otherwise, he might have harmed Martin in his rage.
If Kaleb hadn't fled in cowardice years ago, none of this would have transpired. He would have cherished Patricia, pampering her like the happiest little princess. But life held no do-overs, and Kaleb's regret became his lifelong burden.
Patricia sobbed uncontrollably, struggling to speak. "It's okay. It's all in the past! Everything is in the past!"
Kaleb reassured her, "I will protect you from now on and never let you suffer again!"
Patricia, smiling through her tears, responded, "And I will respect you always."
The intense emotions between Patricia and Kaleb moved everyone else in the car, causing their eyes to mist over. Martin even offered his seat so Kaleb and Patricia could sit together, fostering their newfound bond.
Riley had arranged for them to dine in a five-star hotel. When they arrived, the dishes were just being served, steaming hot. The meal was joyous, filled with an unusually relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Riley uncorked two bottles of Romanée-Conti, and in their happiness, everyone drank a bit too much.
Later, Riley settled them all in the Koch family's villa, Silver Birch Sanctuary. Martin and Patricia shared a room, Kaleb had his own, and Ryan had another. Feeling inebriated, Sebastian swayed back to his room, changed into fresh pajamas, and headed for a shower.
The hot water cleared Sebastian's head a bit. Sitting on the edge of his bed, drying his hair, he found himself deep in thought. Suddenly, a realization struck him. He jumped up, strode to the door, and opened it with urgency.
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