Chapter 304 Sarah's Lie
Antonio stood rigid, his hand unextended, his gaze locked on the middle-aged man before him.
The man, reeking of alcohol, quickly shifted his demeanor. "Impossible! Mr. Valencia, your fame precedes you! How could I not recognize you? The internet is riddled with news about you. It would be harder not to know who you are."
Beneath his seemingly composed exterior, the man's heart pounded with fear. He was not Sarah's father; he was merely a pawn in someone else's game. Had he known he would encounter Antonio, he would have declined the job, regardless of the promised payment. The thought of Antonio uncovering his true motives filled him with dread.
Sarah's lips curled into a smirk. "So, you've been lying in wait, anticipating my route home?"
"Coincidence, darling, nothing more. You must trust me. Why would I lie to you?" The man scrambled to maintain his charade.
"I'm here because I was deceived, left with a mountain of debt. Isn't it fate that we've met here? Surely, there's a connection between us." His desperation seeped into his words.
"Had I known I'd run into you, I would've dressed more appropriately to avoid embarrassment."
Antonio had encountered many such individuals, their sweet words always boiling down to a single motive - money. He was indifferent to the man's identity; after all, any problem that could be solved with money was hardly a problem at all.
He withdrew his wallet, extracting a wad of cash. "Take this and make sure I never see you troubling my wife again."
With a decisive thud, he dropped the money onto the table and exited the noodle shop, Sarah in tow.
The man exhaled a sigh of relief, hastily pocketing the money. Despite the close call with Antonio, he had accomplished his mission. Now, he could report back...
Once outside, Antonio's countenance remained stern. The man's intentions were evidently malicious. While money could temporarily resolve the issue, it could become problematic if his motives extended beyond monetary gain.
They settled into the car, Sarah securing her seatbelt. After a moment's hesitation, she turned to Antonio. "Antonio, that man... he claimed to be my father."
"What?" Antonio's gaze bore into Sarah, disbelief etched on his face. "That's impossible."
Indeed, it was hard to believe that the man could be her father. Sarah herself was skeptical, but they had never met before, and they were strangers. He had mentioned her mother's name and the timing of their supposed separation coincided with her birthday. At the very least, he was a plausible candidate.
"I don't believe him either, but he was so convincing... I'm not sure what to think."
Antonio understood Sarah's desperation to find her father. She had been tirelessly searching for any leads, all to no avail. The man from earlier was...
The only link to her mother's past.
"If only I'd taken a strand of his hair."
Antonio felt a pang of regret. Veracity couldn't be determined by words alone. A paternity test would be necessary.
Sarah laughed heartily, the image of Antonio plucking someone's hair amusing her. "Forget it, let's just go home."
Antonio refrained from further comment. The situation was complex, and it was premature to draw conclusions.
On their drive home, they passed a movie theater, a large poster displayed prominently.
It was a newly released film, and upon seeing the title, Sarah burst into laughter. "Antonio, look."
Antonio glanced over, a smile tugging at his lips.
Years ago, they had watched the first installment of this film on their first date. Now, it was already the fifth.
A flood of memories washed over them, and in unison, they proposed, "Why don't we go watch it?"
However, Sarah quickly reconsidered, "No, the kids are still at home..."
But Antonio was quick to dismiss her concerns. He took her hand and exited the car. "The movie won't take long. Perhaps the kids will enjoy some time alone."
After some persuasion, Sarah relented, albeit with a twinge of guilt.
Antonio selected seats in the middle of the theater and purchased popcorn and drinks, mirroring their choices from their first date. "Sarah, let's go in."
"Okay." Sarah linked her arm with Antonio's, nostalgia washing over her.
As they reentered the theater, it felt different.
They knew they could never recapture the excitement of their youth, the thrill of simply holding hands.
But now, clutching their movie tickets, their emotions were entirely different.
Just as they were about to present their tickets, Sarah's phone rang.
"Mommy, when are you coming back? Harper misses you."
Harper's soft voice was both soothing and heart-wrenching.
Sarah glanced at the movie tickets in her hand, her gaze distant as she told her daughter the first lie of her life, "Sweetie, Mommy... Mommy is working late."
"Mommy works so hard. Harper will wait for you. Love you!"
Harper sounded slightly disappointed.
Guilt gnawed at Sarah's heart. Fearing she might betray her lie, she quickly ended the call.
Before she could even catch her breath, Antonio's phone began to ring...
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