Chapter 406 We Apologize!
Antonio's brow furrowed, his gaze icy and devoid of warmth. His terse utterance of three words reverberated in the room, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present. From their perspective, Antonio's anger was palpable, a force they had seldom witnessed. They had seen him lose his temper before, but never had they seen him wear such a grave expression.
Alex came to an abrupt halt, the reason for his visit to the villa suddenly crystal clear. "Mr. Valencia," he began, "I confess that I was the one who brought Brian back from overseas, and I have been concealing his identity ever since. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you."
In that moment, Alex saw a striking resemblance between Brian and Antonio, a mirror image of vigor and distinct characteristics. He had always wondered how a gentle soul like Sarah could have given birth to such a capable child. Now, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
Sarah rose to her feet, swiftly stepping in to mediate the tense situation. "Antonio," she began, her voice steady, "I understand that it was wrong of us to withhold this information from you. However, it pertains to Brian's company. Even I, as a knight, only recently discovered the truth."
"The reason we kept Brian's identity a secret was due to a lack of appropriate timing, not a deliberate attempt to deceive you. I admit, I didn't consider the consequences thoroughly enough, and for that, I apologize," Sarah continued, her words echoing in the silent room.
Harper, Ethan, and Ryan rose from the couch, standing in solidarity with Sarah. "We're sorry, Dad. We were wrong," they admitted, their voices laden with regret.
"We shouldn't have kept this from you, and we hope you can forgive us," they pleaded.
"Dad, please don't be angry. The blame lies with me, as the elder brother, for not setting a good example. If you must blame someone, let it be me," Harper implored, pulling Brian down from the couch alongside Ethan. They pressed their brother's head in a gesture of apology, their voices blending into a chorus of remorse.
The four children lined up, bowing in unison. "Dad, we made a mistake, and we hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us."
Antonio's gaze swept over the six figures standing before him, his expression unreadable. His heart felt inexplicably heavy. What puzzled him was why Alex had been privy to the secret before him. Did this imply that he held less importance to his children than Alex? Why had they chosen to hide the truth from him? Had he erred in some way, leading them to distrust him?
Lost in his thoughts, Antonio failed to notice the shift in focus. "Antonio..." Sarah began, her voice faltering. No matter how she tried to explain, it seemed inadequate. They had harbored this secret for too long, and he had every right to be angry. If the roles were reversed, she would likely be even more upset.
Harper hung her head in guilt, her remorse palpable. With their father still recuperating from his injuries, the weight of their actions bore heavily on her conscience.
Ethan and Ryan shared the same sentiment, their guilt threatening to consume them. They feared their actions might have caused irreparable damage to their relationship with Antonio. Alex, too, wore a troubled expression. His concerns extended beyond Brian's return to China, encompassing the scandal involving Valencia Inc.'s fraudulent contract.
The magnitude of their collective guilt was overwhelming, a bitter pill that even Alex found hard to swallow.
Only Brian seemed to regard Antonio with a hint of helplessness. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Um... we've all apologized. Are we done now? Mom has been standing for quite a while. Does she really need to endure a lecture when she gets home?"
Antonio paused, taking in the sight of his dejected family standing before him. He quickly rose from the sofa, assisting Sarah and the children to sit down. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts, reflecting on his perceived shortcomings, that he had failed to consider their comfort.
It was only when Brian pointed it out that he snapped back to reality. His wife and children had just endured a traumatic ordeal, and here he was, lost in his thoughts while they stood in discomfort.
Realizing his oversight, he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I was lost in thought and didn't notice. Please, don't be angry."
Sarah blinked in surprise. She had just apologized to him, and now he was asking her not to be angry? "I'm not angry, but you..."
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