Ex-Husband's Regret

Rowan

I fell back onto the sofa, my head spinning. When Gabe called and asked me to meet with him, I never thought that he would blow my mind.

I honestly thought he wanted to bitch about the decision by the board members. He completely floored me when he revealed that he had a kid. A daughter no one knew about. Sighing, I turned to him and just stared. What was I supposed to tell him? What could I tell him? It's not every day that you find out that you have a child that no one knows about. "So, was this Harper a one-nightstand gone wrong or?" I asked, trying to piece the pieces together.

I know my brother. He was a womanizer, so I wouldn't be surprised. Actually, what I'm surprised by is that he doesn't have more baby mamas.

"No, she's not a one-night stand," he replied. "You know her, actually. She's a Beckett."

At first, the name doesn't ring a fucking bell, but then it registers.

"You've got to be kidding me, Gabe," I stared at him in shock. "As in Harper Beckett? Andrew's little sister?"

He doesn't say anything. He simply nods his head.

Shit! Personally, I don't know Harper that much. She was a quiet girl, with very few friends and was socially awkward. In a way, she reminded me of Ava back when we were younger. I wonder how they never became friends.

Shaking my head, I banish those thoughts and focus on Gabe.

"That's not all," he began.

"Seriously?"

I watch as he struggles to form the words. He then runs his hands down his face before speaking. "She's also my ex-wife."

"Come again"

There was no fucking way I heard him right.

"I said that she's my ex-wife," he repeated, this time in a lower tone.

I can't count the number of times he has managed to shock me today. I must have hit my head somewhere, because there is no fucking way Gabriel had once been married.

"What the hell, Gabe?" I shouted, not even sure how I felt. "How the fuck is she your ex-wife? When did you even get married, let alone get a fucking divorce?"This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.

Gabe abruptly stands up and starts to pace the spacious space. Music was booming downstairs, and there was chattering all around, but that didn't seem to faze him. It seemed like the chaos inside him was greater than that outside.

"Calm down Gabe and tell me how the fuck no one knew you were married," I said, trying to calm him down. "I know you and I fucking know that you wouldn't marry unless you were pushed to it."

He takes a calming breath and begins talking. I listen to him carefully as he tells me everything from the beginning. Shocked doesn't begin to cover what I feel after what he has told me. When I was drowning in my misery, I didn't realize Gabriel had to take such a step just to protect my image.

My brother isn't like me. Despite my whorish ways before Emma and I became a couple, I always knew that I'd want to settle down one day. I always wanted a family of my own-a wife and kids. Gabriel was the complete opposite. He'd always said that he would never settle down. That he wouldn't be tied down by just women, nor would he ever have kids. To find out that he went against what he wanted just for my sake is fucking humbling.

"What should I do?" he asked with a confused look on his face.

I've never seen my brother like this. Never.

"I don't know, but you have to think about it. If, deep down, you know you can't be what Lilly needs, then don't enter her life. She doesn't know you yet, so you can get out of her life and make a clean slate. It's better she doesn't know you at all than have a dad that doesn't give a damn about her."

I would never force him to take responsibility. If he can't be what Lilly needs, then she's better off not knowing him or who he is to her.

"As for Harper, that is between you two," I finished saying. "But you'll have to come clean with mom and dad, especially if you're serious about marrying her again."

After staring at the wall for a whole minute or so, he finally faces me. "What if I want to be in her life? I never thought about being a father, but after our little interaction, I can't help but want to get to know her."