The Royal Contract

Chapter 652: Biggest regret

“Then, work harder!” Ethan demanded, directing his gaze to his son-in-law, unable to contain his excitement about having kids running around the garden. “And do not settle for just one. More is better.”

He had been busy growing his company that he thought having one child was enough. But he realized that it would have been nice if Dani had grown up with a brother or sister.

“They are not a machine, honey. That you can demand to produce your grandchild.” Laura teased her husband after hearing what he had to say.

However, she shared his sentiment about wishing for several grandchildren that she could take care of and love. It had been a long time since tiny voices and waves of laughter filled this entire place.

“Anyway, the food, as always, was delicious.” Alex complimented Laura for the entree she had prepared. However, they did not come here just for the food.

“Shall we have our coffee at my office?” Ethan announced to everyone. “I also have some papers I like to show you.” He looked at Alex, who nodded in agreement.

He gestured for her daughter to accompany him while the other two followed them. He watched his daughter in his peripheral vision, wondering what was going through her mind at the moment.

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Once seated on his comfortable chair, he suggested that Dani and Alex sit on the available settee across from him. He could tell that they were not here for just a social visit.

“Dad, do you mind if we ask you some questions?” Dani looked into her father’s eyes, gauging his mood about answering questions. She knew she could not wait for another perfect moment to talk to him about the case.

“What is this all about?” Ethan asked, suddenly curious at the tone her daughter used. There was a slight hesitation in it, which meant what she had in mind was a little serious.

But he might already have an idea of what they would be discussing. He did not finish his confession the last time they were here. He believed it was time that he told them the entire story.

“It had something about your past involvement with the underground group,” Alex spoke up. “What is your relationship with Joaquin Augustus?” Going straight to the topic.

He quickly took out the file he had shown Dani before and handed it to him. He hoped he could shed some light on this matter and give them information about its authenticity.

Ethan took a deep breath as he read the file, then looked at his wife, who only nodded for him to continue. He had already discussed this with her.

She finally agreed that they could not keep any of this a secret anymore. At least not to Dani and Alex. They deserved the truth since the past had started to haunt them all.

“Joaquin was a good friend of mine since we were young. We grew up playing together.” He finally told his tale that he had buried in the past. “He was like a brother.”

A story that he thought he would be carrying to his grave, a secret that would never see the light of day. But, it seemed just like any other secret. It always found a way to unveil itself.

“He was said to be the underground leader before,” Alex stated, wanting confirmation of this information.

It was common knowledge that the man was the leader of the biggest illegal syndicate in their city, but nobody could touch him. He had so many connections that he was practically invincible during that time.

“Yes, he was.” He admitted, thinking of the time he had learned about his business. “At first, I did not know when I joined him in his business venture. I thought everything was legitimate.”

Afterward, he discovered the truth. He found himself involved in some shady trading. It was too late to back out as his friend dragged his name into the organization.

“I never wanted to be part of it, but I was trapped inside.” Ethan could remember how he tried to distance himself from his friend. But Joaquin kept saying that he only wanted them to be business partners.

“What did you do to get out of it?” Dani had no idea what her father had gone through in his youth.

She never realized that his father had been just like them, capable of making errors of judgment. She always thought he had chosen to join the group to further his greed for money and power. But she was gravely mistaken.

“Joaquin finally gave up and let me leave the group without consequence,” Ethan answered his question. “Then, I paid off many people to clear my name from the organization.”

He still remembered how he struggled to clean up his mess. He was young and made several mistakes. But he worked hard to clear his name.

He did not mind losing his money. He could earn it back through hard work. But to lose his reputation. It would be the end of his early young career.

“What about the rumor that Joaquin had a son? Do you know if there was a truth in that? Would you know who the mother is?” Alex interrupted, wanting answers to a question plaguing his mind since he remembered the report.

If there was truth in this rumor, then this person might be the one involved in all that was happening around them. It was not Dani he was targetting but Ethan. He might be using Dani to get to Ethan. At least that was his conclusion.

Ethan looked again at Laura, feeling that it would be more difficult for her when he finally revealed the truth. He had agreed to keep this because he only wanted to protect his family.

“The rumors had always been true. But Joaquin made sure to hide the truth. But it was not as simple as that.” Ethan shifted in his seat.

Then he felt a hand landing on his shoulders. He saw his wife standing beside his chair, giving him all the support he needed to continue his story.

He pulled her hand into his, enveloping it in his warmth. He was glad that despite everything he had done in his past to hurt his wife, she never left him. She still stood by him.

“What do you mean?” Dani could not understand why this man would hide his family unless they were in danger. But he was the leader of the most notorious group. Who would dare to touch them? “Do you know his wife?”

Based on the report, he was never married. There were no documents that would indicate that he had been married or divorced from anyone.

He had many women in his life, but nobody ever claimed to have a son with him. Or maybe he did, but nobody openly told anyone else except him. But why?

“Marietta was our friend. Just like Joaquin, she was the other part of our trio.” He remembered her face fondly in his mind, recalling the beautiful memories they shared, the three of them.

He had made many stupid decisions in his life. Marietta had always been his biggest regret.