A/N: Please note that other triggering content (self-harm and suicide will be discussed) throughout the story. Please be forewarned and take precautions if these are troubling for you.

I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews. My muse and I both appreciate it. This is still, as of now, planned to be a fairly long, multi-part story, but if you all aren't into it…I'll wrap it up before too long.

And remember…reviews and feedback keep me and my muse motivated…especially if they're positive!

***More drama and more secrets revealed***

I hope you enjoy this latest chapter…Now on with the show!

"Divorce is not the end of the world. It's worse to stay in an unhealthy marriage. That's a worse example for the children." ~ Jerry Hall

"Love is moral even without legal marriage, but marriage is immoral without love." ~ Ellen Key
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Chapter 34

"Come on in Emily…have a seat." My father quietly states as he points towards the couch in the living room.

I slowly make my way to the couch…taking in my surroundings as I do. This house…unlike mine…has a homey…lived in feel to it. A place that almost anyone would feel comfortable in. Anyone that stepped through that door probably did feel completely at home here. Anyone that is…except for me I suppose. And maybe I would've too…under different circumstances. But at this moment… I just felt so out of place. This was my father's home…but I felt like a complete stranger here.

I wonder…was the warm, inviting feeling this home had because of Isabella…or was there another side to my father that I had just never seen? I suddenly realized as much as they were both trying to make me feel welcomed…I just felt like I didn't belong there. It really was such a strange feeling…seeing my father in this whole other life…in a different home…looking almost sad to see me. I had a feeling that whatever it was that he wanted to talk to me about was something serious. That feeling only got stronger as he came in and sat down across from and started to speak.

"Emily…sweetheart. There are some things I need to tell you…but you cannot tell anyone what I'm about to share with you."

My confusion only grew more intense with this comment. I assumed that my mother already knew he was involved with Isabella…and that was why she was fired. What else could he possibly tell me that I would need to keep a secret…and who would I need to keep it a secret from. "What's going on? I thought mother already knew about you and Isabella. Isn't that why she fired her? What else is there? And what secrets are you talking about me keeping? I don't understand." I fire off my responses in rapid succession.

"I understand how confusing this must be for you sweetheart. If you'll give me the chance to explain, I think you'll understand everything…please." My father quietly replies.

I simply nod in response.

However, before my father can explain any further…I hear a sound that catches me completely off guard. At first…I don't recognize it. Then…when I do…I'm shocked into silence once again.

I hear Isabella quietly state "Sorry about that…I'll take care of everything. You two keep talking and I'll be right back."

I watch as Isabella rushes up the stairs and disappears out of sight. I finally look over at my father and ask "was that a baby crying?"

"Yes. That was part of what I wanted to talk to you about sweetheart." My father quietly replies…a hint of sadness and remorse tinting his voice.

Still not wanting to believe what I heard…or fully acknowledging the magnitude of everything yet, I ask "whose baby is it?"

"It's ours sweetheart. Mine and Isabella's." My father replied.

"You have a kid with her?" I reply…shock beginning to set in.

"Yes Emily. Please…let me explain everything to you…then you can ask me anything you would like. Ok?" My father replies.

I nod in reply…still not able to fully process this new information yet anyway.

"You said you overheard the argument your mother and I had a few weeks ago, and for that, I'm truly sorry. You said you heard the two of us arguing about Isabella and the affairs your mother had as well. All of that was true. We never did want to get married, but because of our parents strict religious beliefs, when we found out your mother was pregnant with you, they insisted we get married. We agreed our parents insisted it was our only choice. We thought we could make things work and we thought…at the time…that it was what was best for you as well." My father stated.

Continuing on…my father said "it didn't take either of us long to realize it had been a mistake to go along with their insistence on marriage, but we decided that we would try to make things work because we still thought it was best for you at the time. We agreed that we would see whomever we wanted to in private, but keep up appearances for our parents and in public because of your mother's career. I need you to understand though that just because my marriage to your mother wasn't real…it didn't change how I felt about you. I always cherished you. I thought I was doing the right thing for you. I had planned to tell you about Isabella and me once you were older. I didn't want you to find out like this…but now that you have…I want you to know about everything."

My father stopped for a brief minute to glance up at me…making sure he still had my attention before continuing on. "You asked earlier if your mother knew about Isabella and me. The answer to that question is yes. But you wrong about why Isabella stopped working for us. Your mother had known about Isabella and me for a while. Just as I had known about the affairs your mother was having. We agreed years earlier not to interfere in that part of each other's lives and to make it appear to everyone else that we were the perfect family."

"Unfortunately, your mother discovered that Isabella was pregnant. We all realized that we would not be able to hide that from the rest of the staff…or from you…and so Isabella left. Your mother was also particularly angry because she had discovered around that time she was unable to have any more children…and she felt as though Isabella and I were purposely taunting her with our news. That had not been our intention…and in fact…I had not known what Elizabeth had found out until after I told her of Isabella's condition. Elizabeth and I fought constantly…over nearly everything. But even given our contentious relationship…even I felt bad for delivering news like that such a short time after she discovered her news." My father finished and looked to me.

"You said Isabella was pregnant and that was why mother fired her…but that was a few years ago. I heard a baby just a minute ago. If Isabella was pregnant back then…that kid wouldn't still be a baby…" I start ask what happened to the first baby when my father answers my unasked question.

"You're right. The child Isabella was pregnant with when she left isn't a baby now. That's part of what I wanted to talk to you about…and part of what I need you to keep a secret. Isabella and I have more than one child together…we have three children together. Two sons and a daughter. Your mother is aware of them…as is Isabella's family…but no one else knows about them…except of course now you."

"You have three kids with her…three? And you want me to what…pretend they don't exist? Well…I guess that's what you and mother do with me most of the time. That explains why you are never around for holidays or anything like that…you're here with your real family instead." I reply…anger over-riding my shock at this point.

My entire life I grew up believing I was an only child. I grew up in a home…alone…with staff that left me to fend for myself most of the time and parents that were mostly non-existent…only to find out that my father was raising an entirely different family across town…and my mother was apparently having affairs with men whenever she had any free time instead of spending any time at all with me.

I had been lonely and confused before…but now I was bitter as well. I didn't choose to be born into this world only to be left alone…it wasn't my fault that I was some accident caused by a regrettable one-night stand. But yet…I seemed to be the only one paying a price for it.

Isabella had walked down the stairs just as I finished the last part of my angry statement meant for my father and replied softly "Emily dear…you are a part of this family too. Those children upstairs are your brothers and sister. I want you to know that your father and I care about you very much…and you're always welcome here."

"No offense Isabella, really. But…I don't feel welcome here. I feel like a stranger here…but oddly enough…I feel like that at home most of the time too. I guess that's probably because I'm the only one that's ever there. As for my brothers and sister upstairs…that's just great. I always wanted siblings…too bad according to father…I can never talk to anyone about them. And why is that again? You never did say exactly why I had to keep all of this a secret anyway." I continue to try and keep my anger in check…but its bubbling just below the surface.

"Emily…sweetheart. I know this is a lot to take in all at once. For that…I am sorry. But Isabella is right. You are always welcome here…and our children are your siblings and we'd love for you to spend more time with them…get to know them. As for why you have to keep this all a secret...it's unfortunately the same reason why I have to stay married to your mother and cannot officially be with Isabella right now. Until you turn 18 or all of your grandparents pass away, you will not have full control over all of your trust funds. Isabella, your mother, and I all agreed that it would be best to wait until whichever of those came first before your mother and I divorce. At that time, I will be able to marry Isabella and officially claim our children. Until then, I won't risk your future as long as I am able to still provide for Isabella and our children in an unofficial capacity."

"So you're saying that everyone's future is on hold because of some stupid trust fund and some agreement you and mother made with your parents years ago? What's the worst that could happen if you divorced mother now? So they take away my trust fund…I told you already…I don't care about it. This whole arrangement and trust fund thing is making everyone miserable." I argue.

"I wish it were that simple sweetheart…I really do. And I know you said you don't care about the trust funds…and maybe you never will…but I do. They are a safety net for your future…and I will not take that away from you. Your mother and I have taken so much away from you as it is…I refuse to take away your chance at an amazing future as well. Besides…if your mother and I divorced now…our parents would ensure that your mother's career ended immediately on bad terms…that mine would as well…and that Isabella and her family were exiled and that our children were left penniless with no chance of a future at all. They would completely destroy our entire family…both of our families…and I won't risk all of that…not when we just have to wait few more years. Please help me keep this secret…just for a little while longer. I promise you it won't be forever." My father implored.

Just as I started to reply…I saw a younger man walk through the front door.

Isabella walked over to greet him and they talked at the door for a brief time before he came over to join us all in the living room.

Isabella said "Emily…I would like you to meet my brother Thomas. Thomas…this is Emily...Alex and Elizabeth's daughter."

Thomas reached out his hand to take mine as he said "Nice to meet you. Your dad talks about you all the time…"

"Wish I could say the same" I mutter bitterly.

"Emily….would you like to stay for dinner?" Isabella asked.

"No…I really need to get going…I have some homework to work on." I replied quietly.

"Oh…okay then…well…maybe another night then." Isabella stated. "Tommie…would you help me in the kitchen?"

"Yeah…sure. Nice to meet you Emily." Thomas replied as he followed Isabella into the kitchen.

"So…Emily…will you promise me you won't say anything about this to anyone else…please." My father asked again.

"Yeah…I guess." I replied as I rose from my seat and started to make my way to the door.

I didn't know it at the time…but this would end up being the first of a lifetime of secrets and lies I would end up having to keep…for one reason or another. There always seemed to be a good reason to keep them at the time…but when you are raised to be honest and genuine and then told to forget everything you were ever taught and start acting, behaving, or believing something completely different…you can't help but wonder what is right and wrong…what is true and what is a lie…and who you really are meant to be…or if everything you once held dear was just a façade.

My father rose from his seat…realizing I was getting ready to leave. As I reached the door, he pulled me into a hug. I was momentarily caught off guard as he had not hugged me in years. "Thank you sweetheart" was his soft reply.

I stood at the door for a moment before turning to ask him one final question…something that occurred to me right before I left. "You know…neither one of you told me how old they were or what their names were."

"Your brothers and sister?"

I nod in response.

"Ethan just turned 4…Jesse is almost 2…and Olivia is just a few weeks old." My father smiled as he responded. It was the kind of smile I rarely saw him display…probably something akin to fatherly pride…and probably why I never saw it before. I doubt he was ever truly proud of me before…but something about simply talking about his children with Isabella filled him with an immeasurable amount of pride that he simply could not contain it…even around me…and even when displaying that pride in front of me inflicted some level of pain on me…even if it were unintentional on his part.

I just nodded to him and turned to walk back towards the car that I arrived in…hoping Lauren was still there waiting on me. I heard my father in the distance asking how I would get back home.

"Don't worry about me…I have it covered." I quickly responded as I made my way around the corner.

I was relieved to find Lauren still sitting down the road waiting for me. I ran to the car…knocked on the door…heard the door unlock…and hopped in. She started to ask how things went but I told her I'd explain on the way home…but that she needed to get going…just in case my father followed me. I didn't want to risk anyone finding out she helped me.

She left the area quickly…but my relief was short-lived when she told me that while she was waiting for me…she saw someone she knew from school. I didn't think much of it at first…until she said who it was…Isabella's brother Thomas. They spoke briefly…he asked what she was doing there. She had told him she had been out for a drive and had stopped there because her car had briefly overheated. She was just waiting for it to cool down before she continued on. He had checked her car over for her and everything looked okay…she thanked him and he continued on home.

I knew then that if Thomas mentioned running into someone named Lauren outside…my father might realize how I found him. I just had to hope Thomas wouldn't mention it. The problem was…I knew my luck never held out…and deep down…I knew this time would probably be no different.